The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1908-05-20

MK ~ ! q were perched the
2 simple inn and the
group OF brown chalets clustering
round the big church, with its dubious
oriental spire, that they caught the las,
red rays of sunset and held them flash.
Ing on FURNISHED copper roof plates
ana Jeweling small. bright window
panes long after the green valley be.
low was curtained with shadow.
One September evening two dusty
travelling carriages toiled up the steep,
winding road that led to the highest
hamlet Of the Rhaetian Alps, and a
girl walking beside the foremost driv,
er (minded, as he was, to save the
Jaded horses) looked up to see ALE
heiligen gllttering like n necklct of
gems on the brown throat Of the noun
tain. Each window was u great, sep
arate ruby set in gold: the copper bulb
that crowned the church steeple was q
burning ~carbuncle, while above the
flashing band of gorgeous color the
mountain reared its head, facing west
ward, it's ~steadfast features carved In
stone, the brow snow capped and rosy
where the sun touched it, blue where
the shadows lay.
The driver assured the young Eng
lish lady, whom he much admired for
her pluck as we'll as beauty, that she
a far better return to the carriage;
that indeed she need not have left It.
Her extra weight would be but as
that of n feather to the horses, which
were used to carrying far heavier loads
than that Of today up the steep noun
tain o to Alleheiligen in the "high"
season of July and August, when many
tourists from all countries came to rest
for Il night and see the wonderful view.
He even grew voluble In his persua-
sions, but the girl still smillngly In
sisted that she liked walking, and the
brown faced fellow with the soft green
hat and curly cock feather admired
her the more for her hrmness and en-
durance.
She was plainly dressed In gray,
which did not show the dust, and,
though her skirt and short jacket were
we'll made and her neat little hat jaun-
ty and becoming-almost dangerously
Decoming-she was not half as grand
In appearance as some Of the ladies
who drove up with him in July and
August. Still, the man said to himself,
there was an air about her-no; lie
could not describe 1t even to himself
but 1t meant distinction. And then, as
she vas English, 1t was as pleasing as
1t was remarkable that she could speak
Rhaetian so prettly. She had learned
it, she said, when he respectfully ven
tured n question, because since she
was a child she had taken an interest
in Rhaetian history and literature.
And this seemed strange to him-that
so dainty a lady should have learned
such a language for pleasure, because
the people of most countries found 1t
excessively difficult rs difficult ms
Hungarian and just enough like Ger
man to make IT even more difficult
perhaps. But this English girl said
she had picked it up easily, and the
young mans heart warmed to her
when she praised Rhaetian music and
Rhaetian poetry.
This was the last touch. This won
him wholly, and without stopping fur
Their to analyZc or account for his ad-
miration the driver OF the first car.
riage found himself bestowing conf.
dences upon his gracious companion
as they slowly tramped up the winding
road, the reins looped over his arm.
He told her OF his life-how he had
not always lived down there in the
valley and driven tourists for a living.