The Saint Paul globe., 1897-09-27
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MONT BLANC'S BRIDE.
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Special to the Globe.
PARIS, Sept. 1S.-The Parisians are
deeply interested just at present in a
controversy which has been known, at
last in this part of the world, for many
years. 1t is nothing less than strife
among adventursome women mountain
climbers as to who is entitled to be
called "the bride Of Mont Blanc"
So bitter has this mimic warfare rag
ed that the authorities a few days ago
actually appointed a commission to
consider the evidence in the case, sit
ting as tribunal, and today the hear
ing is in progress. There are not less
than twenty contestants for the honor,
and each one has large and vociferous
following.
Perhaps the most interesting fact in
connection with this affair is that af-
ter all is said and done, the honor may
be bestowed upon a woman who died
years ago, IN 1871. Unquestionably she
was the pioneer Of women mountain
climbers, and was, so far as is known.
the first woman to set her foot upon
Mont Blanc's summit. Her name was
Mademoiselle Henriette dAngeville. To
the world her story has not heretofore
been known, and just now all Paris is
rehearsing it. I give it to you as it is
given to me, and am able to state that
the facts presented are absolutely un-
questioned. Mademoiselle d'Anseville
was born on March TO- 1894, the 21st of
the month Ventose, in the second year
of the calendar of the republic. She
came of an old and honorable family.
which was by no means in sympathy
with the revolution. She climbed a lit
tie on the hills around her home; later
she had some scrambling on the Jura;
and that was all the mountain train
ing she had, when, in August, 1888, find
ing herself at Geneva, she made up her
mind to start upon the excursion which
was to earn her the proud title of LA
Fiancee du Mont Blanc"
There was plenty of opposition to be
encountered. OF the $4,000 inhabitants
Of Geneva, Mademoiselle d'Angeville
declared that only five were in sym
pathy with her ambition The rest
considered that her enterprise was not
only foolhardy,s but improper. Deputa-
tions waited upon her in her apart
ment, and endeavored to dissuade her
from her mad design. She got tired of
receiving deputations, and slammed the
door in their faces. Her friend Lady
Cullum, came to see her, and implored
her, with tears in her eyes, to think
better of it. Her heart was touched,
but her resolution was unshaken, and
she made her preparations with a stout
heart.
The next thing to be done was to
buy provisions, in order that the party
might not faint by the way. A full list
OF the items included in the commits
Sariat may be read with interest. Here
it is:
Two legs of mutton, two ox-tongues,
tWenty-four fowls, six large loaves OF
bread, eighteen bottles of claret one
bottle of brandy, one bottle of sirop,
one cask of table wine, twelve lemons,
three pounds of sugar, three pounds of
chocolate, three pounds Of French
plums general provisions for the par
ty), one blanc mango, one gourd of
orgeat, one gourd of lemonade, one tin
of chicken broth personal provisions
for Mile. d'Angeville).
A goodly assortment, truly-sufficient
to make a worldly wedding feast for
the bride Of the monarch of noun
tains
Carrying the burdens, her party left
the hotel at 6 o'clock in the morning.
All ChamouniX was awake to see them
start; the soldiers at their posts salut-
walk" says MademoiSelle d'Angeville;
Il flew; and more than once they cali
ed to me gently, gently!' She would
not even stop to rope upon the Glaciers
des Blossoms, but leapt the crevasses
like chamois. Can Madame pass?"
asked the guides, when some point Of
difficulty was reached. Madame can
pass wherever two men have preceded
her." was the reply; and she passed,
and got to the Grand Mulets at 2 o'clock
in the afternoon. Here tents were
pitched, for there was no inn there In
those days, and a sustaining rejection
was prepared. After supper the guides
organized a concert, until an avail
anche, falling from the Monts Maudits,
frightened them to silence. Then
Mademoiselle d'Angeville, prayed to
God with fervor to preserve my COM
panions from accident, reserving until
afterwards my personal supplications
for success" and lay awake all night
in her excitement. And now let US
quote Mademoiselle d'Angeville's own
description of the trials and troubles
of the ascent. 1t is taken from
private letter written by her to
friend:
1T was not until I reached the foot of
the ice wall Of the Grand-Cote that
had to struggle against two enemies,
both equally determined: to-wit, suf-
locating palpitations of the heart when
1 walked, and a lethargic drowsiness
when I stopped. 1t was no ordinary
drowsiness, it was Overwhelming, pass
ing from the eyes into the limbs, and
spreading lethargy all through them.
The effort of will that 1 had to make
to get rid of this torpor was indescrib-
able
'I was obliged, so to say, to wind up
my will power as far as it would go;
in this way obtained nervous parox-
ysm which lasted few minutes, and
enabled me to advance few steps con-
vulsively: then my heart would beat
again as though my chest were being
split open, and when the moment of