The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1888-02-25
THE TRAGEDY.

like nil the wooden hostelries planted on
tbe high Alps, at the foot of the glaciers, in
the bare rocky passage that cuts the white
summit Of the mountains, the inn OF Schwar-
enbach serves us 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
begin, to drift and fill the valley. rendering
the descent to Loeche impracticable, tho
women, the father and two sons depart,
leaving behind them the old guide, Gaspard
Har, and the young guide, Ulrich kunsi,
and Sam the mountain dog. These twomen
and TIE beast dwell here until spring in their
snowy prison. seeing only the immense white
peak of the Balmhon, 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 wallinS the door
It was the day when the llauscr family
was going 70 return TO Loeche. Winter was
approaching and the descent becoming peril
oils 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
escorted them to the top of the descent to say
adieu. They followed the border Of the little
lake. now frozen, that spread out below the
inn, then entered the valley, white as sheet
and dominated on all sides by peaks OF snow.
A food of sunlight fell upon the ley descent,
lighting it with vivid flame, but no life APP
reared in that mountainous ocean, no move
ment in the Immense solitude, no sound IN
the profound stiffness. Gradually the young
guide, Ulrich kunsi, dropped behind the
father and Gaspard, leading the way, to re-
ioin the mule that carried the two women.
The youngest seeing him coming, seemed TO
call him with . sad eye. She was little
blonde peasant, With thin cheeks and pale
hair bleached by long sojourn in the midst
of the glaciers.
Walking beside the mule, Ulrich, his hand
upon the cruppcr listened respectfully while
the old mother talked to him, giving him in
finite directions for tho coming winter. 1t
was the first time no had remained up there,
but the old Gaspard had passed fourteen
winters under the SHOWS in the inn of Schwar-
enbach. UTich listened, ! say, but mechan-
icaly, his eyes bent upon the young girl.
Every now and then lie would answer, YES
YES. Mac. uaIser," but his thoughts seemed
far away
They had reached the beginning of the
Daube lake, whose frozen surface extends
to the bottom of the valley. To the right the
Daubenhorn showed its black, perpendicular
cliffs above the enormous mOraines OF the
Loenlnern glacier that overlooks the Wild
strubel As they approached the Genimi,
where the descent to Loeche begins, they
suddenly found themselves face to face with
the immense horizon Of the Valais Alps,
which separate the valleys Of the Rhone, a
multitue OF white, irregular SUBMITS glitter
ing in tho SUN; the NLschabel, with its two
horns; the massive Wissehorn; the heavy
Brunnegghorn; the high and cruel Cervin,
that killer Of men, and that inonstrous allur-
ing couuettc La Dent Blanche Behind
them. IL an iinmense hollow, at the foot Of n
frightCul Abyss was the village of Loeche,
whose houses seemed like grains of sand
thrown into that huge crevasse that begins
and ends the Gemmi and opens to the Rhone.
The mule stopped at the edge of tho path
way. which turned and twisted, fantastic,
marvellous and ghostly, the length of the
mountains, almost To the little village in
the depths below The women leapcd to the
snow
Come said the father Ilauser, "say
adieu, and have courage, my friends, Till
another year.
"Till another Year, repeated Gaspard and
Urch, accepting the hand that Nine. Hauser
extended to them and the kiss she laid upon
their cheeks But when it came to the turn
of tho daughter, Ulrich drew closer
"Do not forget us, Louise" he murmured
''do not forget us who remain behind. " mo,
she answered, but in such u sad, hopeless
tone he guessed rather than heard the word
But hnsten," said Hauscr, Say adieu,
and placing himself before the women agar
prepared to begin the descent,
Tbs two men turned toward the Schwaren
back, walking slowly side by side. II wa!
ended, aud they were alone, for the next five
months at least Gaspard now and theI
spoke to his companion, telling OF the winters
be had passed here in the company of Niche
Camel, too old now TO begin as guide agaii
after an accident that had happened to hin
during his long solitude They were no
lonely after the first day and had cards will
which to pass the time. Ulrich listened will
his eyes cast down. and following with hi
thoughts those who were descending tn
tortuous windings of the Gemmi.
Soon they perceived the Inn, a little bacl
spot in the midst Of enormous pillows o
snow. I'VE have no women now" sal,
Gaspard, "we must cook for ourselves"
The next day to the young guide was absc
autely interminable. Gaspard smoked Il
silence and spat in the fireplace, while Uric
gazed from the window at the dazzling noun
tain that closed the perspective. In tn
afternoon he left the house and renewed tn
Journey Of the evening before following tn
tracks Of the mule that had carried the tw
women, and at the head Of the Gemmi, lyin
fiat upon his stomach and gazing into th
depths that held the village Of Loeche, nc
yet buried In the winter snow. Protected b
the pines that surround it, its low house
from the heights above, looked like stones
meadow. The little Hauser was there nov
in one of those gray dwellings. In which
Ulrich Kunsi found it too far to distinguish
How he would like to descend and see, bl
the sun had disappeared behind the heigh
Of the Wildstrubel; he must return and pla
at cards with Father Haril
The days that came and passed were lii
the first one-cold, clear, with no more snoy
Gaspard passed the afternoons i'll watchir
the eagles that frequented the frozen sun
mits, and Ulrich in regularly returning
the neck OF tho Gemmi 10 contemplate u