The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1885-02-27

married vile he must take care that
all things were made pleasant aud easy
Tor her. Now, although she was a
Swiss girl, Christina had never seen
any really fine snow mountains until
the numbering diligence, with It's five
strong horses reached the top of the
Julier Pass, and began to drop down
the other side into the Engadine valley
then they burst upon her in their
indeScribable grandeur, their
dazzling sheets of whiteness standing
ont against the clear, cloudless evening
sky, while the rosy tint of the strange,
beautiful "Alpengluhn' shone upon
some peaks Of the mighty Bernina
chain, and turned the whole scene into
a fairyland. Hans looked at it with
pride az well az pleasure, for he felt
somehow AZ if the mountains belonged
to him, and although he well knew
their power to destroy, their avalauches.
their treacherous crevssses, their chan
gine slopes, he was proud nf knowl-
edge within himself, which made him
aole to defy their dangers, and, by
mounting to their highest SUBMITS,
claim them as his own possession.
Christina clsspsd her husbands
hand II had not imagined they would
be 80 grand" she said; "but shall not
like 10 know that you are on them,
Hans; they do not look made to be
climbed ="
"Wait till you have tried one your
self, my girl. ! mean to make noun
taincer of you before the summer is
over
Aud to certain extent Jeni succeed
ed. Christina was not naturally either
very brave or very strong, but the fact
of living at st. Moritz, 5000 feet
above the level Of the sea, in the pure,
braciug air only to be fourd at such q
height, gave her, for the time being at
least, fresh energy and power, and
climbing with Hans help was, after
ALL very easy matter He made her
begin so slowly, he arranged so clever
ly that she should not at any time walk
in the heat of the day, he gave her his
arm and supported her when they came
to any place, which, to her inexperi-
enced eyes looked dangerous or diff
cult, and, of course, he did not take
her anywhere which was in reality
either the one or the other.
As a rule he was employed as
guide every other day; sometimes, dur
ing August, he went ont every day;
but il the excursions were long ones he
did not care tor this, and if they were
short and easy he generally sent some
younger aud less able man than him
self. He only once left Christina for
more than twenty-four hours, which
was when he was away in the Tyrol
with an Englishman called Stanley foI
nearly week; but then he had been
guide to for three years running, and
the two had become firm friends, as
well as willing companions. Stanley
came to see Christina when they re-
turned from their expedition, and
charmed, although he confused her, by
his warm praise of her husband.
"He is one of the best fellows l ever
met" be said, "and l hope you may
have a long and happy life together
for you deserve it"
Stanley was a bachelor of keen sus
capabilities, and very strong impres
sion was made upon him by the young
Swiss girl and her stalwart guide hus
band.
That first happy summer came toC
soon to an end all the visitors haC
left the high valley by the middle o
September, and heavy snowstoru
happening to fall then, Hans and Chris
tina were obliged to cross the Julie
Pass on their way home in sleigh.
The next year Christina was no
able to go to the mountains with he
husband. She sighed and lamented {
little, as was natural, but looking for
ward to the future was brave and goot
about it, and after her little boy wa
born, early in August, Hans came Lom,
Just for week to zee her. She wa
staying at her fathers house; but al
though Hans knew she was well taker
care of and cherished, he found it hard
er than he had expected to leave he
again, and her young baby; she looked
so fragile and i'll, and cried 80 bitterl,
when he said goodbye to her.
II could let you go quite easily, m.
darling" she said, 'if it were only t.
the towns and the valleys, but 1t is oI
those dreadful mountains that | canno
bear to think of you.
"And yet you know how really AM
truly safe am upon them; l under
stand them too thoroughly to be care
less; l can not come to any harm.
"Heaven grant that you may not
but | DO not see the impossibillty.'
"You must try and not think abou
me the next few weeks, little woman,
he said encoul agingly; and by mex
year, if you are still frightened, / vii
find some work to do at Zurich o
Coire. But | must go back again t.
st. Mortz now TO earn some money t,
pay for all that this little fellow cost
U.S." looking at his baby, sand yo'
must get quite we'll and strong, ant
then you will not feel inclined to FIRE
about me-
So he bent over her tenderly AM
kissed her, and looking at her for mo
ment with infinite love, he left her. III
spent a most successful month at ST
Moritx. working every day, and earn
ing more than he had ever done before
but az his wife wrote to him anxiousl
and was, besides, according to he
fathers account, anything but strony
or well, he decided not to stay ava
from her after the 9TH of September.
On the afternoon of the 4th, as h
was in his room arranging matters 70
an early start home the next morning
there was a knock at the door an,
Stanley came in. The two men, VIII
had not seen each other since the yea
before, met with pleasure on both side'
and Stanley, accepting the chair Jer
offered him, sat down for long cha
on mountaineer matters. He had onl
Just come over from England, Sher
business had kept him later than usua
and was eager to know the conditio
of the snow and how many high exp,
ditions it would he safe TO undertak