The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1909-04-09
His InexcuSob'e
:: ACf. ::
Rr ANDREW e. EWING.

BY ANDREW e. EWING.
iCopyi ut. 1919. by American Press Asso
ciation.l
Sitting ON hotel porch among the
Swiss Alps in August with my Uncle
George. both Of us gazing up AT Gla-
cicr winding its way to the valley. J
noticed sad look la his eye.
Doesn't the view nyigorate YOU
uncley" asked.
1--WE been thinking. Billy" ns-- re-
piled
"Of what"
"Our contemplate natures"
knew my uncle was a pessimist.
Most old men are made no reply.
when ! was your age" he contin-
ued. Il gave way TO a weakness-a
good many weaknesses. but one espe-
cially right here in these mountains.
At the time To have confessed it would
/ have been strain on me. Now my
act seems nothing more than what
might he expected from descendant
of that half brute, half savage, called
prehistoric man"
"But there are redceming traits"
81 wish | could see them In my
case"
"Well, tell your story. I'm sure you
have one 10 tell"
Il was in this region with party OF
tourists. Bob Southwick a classmate
OF mine i'm college had come over with
me. and we were doing these noun
tains on foot Bob was a great climb
or. while ! preferred TO look at the
mountains from distance. as We are
doing now The party mention join
ed us here. Among them was girl
Of nineteen, and Bob fell in love with
her. Then he was called away TO Par
is for whilc. and during his absence
well. i cut him out with the girl"
My uncle paused and seemed to fee
again after an interval Of forty years
the degradation Of his act.
when George came back. as was tc
be expected. there was constraint be
tween him and the girl. George seem
ed 10 be in mental fever: hut. strange
TO say il showed itself toward her and
not nj all TO me- But | found out aft
erward that he didn't know what I'd
been up 10. and hadn't the manliness
TO tell him. At any rate. he was hot fol
climbing and wanted me 10 go with
him. The very day after his return
he wanted me 20 make a trip as far uI
the glacier as we could 60 between
daylight and dark ! didn't wish e
go. and / didn't like to refuse. To stay
behind with the girl / had robbed hin
Of seemed to add TO my coHtemptibl'
| conduct | consented TO 90.
I'VE started at o'clock the mex
morning. taking axes and a rope To-
making difficult passages. We climbed
over those places that from here loci
a trife rousl up there-we found then
: at times ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Of
our way till noon. Then we stoppe,
and ate our lunch. after which w
started to put In another hour on tn
upward course before returning.
Coming to crevasse perhaps 81
fee. across. we determined TO jump II
We fastened the rope about our waists
and Bob jumped first. The other sid
was steep and somewhat soft. but Bo
> after some stamNng and cutting wit
his ak got a foothold. Then | jumpe'
and struck snow / felt myself goin
backward and trad TO get a hold o.
projecting ice with my ak. failed
Bob saw what was coming and brace
himself for the shock. went over"
Another panied look came TO the oil
mans face.
THE rope held Bob was dragged
few feet and then got firmer foo
hold. but a precarious one. There wa
no possibility Of his pulling me NJ
and if>the strain continued l woul
soon drag him over. We talked L
gether about the prospect, he trying
encourage me. knew | had to go {
the bottom and 1t depended.upon m
II whether or not dragged Bob wit
me. I'd done one mean act towar
), him. and couldn't bring myself
u drag him down with me, especial
when IT wouldn't save me. Iput ID
hand In my pocket. took out ny knit
and, breathing a prayer that my so'
should lie received in the other worl'
4 cut the rope"
Another pause. / saw my unc
shudder.
Il heard something between shire
- and a groan from Bob. TONY astol
" ishment. I.fell only about thirty fe'
> and landed In soft snow. was burie
up to my armpits. OF course Gale
up to Bob that | was all right, and
n shall never forget the Thank God
u heard him utter
We'll. there was. stuck In snow
the bottom OF crevasse, with
means OF getting out. The rope WASH
long enough by half to reach me. BE
Of course was enabled to secure b
own position. or. rather. to jump
the other side Of the crevasse. i
jumped safely. and we held parle