Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1909-04-28
His Lnexcu50bLe
!: Act. !:
d. AMpRgW Q. EWIMo.

sitting on q hotel porch among the
Swiss Alps Ia August with my Uncle
George, both OF Us gazing up at a gIa-
cieF winding its way 70 the valley, I
noticed Z sad look IN bis eye.
Doesn't the view invigorate you.
uncIe1' ! asked.
I've been thinking. Billy" he re-
piled
'-Of whatYs
"OuF contemplate natures"
knew my uncle was a pessimlst.
Most old men are. I made no reply.
when / was your age" he cOntin-
ned, Il gave way 10 q Weakness
good many weaknesses. but one espe-
eially right here in these mountains
At the time 10 have confessed II would
have been a strain on me. Now my
act seems nothing more than what
might be expected from a descendant
OF that half brute. half savage, called
| prehistoric man"
"But there are redeeming traits"
Il wish ! could see them In my
case"
We'll, tell your story. I'm sure you
have one 20 tell"
II was in this region with a party Of
tourists. Bob s0uthwiek, a cIaasmate
Of mine In college. had come over with
me. and we were doing these noun.
tains on foot. Bob was a great climb
Or, while ] preferred 10 look at the
mountains from a distance, as we are
doing now. The party I mention Join
cd AZ here. Among them was q girl
Of nineteen, and bob fell In love with
her. Then he was called away 10 Par
IN for awhile. and during his absence
I--weli, cut him out with the girl"
My uncle paused and seemed 10 feel
again after an interval OF forty years
the degradation Of his act.
when George came back. as WAS TO
DO expected. there was cOnstraint be-
tween him aud the girl. George seem
Cd 70 be In mental fever; but. strange
to say, II showed itself toward her and
not at all TO me. Hut I found out aft.
erwaFd that he didn't know what ia
been up 70. and | hadn't the manllness
70 tell him At any rate, be was hot for
climbing aud wanted me 20 GO with
him. The very day after his return
be wanted me 70 make trip as far up
the glacier AZ we could 20 between
daylight and dark. didn't wish TO
20. and didn't like to refuse. To stay
behind With the girl had robbed him
OF seemed to add to my contemplate
conduct consented TO go.
I'VE started at o'clock the next
morning, taking axes and n rope for
making difiicult passages We climbed
over those places that from here look
tribe rough up theFe-we found them
az times impossible proceeding on
our way tiil noon. Then we stopped
and ate our lunch. after which we
started 70 put In another hour on the
upward course before returning.
Coming to a crevasse perhaps ak
feet across, we determined to jump Il.
We fastened the rope about our waists.
and Bob jumped nFst. The other side
was steep and somewhat soft, but Bob
after some stamping and cutting with
bis a& got foothold. Then l jumped
and struck snow. felt myself going
backward and tried 10 set a hold on
projecting Ice with my an. I failed.
Bob saw what was coming and braced
himself FOR the shock. went over"
Another panied look came to the old
mans face.
The rope held. Bob was dragged q
few feet and then got a hrmer foot.
hold. but preearious one. There was
no possibility Of bis pulling me up,
aud u the strain continued I would
soon drag him over. We talked to
gether about the prospect. he trying to |
encourage me. ! knew I had to 10 TO
the bottom and II depended upon me
whether or not I dragged Bob with |
me. ia done one mean act toward |
him. and couldn't bring myself to |
drag him down with me, especially |
when u wouldn't save me. I put my |
hand in my pocket. took out my knife |
and, breathing q prayer that my soul |
should be received Ia the other world, |
cut the rope"
Another pause. l saw my uncle
shuddeF.
Il heard something between q shrek /
and a groan from bob. 10 my aston |
ishment. fell only about thirty feet |
and landed Ia soft snow. was buried /
up TO my armpits. OF course called
up 10 bob that was all right. and I
shall never forget tho Thank GOdr
heard him utter.
"well. thers ! was. stuck In snow az
the bottom Of eFevaRse. with no /
means 0f getting cut The rope wasn't
long saOagh by half 10 reach me. Bob
% course was enabled 10 secure his
own poSitloa. or. rather. 10 jump b /
the other side Of the crevassa he
Jumped safely, and We held a parley.
There seemed nothing 10 do but for
him 10 50 down to the hotel for assist.
ance and EOpe, Fortunately some
enc there was watching us through a
glass. maw tho accident aud met him Il
on the way. In the middle Oe thu aft.
eFneon I was drawn up"
We sat for . few moments IN sllence.
I overwhelmed with the utter absence Il
or e0nsciouSness On the part of my
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