The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-02-15
IT WAS ROUGH ON THE LAD.
But Then He Looked So Proud They Did
Not Dare Offer Him q Lift.

Hut Then He Looked Do 1FOuO Incy DID
Not Dare Offer Him a Lift.
When was in Switzerland ran across
a half whimsical, half pathetic little Incl
dent which befell Yankee boy of It. 1t
didn't show much sense on his part, but
plenty of pluck, which is not as good as
sense, but good thing when it is needed
to fetch fellow through.
His party was going up to the Rhone
Glacier, and he in needless fashion did not
ascertain that the pass divided above Hos
penthal, the Furca being the correct road,
while the st. Gothard 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 shorter
cut than the carriage road, he missed the
fork in the road and started off toward
Italy without knowing his mistake. He
could talk enough French to say Glace du
Rhone, and that was about all.
He trudged along the greater part OF the
day, stopping at wayside inn for a bite
of lunch and bottle Of beer, and not until
he reached Airolo at the foot of St. Gothard
did he begin to suspect that all was not
right He saw pretty valley with tiny
glacier at the end.
''Rhone du glace?" he asked of the first
Italian he met.
He pointed to the distant ice and the
man nodded so he went on at u rapid pace,
for it was getting late. 1t was a beautiful
and peaceful little vale, dotted with hum
BILE crucifixes The people were polite and
babe him good evening, men. women and
children.
1t was not until nearly shutdown that he
met an intelligent fellow who talked
French and comprehended his Rhone du
giace question. He got very much excit-
ed, and by gestures more than words indi-
Gated that the lad was away off the track,
and that, in fact he must retrace his steps.
After walking all day this was tough
news, but there was only one thing to do,
turn about and trudge sturdily back. So
back he went to Airolo, and after q bite to
eat up the mountain side in the grandest
moonlight that ever shone.
And so, footsore and weary, with pain at
his heart to think of the anxiety of his
father when he failed to turn up, he nearly
walked the night out, landing at Hospen
thai about in the morning Then he
learned his mistake, was told that the dill
igence would be along at and went tc
bed. 1t was the best that he could do.
At the diligence came along-and was
crowded. They could not give him a seat
So there was nothing to do but climb AGAR
climb the road he ought to have takeI
the day before
But what climb that was. 1t seemed
as if his feet were as heavy as iron shoes
There were great blisters on them, and 1T
could scarcely put one foot above thu
other.
When we had travelled for several hour
a carriage came along, going the same wa.
as he. it had Americans for passengers
Oh, if they would give him a ride! IL
looked at them beseechingly. Two youn!
. ladies in the carriage looked at him wit
, interest. They had heard his story at Hos
penthal. They said, afterward that the
, were dying to offer him vacant seat i
, their carriage, but he had such prou
a look on his face-heaven save the mark
that they did not venture lest he shoul
: resent it. And so between his silence an
: theirs he got no ride, but was soon lei
q behind by the strangers, who told the stor
+ when they reached the glacier, and T.
I Iievei the fears of his father, who was a
:. most frantic with grief and anxiety.
9 1t was nearly o'clock when he crel
q down to the hotel on his blistered feet.
: course he was the hero of the night, an
e when the people learned of the miles
s mountain climbing that he had done the
| marveled. --a-r
q AS for the two young ladies who pitied b'
q did not invite him, they retired within the
g shells and hurried away as quickly as thu
II could. So another romance was spoilt
II because the actors did not do the prop
IS thing, and the wedding which would ha
3 taken place in novels did not come O
"a Alas! how often it is thus in the happe
inos of the real world.-New York Heral