Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1886-11-03

'and FIRST place your lpeRstccS on the
this side OF me- "
/ He put his arm over his own alpenstock
and the other over mine, and thus / drew
him from his dangerous position. He was
thoroughly soaked to the skin with the
slush and water, and his teeth chartered,
whether from fear or cold could not tell.
II wonder" he said, show deep this is?''
At the foot of every valley there are
stones, and when the sun comes out the
stones sink in the ice, and they are to be
found at various depths in pools of water as
clear as crystal Sam fished out large
stone and flung it into the chasm. II
fell silently for couple OF seconds, and
then went ringing down, striking the sides
Of the ice, the sound growing fainter and
fainter and fainter until at last We heard
it no more. We never heard the stone
strike the bottom. and whether it has or
has not got there yet is something we are
not able to assert.
''Well, " said Sam with sigh of relief,
you may not credit it, but l am glad
didn't fall down where that stone il"
We picked our way up to the top of the
ice hillOck. The mist was closing in and
it was very difficult to tell which way to
90. At this moment guide appeared on
the opposite hillock, and we made our way
to him.
do you speak English" l said.
''YeS, he answered.
''What will you charge to take US to
MOntanvert?'
Where is your own guide?"
1--WE have none"
''Why did you not get guide at Chamo-
nix?'
Because we didn't need one ChamOnix
as much rs we do now. How much to
take us to Montanvert?"
Fifty francs"
Fifty frances! nonsense, the charge from
ChamOnix is only ten francs.
1T matters not, fifty Traces to MOntan-
vert"
I'VE will freeze to death on the glacier
first" said Sam, camly, and then to me in
whisper, he cannot escape us; we can
follow him."
The guide evidently thought of this, for
he took IN altogether wrong route. A rift
in the cloud revealed the hotel once more,
and we struck for it. We were evidently
out of the path across the glacier. \As we
walked in the direction of the hotel the
guide disappeared in the fog, and as if
working in conjunction with the mOnOpOliSt
the mist closed up once more and shut out
everything from our sight. AT this mo-
ment out of the mist behind us appeared
an angel of light. / could hardly think
that while we bought the beer from her we
had considered her ugly. She came trudg-
ing along with her alpenstock in her hand,
with calm confidence in her own power
to reach Montanvert We waited till she
passed us and then fell into line and did as
most men have done before, followed the
woman. Just as we came to the ice steps
that are cut by man with Ratchet, who
exactS toll from every paSser, there was
a warning cry from neighbOring summit.
Tue girl looked round and our false guide
shouted warningly to her not to lead us in
the right direction. The girl paused, look
ell at us and then at the man. But she
seemed to think that her business was to
sell beers and not to lead strangers astray,
so she shook her head and went along in
front OF us, reaching the open mountain
path that led to the hotel. Here we caught
up WIN ner us she SstI lOT Il HIohISHI W leSl
at the edge of the ice river | offered her
ten francs and she took it without n smile
or word OF thanks and placed it in her
pocket. Ipresume the poor girl got ten
francs worth Of scOlding from the guide,
who had then come up. In fact, we heard
his voice in high and threatening tones rs
we walked down the path. But she paid
no attention while he raved and scolded
and waved his alpenstOck, and, leaving
them in this interesting discussion, we
passed out of their sight into the mist. 1t
now started to rain in downright earnest,
and we trudged silently and disheartened
down the three or four zigzag miles that
led to Chamonix. The glacier is worth
going to see, but it is best to pick out a
good day to see it in.