Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1900-07-06

uGSlION III III illlAAAiS AAiC Nes'NNAh
IL understand, said Miss Rodney
"It's Just as well to reserve that till
we get to the Mont Cervin hotel Bat
how did you get up here 50 soon after
myself and without our meetingT
~ got at the SchwarZSre after you. |
did not stop at the Lower Hut at all,
but pushed right ON.
II wish you would get me a small
fragment of rock from the very top if
you can" said Miss Rodney 81 want
to have it set in ring, as souvenir
of this little walk. "
Certainly, said the young man.
He managed to knock off two pieces of
rock with his ice pick.
"I'n tell you what I'll do" he said
as he approached Miss Rodney with
them in his hand "Let me have these
set in two rings-a plain, simple set
ting-and then You have one and I'll
keep the other | would like some SOU
venir of n girl as plucky as you It's
little unconventional But, then, meet
ing on the Matterhorn is rather uncon.
ventional too My name is Guy Stad-
ley "
"And am Miss Florence But you
are going to he at the Mont Cervin
some little time aren't your asked
Miss Rodney, interrupting herself.
Eyes | shall be there a week.
"Then you can get the rings made
there, perhaps, before go | don't
know. though, that you could Of
course there's no way when reflect.
"No; there isn't. But you can give
me your address, Miss Florence, and !
can send one to you.
Miss Rodney was about to correct
him in his misapprehension as to her
name when che of the guides suggested
that it was time to begin the descent
and she concluded to let it go She could
tell him later, when they were at the
hotel,
1t 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 CefVln.
The young fellow had been very
charming Coming down the Matter
horn is not as suited to conversational
advances as O clock tea, but it puts
a man and woman on infinitely more
intimate and appreciative terms. a
more tired mortal than Florence Rod
ney when she got back did not, to her
mind, exist on the earth Having done
a deed which SO few of her sex could
emulate, she felt that she had earned
she right to be very good to herself
This tired, healthy girl was an heiress
presumptive to $4,000 year. Why
shouldn't she be good to herself2
She took to her bed as soon as posi-.
BILE and fell into slumber as quickly as
if she had dropped into it down a preci,
pice of the Matterhorn.
Without eXaggeration she slept for
S6 hours. She would wake only to turn
over on the delicious rest of her pillow
and the balmy delight of Il cornhusk
mattress and return to sleep with graf
itude for being able to again experience
80 delightful a 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 a 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 flord, handsome
youth If those cool blue eyes were to
ever qnjver to loves expectancy. what
burning beacons they would bel 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 few hours
and that with rope around their
waists most of the time and clinging
breathlessly to the shaky points of the
shelly surface of the Matterhorn. Any
little shopgirl could feel that way. And
yet that is the way Miss Rodney felt
She was an honest girl, and she WASH t
going to disguise to herself how much
she was interested in this charming
fellow He had been so manly and con-
slderate on the way down. And he
Joined his easy, athletic ability with
such delightful grace, that perfect sim
plicity and self possession and thought
fitness 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,
dignitied self, which did not prevent
her arraying herself in her best gown,
and, brushing her hair very carefully
Miss Rodney had conviction that al
least she was the best looking woman
that had ever coquetted with the Mat
terhorn, and in this she was not wrong
She did not see anything of hel
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 il
hot haste. Miss Rodney then asked fol
her mail 1t would have been so nat
ural for him to leave some message fol
her To her increased disgust there wa
nothing for her Well, she had climbed
the Matterhornl That was safe Moth
ing could rob her of this magnifcen
vindication of her womanly proWess
She sighed to think she was not thu
first 1t would have been no harder t,
have been the pioneer than to hav