, 1896-11-03
SHROUDED IN SNOW.

There Is. perhaps. no finer view Of
Mont Blanc III or around Geneva than
that to be obtained from Colonel Trun-
ch!n's tower on the hill above Colignv.
There you get a sunset effect that must
have made many Il painter despair, and,
i'll the estimation Of some, is superior to
the grandeur of the sunrise seen from
the Kigi. 1t is astonishing how the light
fingers and the SNOW rCddCns il the sun
after the orb has vanished beyond the
green range of the Jura. The changing
hues of the tw~ilight-from the alabastcr
to the crimson, from the crimson to the
stcely gray, from the gray to the vivid
pink, and then to dimncss of the veil Of
mist arising from the vullcys-arc alone
worth the trouble and expense Of IL spe.
cial journey.
Geneva, indeed, is Il delightful place
at all times. The lovely lake, the stately
Rhone, the turbulent Aryc, The snowy
mountain ranges cut i'll dazzling white
ness on the azure sky are attractions
the like of which are not found together
elsewhere, but with Mont Blanc in
cluded there is Il combination of pleas.
ing scenery perfectly irresistible. Tie
many peaks that circle the Val d'Aoste
are beautiful undoubtedly, but lacking
the monarch of the mountains the view
would seem slIorn of half its glory.
With him the panorama is perfect, the
picture lis complete.
From this point IF vantage u couple
of tourists, with a peasant girl, are ad-
miring the inimitablo tinting of the
sunset sky. you are right, Gisela, by
Jove! This is the best | nave seen since
we entered your wonderful country. If
this golden glow would only last! | be-
licvc | could look at il almost ms long as
l could at you pretty face, ma cherc."
1t is Sydney Athclstan, Il tail, dark
haired, well set up young Englishman,
who speaks. He is touring switzerland
Tor the first time. Glsela's face flushes
as rosy red as the fragrant rhudOdcudron
that flames the 10Y and ice b, 900 feet
above them as she W
lyon fat;cr me. m'siCur, but it is
beautiful. for the night is clear. Let go
my hand, please. | am only IA PEASANTS
child"
But with the grace Of a lady and the
beauty of an artists idcal!' fcrvently
exclaims the young man. M Dicu, but
you were mado for something better
than a mere Cottagcr's daughter"
The girl wrenchoS her hand from his.
The rose flush on her check fires into
vivid scarlet. She points down the rug
ged path.
"lf you will not have prudence,
M 'sieur, | must return alone to my IA
TIERS roof, where Giotto, my bctrothed,
awaits me. l came to show you ana
your friend the place where the great
English poet lived, and then the view
of the mountain from here. Let us re-
turn together"
Athelstan listens with his soul i'll his
eyes. Blue, uncertain. distrustful eyes
thy are, but fascinating to ONE
As for GiseIa, her wild rose beauty
grows i'll fairness every day under the
influence of maturing ~womanhood and
the glow of "a deep passion, for, despite
FER bctro,hal TO Giotto and despite her
Shyness, she loves her stalwart young
Englishman i'll her heart, and her bright
eyes flash with pleasure at his coming.
And his coming is frequent, is habitual.
Together they climb the messy banks of
the valleys or the rugged ridges of the
lower range. and when Giotto, ill at
ease and revolving vengeance in his
dull mind, goes with the sheep across
the glacier to spend the summer months
i'll solitary tending of the browsing herds
the girl and her new lover take longer
journeys and are altogether inseparable.
A month passes all too swiftly for the
lovers. Then mi evening, when the two
have been away longer than usual, a
telegram is left ut the hotel for Athcl-
stan. Sydney reads the message hur-
riedly and crump.2s it into his pocket
with II muttcref ejaculation.
"Mother is .ead!n he says in a strain
ed voice. 81 must &c homo ut once-to-
morrow morning. l will go and pack
up Il few things now
y
"lt will be fine today" says Gisela,
the guide. And the others nod and ac-
quiescc, for is she not as wcatherwise
as n man Of them, as familiar with
very nook and Granny of the mountains,
with the paths of the ~avalanchcs, the
portent of the south wind singing in the
glaciers, the meaning Of the flush and
thu fall of the rivers? Yes, it will be
fine today if Gisela says so.
And the tourists hope it will be fine, :
for they are going to the Mer de Glace.
which is u days excursion from Cha
mount, where they are staying. Mrs.
Athelstan has not been to Switzerland
before and is delighted with all she
sees. Her husband has memories of a
visit in the bygone years and hopes the
Junbrowned woman with the flashing
cyes-who insists on guiding them
does not remember him. She does not
appear 60 recognize his features at first,
slough she start at the sound of his
voice, and a passing paleness crosses her