The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1909-11-30
UP THE GIANTS TOOTH.
Young Woman Describes Hardships In
Mountain Climbing.

Young Woran Describes Hardships In
Mountain Climbing.
Climbing mountains does not seem
to be an agreeable recreation, TO Judge
from the experiences Of Nine Stella
croissant who has Just assembled the
Giants Tooth, one 81 the loftIest peaks
OF the Alps. She had the pleasure OF
writing her name on the Mantle Of the
Virgin. which crowns the peak. but
what other satisfaction she derived
from the exploit il not clear.
Nine. Crolssant is young woman
only twenty-five years OF age, but her
youthful vigor seems to have failed to
make the rigors of mountain climbing
a pleasure. She tells OF muscles strain
ed to the breaking point, limbs almost
ilisIocated cold, fatigue and the hui
mors Of the guide. for "the guide ia
the high mountains Is king. You must
obey him and smile, whatever hap
pens" The party crept over slopes OF
soft snow placing their feet in the
footsteps Of the guide aud trying to
make themselves as light as possible.
for they knew that il they dislodged
the snow they would be swept to the
bottom Of the abyss. They were sus-
pended among the crags ~Iike spiders
In their webs Once Nine. Croissant
let 80 or the rope BY which she was
drawing herself up to ledge and
hung like a package over the void.
she was not afraid. she said. but could
hear the guide swearing.
The ascent took couple Of days,
and after such strenuous labors the
climbers might be expected to indulge
10 little rest. "But where rest 7s asks
Nine. Croissant 'The summit is mar
row and bristling with Jagged points,
and one liz cold there One freezes ia
the most absolute sense Of the word
The wind found no obstacles except
ourselves, and how 1t plays with such
obstacles! If You consider how cold It
must be IN those attitudes where one
suffers from the rarefaction Of the
air you will realize how the wind pene-
trated the meshes Of my sweater and
made my clothes freeze 20 my skin.
The guide was right when he told me
to put on several undervests So we
emptied flask Of eau de vie and said
farewell to the summit
The descent seems to have been as
disagreeable MS the ascent 1t was
horribly cold, and, when the party
reached place where it was possible
to rest and eat. the guide hurried
them on before the pangs Of hunger
were half satisfied All had been fast
ing since daybreak. and It was then 3
o'clock, but they were behind time. the
guide said, and the shades Of night
must not find them in the high noun
tain.
There was nothing TO do but to obey
the guide, so the party moved on in
silence. "Mv feet moved automatical-
W. said Nine. Croissant. Il climbed.
| jumped. with only my eyes living il
my whole body | went on thus.
don't know how long. until my strength
failed completely and tainted They
gave me water aud spirits. After an
Instant | revived. and, taking the arm
If the guide. wentoff at mad pace
| have the same memory of that stage
81 the journey as one might have of a
deliriuln. NV movements had tie
strange sureness of the somnambulist
walking on the edge OF roof. My
foot did not stumble or slip. | went,
/ went Ii was vertigo, dance of
the bones broken on the rocks OF ice. F."
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