The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1883-08-09
EDELWEISS.

------o - : u
&.<sE EDELWEISS.
'"And go that is really the Matterhornl How
bare and stern and cruel it looks; like petri-
fed decree Of judgment" {
Now you suggest it." said he; 'tthat exactly
describes it, but there comes the Aood-tide OF
mercy" And the rush of glowing sunset
crimson, which swept over Alpine peak and
snow-bound plateau, hustled them both for a
moment
p They two had climbed beyond the meadow
and the belt of green larches and pines that
hemmed it in to see the sun set as it sets no.
where else in like glory. At their feet lay
Iermatt, nestled in under the frowning heights
but that made the feeling of isolation only the
deeper; the two old ladies' who completed
their sunset party had sat down breathless,
hfty yards back, and to all practical purposes
they were alone with the mountains. he and
she.
Fair samples Of their age and period, both of
them She, slight, fair and gentle, with the OK
qulslte coloring and quiet grace Of manner that
declared her nationality before one heard her
English softness of speech; he, tall, dark and
active; English, too, ono would have said, ex-
cept for certain nervous energy and a half
suggestion of difference Of accent and infection
OF voice
They were friends of just fortnight's stand
ing, and had met at Chamouni in the most COM
monplace way poss!ble-a mere table d hote
acquaintance. But Ralph Verriker was cross
ing the Simplnu to Z,rmatt, and Capt Here
ford and his daughter had vague intentions in
that direction, too; so they 'drifted together
somehow and joined forces, and the last fort
night had been, at least to one of them, whole
fortnight fresh from Eden.
porfo
weeks OF such daily intercourse and init
mate ASSOCIATION with a mind go pure and
spirit so sweet as Decima Hereford's fatal to
their peace Of mind; but the peace of mind IF
some people IL thing soon to be restored, and
many men are never so happy as with some
ker; there was strength of will in brow and
chin which went to show that his was not
q fancy lightly to wax and wane, and the
most causual observer might have read his
present state Of mind by only too obvious
signs l desire to exhibit all due respect to
age, buttrutL rules me; and my testimony to
Capt. Hereford's intense unpleasan,ness as D.
travelling COMPANION only throws up Verriker's
slavish objection to him In a more amiable
light; and, as all virtue reaps some reward
even in this world of injustice, Ralph's pay
ment had come with compound interest on this
July evening, when he was actually irtrusted
with the sole guardianship of Miss Hereford's
personal safety in their sunset expedition.
There was a delicious thrill of EMULATION to
him IN the Situation; they were so utterly
alone.
The world had died
And left the twain in solitude:
and to enjoy tho unearthly glorles Of an Alpine
sunset IN the companionship Of perfectly ap
preclativc and sympathetic nature, is a graft
hcation not granted to every soul.
There was not much need of speech after
that last blaze of shifting color; eye met eye,
and said more than words could do; then there
was breathlcss, almost awe-struck pause,
Until the opalescent lines began to fade; and
then Verriker held out his hand, for the path
below them stretched down rough and steep.
"Come," he said, almost below his breath;
that's enough; let us go before the end; ali
the rest will be anti-climax."
Down the slope they went together, he guild
ing her, the small gloved finger Still resting in
his, while the two old ladies trotted on, far
ahead, in amiablo oblivion. The awe and the
wonder were on her still, and she could not
come back to Garth SO soon again; but young
man is but human after all, and Verriker was
conscious, with every fiber of his frame, of the
light contact Of her hand with his. But once
drew long deep breath, and with a tint in her
face~like reflection tossed back from the
rose-dyed hills, withdrew from the support
that was not now demanded by the exigences
Of the pathway
'sIt was almost too beautiful" she said
land. you know; and then, the Matterhorn! 10
you it must be such hackneyod experience that
you can hardly understand what it means to
me-"
''Yet think can CALL" he answered. mo
amount OF repetition can stale sight like that;
and it's not so many years since left Oxford
and made the grand tour first"
And you have been abroad so often since.
