The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1884-03-14
THE GUIDES WOOING.
An Alpine Sketch.


An Alpine sketch.
AUGUST 1877. Arrived at last at the
hut on the Italian side of the Wiesen.
horn. After long and hard scramble
we have attained a height of 1854
feet, and can rest for the night before
adventuring the stiff and difficult to
climb from this rude shelter to the top.
The Wiesenhorn is, as every Alpine
reader will know. the grandest and
most terrible mountain in the Alps.
Isolated from all other mountains, pre-
senting four magnificent sides toward
the grand hills around teach side of
the Wiesenhorn is wholly noble and dis
tinct-it stands solidarity in its I'M
matched glory and terror.
We-that is. the friend of my youth,
Herbert Grey, and myself-had done
the north side, and wanted to make a
pass of the giant hill. For guides we
had Hans Bergman and Max Steiger.
Hans is first rate. and is known to all
members of the Alpine Club. Max is
younger. but is in training to become a
first-class guide. He is fine, tall, well
built fellow, exceedingly efficient, but
remarkably silent. myself have tai
ent for taciturni:y, but Max beats me-
And now That we have got to the hut,
what do we see2 Of course, we begin by
looking downward, over the long, steep
route that we have trodden with so
much toll. 1t is about the hour of sun
set, but there is no sun. The light is
gray, the stealthy wind is chill. Mists
are slowly curling round over the earth
that we have left beneath us. We can
see nothing below the Col du Tgre.
The great dreary snow wastes are
shrouded over Yes, the view is limited,
and is somewhat cherries; but, never
theless, it is sublime. The rock slopes
and stretches are hard, blind, cruel-as
Fate. Masses, huge and vast, of bleak
rock are sad and awful, seen in the
gray and chill of fading daylight.
There is bleak look over all that we
can see. The mountain, like q cobra
about to strike, raises and curves its
deadly head upreared from out base
of thick coil; and this mountain is sui
len and blind. ruthless and dangerous.
1t will have no pity upon you if you
can not conquer it. Conquer, and ii
will remain impassive. If it conquer
you it will be as impassive over your
shattered remains.
We looked long upon our grim sur
roundings, and then, with an involun-
tary shudder, we went into the hut.
There the guides had Lit fire and
were preparing dinner. We encouraged
them. The objective and the material
are solace against spiritual depression.
The rope and the ice axes stood idly by
the rude wooden door. Flames flick
cred, wood cracked and Herbert said
dreamily that he should not 60 OH
again until the last thing. Soon the
mountain meal, such as that is, is ready
for US. Slowing away our hats we sit
down round the fire and the dinner be-
gins.
We were all singularly silent; the
guides, as usual. ate heartily; and we
did what we could with the viands.
Somehow the outside gray had shed
melancholy into the rough, windy hut,
and while the meal lasted we were moi
merry.
But there comes q time in which you
forget all that is outside you. Externals
cease to influence. "There is wine still
in the cup" as Moore says; and then
there is tobacco.
With the smoking the talking begins
Recumbent on the uneven hard tiool
the pipes begin to COZ and sing theil
harmonies.
.sHans, you have been here before
tell US about it. !"
..Yes, Herr, L have been here before,
several times. But there was one time
that remember better than all the 9th
ers."
'.Hah! you mad lady here, Hans?''
s'Yes, Herr, had. She is now my
wife-my Aennchen. 1t was the third
time that human feet crossed the noun
tain or ever stood upon its top"
'fTell us about that, Hans. By the
way, did you believe that the top wa:
haunted"
"No, didn't; but 1 thought it might
be, because one can't know; and they
used then all 10 say it WIS.,"
Good; now do go on. Hans, and tel
us all about that ascent"
Hans shifted about uneasily and drani
some wine; the brave fellow was mo-
much used to long efforts of narrative
art. He said that he couldn't tell sto
~ continuously. so we promised to in
terrupt him very often. This prospec
soothed and encouraged him, and b.
began smoking slowly to gather up thu
threads of tender memory.
MAX, you remember Aennchen's
father? He was a chamois hunter anC
was killed in winter. you know. MAXI
81 know" said Max, CURLY. HI
never wasted words; but he, too, want
ed to hear the story. He may have
heard it before; but then, you see, IN
such hut and at such q time tale
may, with effect, be twice told.
II was then Just beginning to be 8
guide" said Hans, speaking very slow.
ly, and was in love with Aennchen
She was an orphan. all but her mother
who wasn't over kind TO her. Well
never mind that. l took q fancy to try
to 90 over the Wiesenhorn, and I tool
Q fancy to take Aennchen with me-"