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

pointed NJ naVlDg 10, say tnls rs ctan-
ley was to hear it; for notwithstanding
his love for his wife and child, Jeni
was, as he always had been, keen
mouutaneer; and the prospect OF
week or two's work with such good
walker and climber as Stanley, and |
such q pleasant companion, too; was
very attractive to him. From Stanley |
there followed long protestation. He
did no, care for the Engadine he did
not care for his holiday (; and in fact,
he might as well go straight back to
England, he said, since Jeni would not
change his mind and consent to stay.
"And, indeed, l would give the
whole thing up" he concluded, "if it
wasn't for another fellow who is out
with me, and with whom have prom
lied to make at least one or two as
cents. Look here, Jeni, put off leav-
Ing Just for day, and take us up the
Piz Bernina, and l won't plague you to
do anything else, but will be eternally
grateful to you"
"Up the Bernina You never would
be as foolish as to start with that for a
FIRST ascent!'
81 should not choose to, but am
determined to go up this year, and so
is my friend Langley. He has got into
training already in the Tyrol, and l.
well, I'm never 80 much out OF it, You
know
Jeni looked at the wiry, muscular
figure of the speaker, and believed
him.
"Come, now, you wont refuse me
this" Stanley persuaded. SIN ready
to start to night; and, instead of your
reaching your wife to morrow evening,
why, it will only be the evening after;
for suppose you will go down in the
diligence nov YOU are a married man.
You'll do this to oblige an old friend,
| am sure"
eyes, will do it, if you think that
everything can be got ready and an
other guide found; for if your friend is
going we must have second guide;
and ,hen,' he added suddenly, how
about your friend Is he safe .! l do
not like going up the Bernina with an
untried man."
"You may trust me that he is all
right. | am no fool to risk your life
aud mine with fellow who does not
know what he is about. Langley is
member of the Alpine Club, and has
this summer been up the Ortler Spitz
and Monte Cristallo."
81 trust to You Mr. Stanley"
And they fell to arranging details of
the expedition. The Piz Bernina is
the highest mountain in the district,
but by no means the most difficult to
ascend, and Jeni, who had once been
up it in mid winter, taking twenty
seven hours without any rest over the
expedition, thought lightly of it; now
that all conditions were favorable. After
some discussion he decided to leave the
preparations to Stanley, who thorough
ly understood such matters, as he was
anxious to keep promise he had
made long ago, and visit that after
noon cousin of his wife's in the
neighborhood Stanley suggested as a
second guide a man called Hardt,
whom Langley had brought with him
from the Tyrol, and to this Jeni con-
sented.
81 sent on my ropes to Coire yester-
day." Jeni said. "Will you see that
Hardt brings sufficient and strong''
Stanley promised to do this, and every
thing else, and Jeni having arranged to
, call for him at one a. m., the two men
: separated.
Jeni was vexed with himself, now
, the whole thing was settled, for he dis
/ liked having to telegraph to his wife,
{ and he disliked, too, having, for the
i first time in his life, entrusted the prep.
: aTations to some one else; however,
r there was no help for it now. He went
to the telegraph office and sent off the
t following telegram "Sorry, but can
r not come till the 6:2O p. m. train on
a the 9Th And then he dutifully start.
!. ed to see Christmas cousin, because he
4 knew his little wife would be sadly
S vexed if he failed TO do SO. He did
g not get back before $50 p. m, when
3 be threw himself on his bed, and, with
: his useful but acquired faculty of going
n to sleep and of waking at any given
: time, he slept until midnight.
r The two gentlemen and the guides
1 met punctually at the rendezvous; il
y was too dark, in spite of the lanterns
they carried, for Jeni to examine the
faces of Langley and Hardt, but he
= = saw that both were young and heavy,
n powerful-looking men. He asked Hardl
I if he had everything that was necessa
ry.
4 "Yes, everything"
"You are sure ?"
''Qulte sure
"Then let us be off
And in the silence which character
y ICES men at the beginning of any long
: undertaking. they started, skirting the
" small dark Lake of St, Moritz anG
+ through the pine woods toward the
i Bernina. When daylight broke they
r were climbing slowly up its snowy
, slopes Jeni was the only one of thu
, party who knew the mnuntain, but h,
q had not been up that year, and hi
n found the snow, after the long hot sum
4 mer they had had, unusually soft, anC
I consequently firing; they could no
make as rapid progress as usual. Jeni
broke long silence by announcing q
fact that was by no means encoura
= ging.
"rhis will be the longest ascent o
!. the Bernina | have ever made
"What, twenty seven hours y
Except that one, of course, whicl
r was folly"
o They were toiling over long snow
slope without much incline, and Jen
seemed impatient and more and NOR,
g out of temper than Stanley had eve
r seen him.
"rm afraid, after all, you are abus
4 ing me for having kept you from you
O home to-day Stanley said.
r 81 am thinking that did wrong
|, and naturally ! am not pleased wit
i myself
II "At least you are giving Langle
., and me a great pleasure