The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-10-24
HE CUT THE ROPE.

They shake their heads with unpleasant
significance at zermatt if you ask them
about Gaspard Lafargue and what befell
him. For one thing Gaspard was Cham
ounix guide, and Chamounix guides are
no more popular in the Zermatt valley
than on the Overland. For the rest--but
that is the story have to tell.
An English tourist, who has no other
connection with the story, brought Gas
pard to Zermatt, much against his will, in
over Gaspard had made up his mind that
the longer he staid at Zermatt the better
he should be pleased
Itwas all through the laughing eyes of
Nannette, the pretty French chambermaid
at the Mont Cervin. She at any rate had
no prejudice against the guide who came
from Chamounix and made love SO much
more Economically than their brothers Of
German speaking Switzerland So she
and Gaspard had their romance and formed
their plans to make each other happy.
"Nannette, he told her one day, when
the summer is over shall have saved
1000 francs. y
And /, Gaspard, shall have a dot of
500 francs -
And have a rich uncle, Nannette. He
also will lend me little money, and to-
gether we will take little hotel-such a
pretty little hotel that know of close to
Chamounix. All the gentlemen have
climbed with will come to stay there; and
/ will still be a guide, and you shall look
after the house, and we will always be
happy-oh, so happyr'
So they planned it, and after his en-
ployer had gone back to England Gaspard
found it hard to tear himself away from
Zermatt M
Tho other guides were jealous of him.
What business had ne in Zermatt, they
asked, doing work that by rights belonged
to them? And some of them-the younger
and unmarried men-were jealous of him
in another sense, declaring loudly that a
Chanlounix man had no right to make
love to a Zerni;ltt girl All that they could
say, therefore, TO prejudice tourists against
Gaspard Lafarguc they did. But Gaspard
was man Of proved prowess among the
mountains, and he found engagements.
One tourist in particular took him out
with him continually. He was an Eng
lishman. His name was Richards, and he
was an ailt.teug.
1t all rose through a certain sporting
offer that easpiilil had made to Mr.. Rich
ards OH lie afternoon on which he walked
into Zernlast from st. Niklaus. Gaspard
accosteel hini, as is the habit of the guides,
showing him his book of testimonials, and
proposed chat they should make an ascent
together. Harry Richards stood talking
with him, and the names of many peaks
were mentioned The Final Rothhorn was
suggested as good one to begin with
There was only one objection to it.
lone wants two guides for that, Harry
Richards said, land two guides are more
than can afford. !"
You can make the Final Rothhorn from
Zermatt with only one guide, monsieur, F"
Gaspard answered.
The Englishman expressed surprise.
The guidebook said differently. Gaspard
renewed his offer:
Yes, monsieur, will take you up the
FINAL Rothhern by myself, and you shall
not pay me centime unless we get to the
top"
Decidedly it was a sporting offer, for it
was made in utter ignorance of the Eng
lishnan S climbing powers and rested only
on the rash generalization that all Eng
lishmen who climb at all climb we'll
Moreover, there is certain awkward rock
traverse on the Final Rothhorn. where an