The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1900-06-13
The Ring of
the Nlatte1-horn
By John j. a'Becket

By John j. a'Becket
It is needless to remark that the de-
scent of the redoubtable Matterhorn
was made as safely as the climb up had
been. No prouder American girl lived
than Florence Rodney when she reached
the Hotel Mont Cervin.
The young fellow had been very
charming Coming down the Matter
horn is not as suited to conversational
advances as clock tea, but it puts
a man and woman on infinitely more
intimate and appreciatlve terms. A
more tired mortal than Florence Rod
aey when she got back did not, 20 her
mind, exist on,the earth. Having done
a deed which so few Of her sex could
emulate, she felt that she had earned
the right to be very good to herself
This tired, healthy girl was an helress
presumptive to $4,000 a year. Why
shouldn't she be good to herself?
She took to her bed as soon as posi-
Bile and fell into slunber as quickly as
if she had dropped into it down a preci-
pice of the Matterhorn.
Without exaggeration she slept for
So hours. She would wake only to turn
over on the delicious rest of her pillow
and the balmy delight Of a cornhusk
mattress and return to sleep with graf
itude for being able to again experience
so delightful sensation.
But at last she felt rested! She got
up and took cold sponge bath, as in
vigorating as possible. and prepared her
self for breakfast with a warm eager
ness to meet Stadley. What fresh,
eager, keen, healthy boy he wasl She
liked a young fellow who scaled the
Matterhorn in that careless. offhand
fashion. He was man after her heart.
incidentally he was a ford, handsome
youth. If those cool blue eyes were to
ever culver to loves expectancy. what
burning beacons they would be! But
Miss Rodney pulled herself up sharply
at such ridiculous thought. Nice way
for girl to feel toward young man
she had only known for a few hours,
and that with rope around their
waists most of the time and clinglng
breathlessly to the shaky points Of the
shelly surface of the Matterhorn. Any
little shopgirl could feel that way. And
vet that is the way Miss Rodney felt.
She was an honest girl. and she wasn't t
going to disguise to herself how much
she was interested in this charming
fellow. He had been so manly and con-
siderate on the way down. And he
joined his easy, athletic ability with
such delightful grace. that perfect SIM
plicity and self possession and thought
fulness which mark the ideal gentle
man. Still. Miss Rodney checked her.
self up when she felt that enthusiasm
was getting the better of judgment.
She would be nothing if not her cool.
dignifed self, which did not prevent
her arraying herself in her best gown.
and, brushing her hair very carefully,
Miss Rodney had conviction that at
least she was the best looking woman
that had ever coquettsd with the Mat
terhorn. and in this she was not wrong
She did not see anything of her
comely, ingenious companion of the
mountain. At last she inquired where
he was. To her regret. and it was real
ly keen disappointment that she felt.
she was told that Mr. Stadley had left
the day after his return from the Mat
terhorn He had received telegram
that had summoned him to London in
hot haste Miss Rodney then asked for
her mail 1t would have been so nat
ural for him to leave some message for
her To her increased disgust there was
nothing for her Well. she had climbed
the Matterhorn! That was safe. Moth
ing could rob her of this magnificent
vindication of her womanly proves.
She sighed to think she was not the
FIRST. 1t would have been no harder to
have been the pioneer than to have
stood third on the list OF fourth. How
ever. the company was small enough to
make it exclusive and brilliant dis
tinction to belong to it.
Having downed the Matterhorn, Miss
Rodney felt an inclination to return
home 1t was not pleasant to be trotting
around ty herself 1t was too bad that
the young man had been telegraphed
for He might at least have left mes
sage Surely there was as much reason
fer his feeling an interest in her as for
her having such a warm spot for him
in her heart She. woman. and a girl
at that. had done something that even
be, strong. vigorous, courageous man.
had felt proud CT achieving
Miss Rodney headed straight for Lon
don She ran across the Vassar profess
or and her small following in Paris.
How did you find your friend:' she
asked of Miss Rodney
"Oh, l was received as we'll as l
could have expected. But this friend IS
rather cold and keeps very much
apart. she answered smillngly She
certainly was not libeling the Matter
horn