The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1900-06-06

gathering further harvest OF tears
.'Rev Arthur Kimbail she observed
despairinglv Il did not know he was
back from Europe. We must see him,
| SUPPOSE You can show him in. Will
liams
This is very appropriate time for
a parson to call, when family Is pros
trated with grief over the loss of near
relative of fortune and of title. said
Uncle Josiah. with placid sarcasm.
Rev. Arthur Kimball was fashion
able pastor. whom Mrs. Rodney respect
ed as such He was this somewhat
DESPITE himself. for he was not halt
bad sort. His favorite way of spending
his vacation was to go to Switzerland
and climb the most inaccessible moan-
tains there. He had just returned from
one of these athletic outings. Between
him and Miss Rodney there was warm
bond of sympathy, based On their deyo-
ton to physical development
After some preliminary small talk
and inquiry about friends Miss Rodney
said:
..Well. what Alp have you conquered
this year. Dr.. Kimball? l suppose you
will soor be driven to the Himalayas
for your vacation Switzerland will be
sucked orange
ssAfter this summer almost feel as
if it we're replied the clergyman
cheerfully. Il did the Matterhorn this
year. 1t still has the credit Of being
something fit for climber to vanquish
OF course the old time glamour of its
sharp crest when the guides themselves
used to wag their heads and tell weird
tales about the. unseen horrors that
cling to its top is done away with. Too
many have Skinned up this slippery
needle of the Alps But it is tug enough
still to be something to boast of. AS an
Englishman, a member of the Alpine
club, said to me this summer: Mont
Blanc is inglorious today. Little boys
and girls take promenade to its top
as kindergarten play at mountain
climbing. But it must have been
glorious moment for Whymper when
he planted the first pair of human feet
on the virginia. peak of the Matterhorn!
The trip must have been a melancholy
memory, however, for the vanqulshed
spirit Of that hitherto unscaled eyr1e
seemed to wreak revenge on this in
trusion of man You know four of the
party were lost on that first ascent.
Whymper was the only one of the
climbers, except two of the guides. who
retraced his steps after the victorious
climb am happy to state that one OF
this first party to reach the top was
like myself, clergyman
ssAnd is it really 50 dificult?' asked
Miss Rodney eagerly.
ST don't think there can be any
doubt of its difficulty. said DR.. Kim
ball. with dry smile 1T is tough
climb, and I have made many. The
Zinal-Rothhorn was corker, thought,
although found a gray haired woman
at the table hote at zermatt who had
done it few years before and was not
very boastful about it. A man who had
never climbed attempted this peak and
did it. although the guides had to SIM
ply transport him over the icy and shelly
ing parts of the rocky leages. There are
plenty of peaks to practice oa. 5ut II
is the most glorious feeling IN the
world to scratch your way. like hardy
insect. up the rough, naughty peaks
that nature seems to have reared as
defiance to the passage OF man cen
c.uded DR.. Kim ball as he rose to so. II
see from your looks that you are keep
ing up your own outdoor exercise Miss
Rodney That is right.
Eyes. but bicycling and even follow
ing the hounds seem tame compared
to scaling the Matterhorn, replied the
girl, with an amusing note Of regret in
her voice.
"Women have to admit mans su-
periority in some things, don t they?
remarked Uncle Gardner. when Dr.
Kimball had retired 'Aere's small.
not overmuscular parson who can
climb the Matterhorn Women have
to shrink into their petticoats over
that. .
"Two women have done it without
shrinking into their petticoats. as
you so elegantly put it. retorted his
niece, slightly nettled at the old mans
gratuitous gibe
THAT must make it all the harder
for the poor women folk, who have to
content themselves with small exploits,
like riding a wheel or playing tennis,
returned the determined old man. Il
should think you would want to climb
the Matterhorn >
.'Oh, dare say may scme day. re-
Piled Miss Rodney carelessly Il have
rot doubt that could.
.'Ill bet you $100,o 600 you conldn't
do it, y grunted the OLD man contemptu-
cusly.
cts not as easy. of course, as wa
gering 500 when you wouldn'
really and seriously wager a penny Oh
it. -