The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1908-09-30
A CURSE CONFIRMED.


guide across what Is now the SIM
plon pass of the Alps. That was more
than three centuries ago, and guides
duties were far different from what
they are now. Instead of conducting
tourists who travel for pleasure they
showed the way to those who Travelled
for the purposes of barter. Herman
was to guide Gabriel Arshag, a Greek
diamond merchant who was taking a
valuable lot of gems to dispose of in
Paris. Herman babe farewell to his
betrothed, Agatha, little peasant girl,
telling her to keep her thoughts fixed
on the day of his return. This she
promised to do and to pray daily to the
Virgin that she would bring him back
safely to her
On the first night after beginning the
ascent the two men stopped at little
inn midway between the low ground
and the summit kept by an old Swede,
Johan Evard, and his wife for the en-
tertainment of those making the pass.
Before getting into his cot Arshag must
needs look over his jewels, making an
excuse to himself to see that they were
all there, but really because he loved
to look at them. He was seen through
a crack in the partition by Evard and
his wife, whose cupidity was excited
by the sight Of the sparkling gems.
They saw him put them under his pill
low, and in the middle of the night
Eyard stole into the room, inserted his
hand deftly under the pillow and tool
out the bag Then he took several Of
the gems, entered Herman's room and
put them in his pocket This done, the
couple took the bag containing the rest
Of the treasure, dug a hole in the snow
near the cabin and hid them under an
overhanging rock, afterward throwing
the snow back into the hole.
The next morning before daylight
Arshag was heard storming and la
menting. Herman and the old couple
went to him, and he accused the latter
of stealing his jewels.
"You accuse us of theft-we who
have kept this inn ever since we were
young people, we who have enter
tanned many strangers and have al
ways borne good charactersl Rather
look to your guide to recover your
loss. 1t is not we who could know
that you carried jewels, but he"
All three were searched, and the
gems that had been placed ia Herman's
pocket were found there. Arshag was
but half convinced that the guide was
the thief, for it was not likely that he
would keep stolen property on his per-
son. While they were wrangling a
party of travellers and guides came
! down the mountain and stopped at the
inn. Arshag consulted with them, and
thew advised him to go back, taking
Herman win hIA.A.~ 11es doubtless knew
| where the rest of the ew.oIs -..o1S ...-t
under torture would confess all. Ar
shag wished to take the old couple as
well, but was dissuaded since travellers
counted ON being entertained at their
inn and would be disappointed Per-
| haps some who were caught in storm
might perish. So Arshag started back
with the party, Herman going willing
| ly. Yet he was much cast down, for
he knew that on the rack he would be
forced to make a confession that was
not true.
There was gorge to cross directly
in front of the cabin. The party
crossed it, and when on a crest OH the
other side Herman stopped and turned
the others doing the same. The ali
was perfectly still. There had been
an unusual snowfall, and far and near
the peaks were covered. The only sign
of a human abode in all that vast
waste of snowy heaps was the inn or
the other side of the gorge. The inn
keeper and his wife were standing II
front of 1t watching the travellers
Then Herman raised his hand and ii
his loudest voice, that he might be-
heard across the chasm, said:
my Agatha has prayed to the
Blessed Virgin for my protection.
curse you, and the holy mother will
make my curse effective
Hardly had the echoes of his voice
died away when there was sound
the muff1ed boom of a cannon-and il
another moment the whole side of the
mountain beyond and above the cabiI
began slowly to move. Snow, ice
trees and rocks poured in one confused
gigantic torrent down on the inn anC
its keepers. Above the roar there cam,
a mingled human shrek, and the spo
where the cabin had stood was buried
fifty feet beneath the snow.
In that superstitiou$ age only few
scientists knew Of the delicate bal
ances Of nature and that a human voic
setting the air to vibrating could caus
an avalanche The party regarded til
destruction that had come to the inn
: keepers direct confirmation by tn
Virgin of Herman's curse. All knel
reyerently and with awe made the sig
Of the cross.
The diamond merchant, convince
that the old couple had stolen his dis
monds and that the treasure had bee,
swept away by the avalanche, wen
back to Greece, and Herman Marie
Agatha, giving up the profession Q
guide. Several years after the deaf
Of the innkeepers, having failed to ear
q living, he returned to his former cal
ing. On his first trip, when he reache
the place where the inn had stood, b
J found it bare of snow. He sat dow