You say: How different from me! Twas never
across the channel in all my life before, and
scarcely even out of Buckingham"
Buckingham? Ii that whore you liver"
ssYes. have lived there ever since I was
little child Do yor know ,t?"
"Only geographically, Pm afraid somewhere
in the lM,idlands, isn't it? Is it nice sort of
sOh, no! not nice-not pretty at all: a great
manufacturing town, with enormous lace and
stocking factories, all hard, and busy, and
money-making; nothing beautiful. I think
the only nice thing in it is the school of art,
splendid one, for housekeeping is such
branch there. Ispent my happiest hours as
child, studying at that art school. Switzerland
ia the first realization of my childhood's
dreams Of beauty but your life must have
eyes, different onough!l with half smile
II am international, you know My father
vent to America very young, and married
New York girl, and after his death was sent
to England to be educated. Elton aud Oxford
made me an Englishman, ard foreign travel
finished the compound. Yet my mother and
my home arc in New York. and often think
there is a good deal of tho American left about
me yet"
Il am sure Of it," she answered demurely
~ have heard you say, why, certainlyP at
least dozen times, and you distinctly
guessed one day at Martgny!'
verriker laughed delightedy. Did she act
But as the needle clings to the magnet, so the
lover ceaves to one subject and he was back
again in an instant to the chief topic of in
terest
;'speaking Of guessing" he said, drawing
nearer, II have had fertile matter Of spec
ford calls you? Decie? How quaint and how
protty | never heard it before"
oh! it is short for Decima. Do you like it?
always think it SO angular and mathematical. |
| was the tonth child, and the only one who !
lived out of childhood. 1t seems SO strange |
that should have been the one to grow up; |
often wonder why"
Ralph looked as though he could have offered |
q solution to that problem; but they were out |
of the woods now, and on the high road, and a
crowd of lingering children vendors of pebbles !
and lichen and Alpine flowers, saw in the be- |
lated travellers one last chance Of confines
sent by benefcent Providence, and rushed up
through the gathering twilight like horde of |
licensed banditti, screaming and jabbering vo- |
ciferouslY. |
LuelWelss! On, IL IL really the euelW6Ss!'
Decima, as a white fannely- looking
vegetable was thrust into her face. 1.-THE first |
I have seen! l must have it." And she hasti- |
ly felt for the pocket which women nowadays |
wear rather as penance than as convenient |
receptacle, but Ralph interposed with an en- |
orgy which startled her.
"Miss Hereford don't! beg you wont |
think of it-pray don't Selling edelweiss; |
was there ever such hideous PROCLAMATION? It's |
like selling the bones Of ones family for knife |
handles. There, take that, you small reptlles!"
handful Of small coins that ratified viciously |
down the hillside Decims stood transfxed |
with surprise; then Ralph's face of righteous
wrath struck her with mirth, and she burst |
into merry laugh.
''What an exercise of ferocious sentiment!" |
she said. when she could speak. "What can it |
all be about?-not one little scrap of white |
flower, surely? Why am I not to have it?'
Don't you really know?" he asked, laugh |
ing too at his own vehemence. 'Perhaps l |
was rather violent, but the vulgarization of |
yond words To sell edelweiss!-and for you |
to buy! But don't you really know?'
''Know? know nothing except that it is . |
Swiss flower, aud grows just on the edge of the |
eternal snow; and that want one very much. |
as memento Of my visit to nvitzerland; but |
that doesn't account for the Energy of your |
conduct III defraudlng me of IL"
Then you don'tknow the story-the mean |
Ing? No? Well, then, listen; and give me |
your hand once more, please; this bit of path |
10 rough again. ....s. .--4--
"Once there was . maiden-so the legend
fair, so pure, SO heavenly minded |
that no sutton was found worthy to win her;
Ind go, though all men vainly sighed for her,
at last she was metamorphosed into a white |