, 1891-05-08
II WAS ROUGH ON THE LAD.
But Then He Looked Sc Proud They Did
Not Dare Offer Him n Lin.

@a'1 @aN
Not Dare Offer Him n Lin.
When I was in Switzerland I ran across
a half whimsical, half pathetic little incl
dent which befell a Yankee boy OF Il. 1t
didn't show much sense on his part, but
plenty Of pluck, which is not rs good As
sense, but a good thing when it is needed
TO fetch a fellow through.
His party was going up to the Rhone
Glacier, and be In needless fashion did not
ascertain that the pass divided above Hos
penthal, the Furca being the correct road.
while the St Gotharl went to the left and
down into Italy. He was doing the trip on
foot, while the rest Of his party were riding.
Taking the footpath, which was a shorter
sut than the carriage road, he missed the
fork in the road and started of toward
Italy without knowing his mistake. He
could talk enough French to say Glaze du
Rhoue, and that was about all
He trudEed along the greater part OF the
Day, stopping at a wayside inn for a bite
Of lunch and a bottle Of beer. and not until
be reached Airolo at the foot Of St GothArd
did he begin to suspect that all was not
right, He SAW pretty valley with "A tiny
glacier at the end.
"Rhone du glacef" he asked Of the first
Italian be met.
He pointed 20 the distant ice, aud the
man nodded, so he went on at a rapid pace.
for it was getting late. II was a beautiful
and peaceful little vale, dotted with hum
bic crucihNes. The people were polite aud
bade him good evening, men, women and
children.
Il was not until nearly shutdown that he
met an intelligent fellow who talked
French and compreheudcJ his RhOue du
glace question. He got very much rNcit
ed, and by gesture more than words iudi-
Gated that the lad was away on the track.
and that in fact he u4fr-r rafrnRa his .frU-
After walking all day this was tough
news, but there was only one thing 70 do.
turn about and trudge sturdily back. So
back be went TO Airulu. aud after a bite to
cat up the mountain side In the grundeSt
moonlight that ever shOue.
And So, f~oot-ore and weary. with pain at
his heart to think Of the anxiety OF his
father when he failed TO turn up, be nearly
walked ~, night out, landing at H0speu.
thai about I in the morning Then he
learned his mistake, was told that the an.
igeuce would be along at 8 aud went to
bed. Il was the best that he could do.
At the diligence came alung-and was
crowded They could not give him n seat.
50 there was nothing to do but climb again
climb the road he ought TO have taken
the day before.
But what a climb that wHs' It seemed
as II his feet were as heavy IA iron shoes.
There were great blisters on them, aud he
could scarcely put one foot above the
other.
When we had Travelled for several hours
n carriage came along, going the same way
rs he, II had Americans for passengers.
Oh, II they would give him a ridel lie
looked at them beseechinRly. Two young
ladies in the carriage looked at him with
interest They had heard his story at Hos
penthAl. They said nfterwnrd that they
were dying TO offer him a vacant seat Ia
their carriage. but he had such a proud
look on his iace-hcaven save the mark
that they did not venture lest he should
resent il. And 80 between his silence and
theirs he got no ride, but WIS soon left
behind by the strangers, who told the story
when they reached the glacier, and re
lieved the fears Of his father, who WAS al
most frantic with grief and anxiety.
1t was nearly 9 o'clock when he crept
down to the hotel ON his blistercd feet. or
course he was the hero OF the night, and
when the people learned Of the miles Of
climbing that he had lone they
marveled.
As for the two young ladies who pitied but
did not invite him, they retired within their
shells and hurried away "a quickly a. they
could. So another romance was spoiled
because the actors did not do the proper
thing. and the wedding which would have
taken place in novels did not come off.
Alasl how often it is thus in the happen.
ings Of the real world.-New York Herald