Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-03-17
THE TRAGEDY.

the bare rocky passage that cuts the white
summit of the mountains, the inn Of Schwar-
enbach serves as refuge to the traveller who
follows the route of the Gemmi. For six
months it remains open, occupied by the
family of Jean Hauser: but when the snow
begins to drift and fill the valley, rendering
the descent to Loeche impracticable, the
women, the father and TWO sons depart,
leaving behind them the Old guide, Gaspard
Hari, and the young guide, Ulrich Kunsi,
and Sam, the mountain dog. These two men
and the beast dwell here until spring in their
snowy prison, seeing only the imrcense white
peak of the Balmhorn, surrounded by others,
pale and shining under the SHOWS that heap
about it, and envelop, block and weigh upon
the tiny dwelling, crushing its roof, OBJ
structing its windows and walling the door
1t was the day when the Hauser family
was going to return to Loeche Winter was
approaching and the descent becoming peril
GUS Three mules loaded with baggage had
gone on before, conducted by the two sons:
the mother and Jane Hauser were on the
fourth mule and the father walking ahead
accompanied by the two guides, who always
escorted them to the topof the descent to say
adieu. They followed the border of the little
inn, then entered the valley, white as sheet
and dominated on all sides by peaks of snow
A food Of sunlight fell upon the icy descent,
lighting it with a vivid fame, but no life APP
peared in that mountainous ocean, no move
ment in the immense solitude, no sound in
the profound stiffness. Gradually the young
guide, UIrich kunsi, dropped behind the
father and Gaspard, leading the way, TO re-
81, a.
The youngest seeing him coming, seemed to
call him with a sad eye. She was a little
blonde peasant, wlJh thin cheeks and pale
hair, bleached by long sojourn in the midst
Of the glaciers.
Walking beside the mule, Ulrich, his hand
upon the cruPper, listened respectfully while
the old mother talked to him, giving him i'll
finite directions for the coming winter. 1t
was the first time he had remained up there,
but the old Gaspard had passed fourteen
winters under the SHOWS in the inn of Schwar-
enbach. Uk,ich listened, [ say, but mechan-
ically, his eyes bent upon the young girl
Every Eow and then ne would answer, Eyes,
yes, Nine. Hauser" but his thoughts seemed
far away.
They had reached the beginning of the
Daubo lake, whose frozen surface extends
TO the bottom OF the valley. To the right the
Dauberhorn showed ITS black, perpendicular
cliffs above the enormous moraines of the
Loenlnern glacier that oveYlooks the Wild
strubel. As they approached the Gemmi,
where the descent to Loeche begins, they
suddenly found themselves face to face with
the immense horizon of the VaIais Alps,
which separate the valleys of the Rhone, a
multitue Of white, irregular SUBMITS glitter
ing in the sun; the Mischabel, with It's two
horns: the massive Wissehcrn; the heavy
Brunnegghorh; the high aad cruel Cervin
that klIler of men, and that nonstrouS allur
ing coquette, La Dent Blanche. Behind
them, IL an immense hollow, at the foot of q
frightful abyss, was the village Of Loeche,
whose houses seemed like grains Of sand
thrown INTO that huge crevasse that begins
and ends the Gemrlli and opens to the Rhone.
The mule stopped at the edge of the path
way, which turned and twisted, fantastic,
marvellous and ghoStly, the length of tie
mountains, almost to the little village in
the depths below The women leaped to the
snow.
Come said the father Hauser ''say
Gdieu, and have courage, my friends, TIL
another year"
It'll another Year, repeated Gaspard and
Ulrich, accepting the hand that Nine. Hauser
extended to them and the kiss she laid upon
their checks. But when it came to the turn
of the daughter, Ulrich drew closer.
"Do not forget us, Louise" he mur!nured,
do not forget US who remain behind" No."
she answered, but in such a sad, hopeless
tone, he guessed rather than heard the word.
But haSten," said Hauser, SAY adieu,"
and placing himself before the women again
prepared to begin the descent.
The two men turned toward the Schwaren-
back, walking slowly side by side. 1t was
ended, and they were alone, Tor the next five
months at least. Gaspard now and then
spoke to his companion. telling Of the winters
he had passed here in the company of Michel
Canol, too old now TO begin as a guide again
after an accident that had happened TO him
during his long solitude. They were not
lonely after the frst day and had cards with
which TO pass the time. Ulrich listened with
his eyes cast down, and following with his
thoughts those who Were descending the
tortuous windings of the Gemmi.
Soon they perceived the nm, little black
spot in the midst of enormous pillows Of
snow. I'VE have no women now" said
Gaspard, I've must cook for ourselves"
The next day TO the young guide was abso-
iutely interminable. Gaspard smoked in
silence and spat in the fireplace, while Ulrich .
gazed from the window at the dazzling noun
tain that closed the perspective. In the
afternoon he left the house and renewed the
Journey Of the evening before. following the
tracks Of the mule that had carried the two
women, and at the head of the Gemmi. living
fiat upon his stomach and gazing into the
depths that held the village Of Loeche, not
vet buried in the winter SNOW. Protected BY
the pines that surround it, its low houses,
from the heights above looked like stones in
q meadow. The little HauSer was there now.
in one of those gray dwellings,. In which,
Ulrich Kunsi found it too far to distinguish.
How he would like 10 descend and see, but
the sun had disappeared behind the heights
of the Widstrubel; he must return and play
Ct cards with Father Hari!
The DAYS that came and passed were like
the first one-cold, clear, with no more snow.
Gaspard passed the afternoons in watching
the eagles that frequented the frozen sum
u,its and Ulrich in regularly returning 10
the neck Of the Genmi to contemplate the
village Sleep, dominoes and cards filed the
rest of<he time.
Ono morning Hari, who got up first,
.alletf to his companion a cloud, moving,
lense yet light as foam, beat upon them,
surrounded them noiseleSSly, but little by
little burying them under a white and heavy
mattress of snow. This lasted four days
md nights They must hasten to dig out
.he doors and windows,a pathway and steps
% GO out upon that icy powder, which twelve
hours of freezing would render harder than
he granite Of the moraineS. The snow be-
ran againsspi continued. they were prison