The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1897-08-27

WE WERE both well tired out.
wv one July evening in 1886, when We
reached Chamounix, Fred, my old Latin
school olassmate, could bear mountain
climbing, and. what was worse, mule
back riding, much better than I, so that,
while I was glad to And 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, Z"
a small, fertile spot, surrounded by
eternal ice, in the very heart Of the
mountains.
Next morning he was of at four
o'clock, leaving me to spend the day
quietly in the valley, l 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 AFve for little while,
and then, striking OF at right angles
tip the banks Of 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 the front 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 avalanche.
At length I came to a spot where the
brook had in ages past strewn its own
path with fragments Of huge rocks,
which it had 1oosened and thrown down
from some faT-OR height, where the
foot of man never trOd
One gigantic bowlder lay completely
across the original bed of the stream,
and rose like wall beside the water,
that turned out of its way, and ran OF
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. 1 gathered a few dry
sticks, kindled fire, just for company,
and nestled comfortably down into an
easy corner to read the rocks, the brook,
the sky, and, if there were time left,
my book, which, if I remember rightly,
was "Redgauntlet."
How long I sat there cannot tell
1t must have been two or three hours
for it was past noon when I looked
at my watch, threw the smoldering
irebFands into the brook and rose ia
return to the hotel.
As ] did SO, I noticed half a dozen
footsteps in the steep, sandy bank that
formed the side Of the ravine at this
point. It suddenly occurred to me that
I had read in my guide book, while !
was sitting in my own room, six months
before, Of a certain waterfall, which,
from the description, must surely be on
this brook. Yes. I recollected 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.
was feeling much refreshed and
rested by my siesta, and, by a short cut
over this embankment, could doubt
less strike that path after three min.
Ntes' scramble, as some one had eyi.
IDENTIFY done before me.
So I would have little adventure
and see one Of the sights OF ChamouniS
all by myself.
Certainly there was nothing rash "a
this resolve, or formidable in the IN
dertakiRg, though certain feebleness
resulting from a recent i'll turn at Gen.
eva should have warned me agains;
tasking my strength too severely.
At any rate, at it'll went, laughing
at the easiness Of the ascent as I fel.
lowed the broad footsteps Of my pTede,
cesscr. My calculation was that
should come out on the path at a point
70 to 100 feet above my starting place
Before I had proceeded far, however
the convenient tracks abruptly ceased
Beyond, and on each side, there was
nothing but the grayelIy bank, Will
here and there q big rock, which seemed
ready 10 drop at the lightest touch.
Plainly enough, the first climber had
become discouraged at this point and
had picked his way to the bottom asaia
As I looked back, I vas startled to OBJ
serve the elevation which had reached
snd I lnxolpntarily @ouched closer I;