The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1894-01-11

beautiful designs he had made from
ten To fifty years ago. Now his old
hands had quite lost their cunning
though his brain was rs clear as ever.
jacques stood behind his master.
His usually downcast eyes we're up
raised and shining. A daring thought
had come to the boys mind. Dead.
ened by his own injuries, his brain yet
found .rong impetus in the sympathy
which filed his generous heart. He
felt in some occ1lt manner that mon
sieur was suffering acutely, and to suf-
fering Jacques's soul was keenly re-
sponsive.
az will DO it," he said to himself
al can carve. 1 can invent" His mouth
closed firmly. His flashing eyes were
bent on monsieur's bowed head. When
the master turned, he met this intense
gaze, which combined the look of n
faithful dog with intelligent and dar-
ing sympathy.
The old mans eyes filled as he mo-
toned the lad away. Was il come TO
this, that he should be pitied by this
dull soul?
Jacques went out into the sunshine
like one in dream, uplifted from the
earth by wings whose powers he scarce.
~ dared to test But he was speedily
recalled To the present by rude de-
mands on his services. BY the time
he reached his lair above the goat :
shed, il was past the sunset hour, and
the afterglow was spreading from the
base t. the snowy peaks of the Ober-
land.
jacques sought in the semi-darkness
Of the loft for \ wooden box, with
which n crcpt down the ladder to th"
light Here beside old Nannette,
goat he sat Mt ease, gloating over .ne
treasures which he held forth one by
one. Nannctte herself}had often been
his model. Again the'familiar flowers
and leaves had served his pc.pose.
/ Np., pupil in the workshop of mon.
sieur could have improved these works
by touch.
Jacques knew it, He had listened
too often to the lectures of the master
not 10 know the difference between
good and bad work. His inspection
og his designs seemed to give him
/ courage as his gaze rested ON the fnd-
/ ing glow which tinged the rocks 10y the
glacier.
I IL will 10 it, monsieur" said he,
aloud.
Night was falling when he set out
for the heights. The moon had not
yet risen above the rocky spurs of the
b mountain, for the valley was narrCv
anl deep. The air was chilled by =.
. wind that swept from the eternal sncTs
OF the glacier through the rag 'eG gar
ments of jacques. But hope hrilled
his heart to endure physical iiscon.
fort. The last light from tn village
disappeared as the boy climbe beyond
the intervening trees. HJ RS and
hours he must toll upward { ard the
cluster of chalets where he o""t to
await the dawn.
When Jacq1es stumblsds ...V nir
moonlit road, the rough men OF the
chalets were asleep. Careless of n
welcome, the weary led boldly entered
the nearest shelter and lay down to
rest. He was awakened from his
drcamless sleep by the hospitable owner
Of the chalet who gave him food, and
the cheer of kindly words. Jacques
received this strange experience with
his usual silence, but u radiant smile
shone from his uplifted eyes, ~ hc
started again for the heights.
Five thousand feet below him the
valley was enveioped in mist which, to
Jacques, seemed veil that shut away
from him the accustomed life of crueI
drUdacry. All here WAS the sun
Itself not yet visible, but the snowy
peaks had emerged from their cloud
Of mist, and stood tinged with pinh
and gold against the blue sky. Jacques
began to sing.
Up and mp rose the sun above tlFt
mountains, till they shone with heat
There was now no shelter, no trees, Ia
shrubs The flowery slopes lay fal
, below, and the goat track ceased "a
the foot of the glacier Hencefortl
the way to the rocks pointed ont h,
Monsieur Perrot was broken and har,
to follow; but here and there COO
streamlets gurgled from under TN,
!. boulders blocking the road, AN,
|, jacques sank beside them to drinl
. and rest.
!. He could almost hear the throbbin:
Of his heart in these soltudes. II
=. looked down at the village, a mere a.
/, in the valley. The LGze of eE. /
20 morning had long since vaaisncd. II
listened almost fesrfuliy to the roa
. of the torrent tearing its way over tn
=. rocky precipices. Afar the solem
y resonance of the avalanche seemed I
. thrill the universe. Jacques was no
~ in sight OF the huge rocks to whic
- monsieur had pointed as the home {
the cdelweiss
.. Jacques rubbed his eyes, dazzled l
; the glare and glitter of sunbeam
around him; then with breathle
b eagerness climbed on beside the to
+ rent and M, up, up, At last II
edeiweiss