The Portland daily press., 1896-09-05
SHROUDED IN SNOW,

~ ". D
There is. perhaps. no finer view OF
Mont Blanc in or around Geneva than
hat to be obtained from Colonel Iron
shin's tower on the hill above Ooligny.
There you get sunset effect that must
have made many painter despair, and,
IN the estimation Of some, is superior to
he grandeur of the sunrise seen from
lhe Rigi. It is astonishing how the light
fingers and the snow reddens in the sun
litter the orb has vanished beyond the
green range of the Jura The changing
iues Of the twilight-from the alabaster
70 the crimson, from the crimson to the
Meely gray, from the gray to the vivid
pink, and then to dimness Of the veil Of
mist arising from the valleys-are alone
worth the trouble and expense of a spe-
sial journey.
Geneva, indeed, is delightful place
at all times. The lovely lake, the stately
Rhone, the turbulent Arve, the snowy
mountain ranges cut in 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 combination of pleas
ing scenery perfectly irresistible. The
many peaks that circle the Val d'Aoste
are beautiful undoubtedly. but lacking
the monarch Of the mountains the view
would seem shorn Of half its glory.
With him the panorama is perfect, the
picture is complete.
From this point of vantage couple
of tourists, with peasant girl, are adj
miring the inimitable tinting of the
sunset sky. "You are right, Gisela, by
Jovel This is the best have seen since
we entered your wonderful country. If
this golden glow would only lastl i be-
lieve I could look at it almost as long as
could at your pretty face, ma chere :"
1t is Sydney Athelstan, tall, dark
haired, well set up young Englishman,
who speaks. He is touring Switzerland
for the first time. GiseIa's face fushes
as rosy red as the fragrant rhododendron
that flames the snow and ice 8, 600 feet
above them as she answers:
"You flatter me, m 'sieur, but it is
beautiful, for the night is clear. Let go
my hand, please. I am only a peasants
child"
but with the grace Of lady and the
beauty Of an artists ideall'' fervently
exclaims the young man. I'M 'Dieu, but
you were made for something better
than mere cottager's daughter.
The girl wrenches her hand from his
The rose flush on her cheek fires into
vivid scarlet. She points down the rug
ged path.
If you will not have prudence,
m'sieur, I must return alone to my IA
TIERS roof, where Giotto, my betrothed,
awaits me. came to show you and
your friend the place where the great
English poet lived, and then the view
Of the mountain from here. Let us re-
turn together. sSaEF
Athelstan listens with his soul in his
eyes. Blue, uncertain. distrustful eyes
they are, but fascinating to women.
AS for Gisela, her wild rose beauty
grows in fairness every day under the
influence Of maturing womanhood and
the glow Of deep passion, for, despite
her betrothal to Giotto and despite her
shyness, she loves her stalwart young
Englishman in her heart and her bright
eyes fash 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, i'll at
ease and revolving vengeance in his
dull mind, goes with the sheep across
the glacier to spend the summer months
in 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 one evening, when the two
have been away longer than usual, a
telegram is left at the hotel for Athel-
stan. Sydney reads the message hur.
riedly and crumples it into his pocket
with muttered ejaculation. r. s.
''Mother is deadp' he says in strain
ed voice. 81 must go home at once-to-
morrow morning. I will go and pack
up few things now.
''It will be fine today" says Gisela,
the guide. And the others nod and &C.
uuiesce, for is she not as weatherwise
As any man of them, as familiar with
every nook and Granny of the mountains,
with the paths of the avalanches. the
portent of the south wind singing in the
glaciers, the meaning of the flush and
the fall of the rivers1 Yes, it will be
nne today If Gise]a says so.
And the tourists hope it will be fine,
for they are going to the Mer de Glace.
which is days excursion from Cha
mount, where they are staying. Mrs.
Athelstan has not been to Switzerland
before and is delighted with all she
Bees. Her husband has memories Of a
visit in the bygone years and hopes the
sunbrowned woman with the flashing
eyes-who insists on guiding them
does not remember him. She does NOT
appear to recognize his features at first,
though she starts at the sound of his
pY.irA and q passipo =