The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1897-08-26
ny LITTLE ADVENTURE
By Mills q. H11en.
VIE WE'RE both, well tired out,
wv one July evening in 1886, when we


WE WE'RE both well tired out,
wv one July evening in 1886, when we
reached Chamounix, Fred, my old Latin
school classmate, could bear mountain
climbing, and, what was worse, mule
back riding, much better than I, so that,
while I was glad to find my way to my
room, in the top of the queer old hotel.
at an early hour in the evening, Fred
remained in the parlor, busily studying
up maps and guides for an excursion
over the Mer de Glace to the "Garden,''
a small, fertile spot, surrounded by
eternal ice, in the very heart of the
mountains.
Next morning he was off at four
o'clock, leaving me to spend the day
quietly in the valley. was disturbed
but once more before rising; this time
by a herd of goats, who scrambled along
Under my window, with bells tinkling
merrily enough.
In the course of the forenoon strolled
away, book in hand, following the
course of the Arve for a little while,
and then, striking off at right angles
up the banks Of a. small brook, which
joins the larger stream just above the
village:
The air was. soft and sweet with sum-
mer sunlight, and the breath of the
silent forests, reaching from my feet
higher and higher, until theafront rank
looked on these .desolate, glittering
: fields Of snow that crown Mount Blanc.
: Beside the brook the velvety turf was
dotted with wild forget-me-nots and
pansies, growing there as confidently as
: if they were not in the very track of last
years ,avalanehe..
AT length f came to a spot where the
brook had in ages past ;strewn it's own
path with fragments of huge rocks,
which II had 1oosened and thrown down
from some far-eff height, where the
foot Of man never trod.
One gigantic bowlder lay. completely
across the original bed of the stream,
and rose like a wall beside the water,
that turned out of its way, and ran off
with a good-natured murmur
-The'sun here lay warm and bright,
just counteracting the chill breeze that
came from the" glaciers through the
narrow gorge. I gathered a few dry
sticks, kindied a fire.. just for company,
and nestled comfortably down into an
easy 'eorner.to read the rocks, the brook,
the. sky, and; if there were time left,
my book, which. if remember rightly.
was ''Redgauntlet."
T
1t must haye been two or three hours,
for It was past noon when looked
at my watch; threw the smolderine
frebrands@ into the brook and rose to
return to the hotel:
As I did so, noticed half dozen
footsteps inythe steep, sandy bank that
formed the side of the ravine at this
point. 1t suddenly occurred to me that
had read in my guide book while |
was sitting jim my own room, six months
before, of certain waterfall, which,
from the description, must surely be on
this brook Yes, recol1ected the base
of the zig-zag path, that we had seen as
we rode along the valley, on our way
from Tete Noire, late the preceding
afternoon.
I Was feeling much refreshed and
reste3bY my -siesta, and, by short cut
over this embankment, 1 could doubt
less strike that path after three min-
utes scramble, as, ,some one had evil
IDENTIFY done before me.
. So 7 would have a little adventure,
and see one of the sights of Chamounix
all by myself.
Certainly there was nothing rash in
this resolve, or formidable in the un-
dertakipg, though a certain feebleness
resulting from a recent i'll turn at Gen
eva should have warned me against
!: tasking my strength too severely.
; Y At any rate, at it went, laughing
1t the easiness of the ascent as fol-
lowed the broad footsteps of my prede-
cessor. My calculation was that I
should come out on the path at a point
IS to 100 feet above my starting place.
Before had proceeded far, however,
the convenient tracks abruptly ceased.
Beyond, and on each side, there was
nothing but the gravelly bank, with
here and there big rock, which seemed
ready to drop atthe lightest touch.
Plainly enough, the first climber had
become discouraged at this point, and
had picked his way to the bottom again.
As looked back, I was startled to OBJ
serve the elevation which had reached,
and 1 involuntarily crouched closer to
the earth, with sensation as Of tipping,
over backwards.
The movement, slight as it was, dis
lodged clump of stones and sand,
which went rolling and plunging down
at great rate to the brook, the sound
of whose waters was now hardly audi
bic. No wonder the man had given It
up! Should I go on, or literally back
down, IS he had done?
My determination Wass stirred. and, MI
though Heartily wished Fred was on
hand with his sympathetic courage,I
resolved to complete what 7 had be
gum 81 g.