The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1885-06-06
LITTLE PODDLESBY.


of the Alpine stock he held in one hand,
but Just as often he clambered on and up
without it. The muscles of his brawny
calves started into view at every STEP the
leatheTn half CATERS he wore could not
hide them. He was handsome and well
made man; any one could see that at
single glance, though he was but
channels hunter. His face and hands were
bronzed with the sun and exposure to the
weather, but in his cheeks the red blood
of health mantled and his dark eyes
looked ever so soft and good-natured and
when he smiled, as occasionally he
was doing now, there was a right merry
twinkle about those same eyes, and he
showed set of teeth as white and even as
q bats.
Why was Frank de Vaud smiling?
Well, one reason was thiS-he was sing
ing, and the song he was singing necessi-
tated an occasional smile. Parenthetically,
let me tell you that it spoke volumes for
the strength and vigor of his lungs, that
he could sing at all while climbing 80
steep hill
hut he had am bound to say-one
other reason for smiling for Frank de
Vaud was going to see pretty little
bright-eyed Johanna, the goat-herds
daughter, and Johanna loved honest
Frank, and he knew it quite well. They
were going to be married before a great
many months were over, and his chief
she dwelt long. long way up the hill
was to press her to Name the day, the
happy day as the song says He stood
at length on the lower edge of kind of
broad table land. a ravine ran right
down through the very center of it, a
gorge. a canon, call it what you like, only
so deep was it that you could barely see
the tips of the giant spruces and larches
that grew in it.
other trees grew sparsely here and
there all over the table
land High up on the far-off horizon rose
the snow-clad jagged peaks of the Alps,
tinged with the carmine of the setting
sun, and the clouds and mists that envel-
oped them beneath were also tipped with
red, shading off lower down into purple,
then into gray. But it wasn't on the
mountains, nor on the clouds either, that
Frank was gazing, but on charming lit.
tie chalet still lower down 1t was half
buried in brushy trees and there was
smoke curling up from it
On went Frank de Vaud, continuing
his song. He said kindly goodnight to a
bevy of girls who were waiting for the
cows to come home Still higher up he
met the cows themselves, and stood aside
till they passed
Then he must shake hands with the
herdsman, and the herdsman laughed and
said
II know where you are off to, Frank
Vaud, know. We will soon all have a
dance. Ali 1 know; hal ha! don't deny
it. We all know. Good night, Vaud. "
Well Johanna was waiting for him,
and they met as true lovers who are be-
trothed, and soon to be wed, usually do
meet They did say that Johanna was
the prettiest girl in all the canton, and
think they were not far wrong. Hel
dress became her so, too, and the modest
way her hair was done up. and her sweet
or,l lNro ~ nj md
the blush upon her bonny face, and-and
but there! suffice it to say, she was a
charming little mountain maiden, and no
one could blame Frank a bit for loving
her.
But could she name the day, think your
Not she. obi don't know, she al, ],
ways answered bashfully. We'll, then,
she added on this particular evening, "say
in six months's time.
"Ohl dearest we don't know what
might happen before then, said Frank
somewhat thoughtfully,
Frank de Vaud was right
But, he said, remember darling, I'll
claim you to the very day. So be
ready.
Frank de Vaud was out almost every
day in the mountains. very daring
hunter, he And a very successful one
too. His gun, though. was not much to
look at; il had many little eccentricities,
but as Frank knew them all, and made
allowances for them, he wouldn't have
given that old gun for one worth double
the money.
One beautiful afternoon, when high up
among the mountains, he shot channels
long way down beneath him. 1t was NO
easy task 10 reach il, but he succeeded at
last. He sat down beside it. He lit his
pipe and began to dream and build castles
in the air, or, if he did not build castles,
he imagined one sweet little chalet, which
would be all his and Hallol was that a
shout from this crevasse far, far below?
He listened. Yes, there it was again,
ringing and clear, though, owing to the
distance, no louder than the voice of a
midget
aHeIp! Help! Cooee. Help Helpl"
De Vaud looked over the ledge and saw
dark figure in the snow.
%Hullol" he shouted IN go back for
assistance. Keep up your heart Wait "
And away went Frank leaving his gun
beside the slain deer.
Wait, indeed" grOwled little Mr.. Pod
dlesby to himself "Tl have to waitl
What fool l was to come away without
q guide? l shall lose good dinner, tool"
Little Mr. Poddlesby hailed from Ea-
ling. where he had a fine house and all
kind of fine things, his uncle having died
heirless, and left him wealthy. So Pod
dlesby required to be a clerk no longer in
the city. He determined to see the
world
A very vulgar, self-conceited little fell
low, I'm sorrow to say, was Poddlesby.
He had had an idea, even when poor
clerk, that he was rather attractive than
otherwise to the fair SEX but now that he
had riches, he deemed himself irresistible.
He Joined an Alpine club, and it
used to be his boast that he never
required a guide
Hence we find him st the bottom of
the crevasse, where, had he not been
found by rank de Naud, he would Ger
tainly have persisted before morning. and
become food for the eagles.
In three hours time Frank was back
with assistance, and Poddlesby was safe
to brink. more dead than alive. He was
then carried to the nearest chalet. the
goat. herds, where pretty Johanna lived
All be as fresh as a daisy tomorrow,
said little Poddlesby, as they put him to
bed
But he was not So He was down with
fever. and for weeks he lay 'twixt death
and life When at last he became conva-
lescent, nothing could exceed the kindness
of Johanna's parents to him, nor, indeed,
of Johanna herself.
"But of course l shall pay them well
for it. " said Poddlesby to himself
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