Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1910-11-08
LANDSL|DES
IN The ALPS.

Alpine chalets, as Swiss cottages are
called. look exceedingly picturesque.
perched as they are upon the mountain
side. with rows Of stones upon their
pointed roofs to keep the tiles from
being blown away and with back
ground Of pines or green patches
where the cattle feed In summer time.
Higher still the snowy peaks Of the
mountains may be seen towering into
the blue. But. although the heights
above add beauty to the picture
which nothing else could give, they
are the source Of many perils to the
humble shepherds who live with their
families beneath them.
Beware the pine trees withered branch.
Beware the awful avalanche.
This, we know, was the peasants
warning to the Alpine climber. But
1t is not only the climber who suffers
from the avalanche. There Is danger
for those who dwell upon Its path. A
slight movement on the part of an
animal or traveller may loosen a
mass Of snow from the mountain side.
which will then dash downward. gain
ing in volume as 1t goes, until it over
whelms houses, trees, people. every
thing which obstructs the way. in one
common ruin.
Worse than the avalanche. because
on q larger scale and therefore more
farreaching In its effects, is the land
slide. Narrowing as are the stories
told Of travellers or shepherds who
have been buried in the falling masses
Of snow, stones and dust which are
called avaanches. the accounts Of land
slides form even more painful reading
A writer named Berlepsch gives n
graphic account of the great landslip
which occurred at Goldau. in SwitZer
land. at the beginning Of the last cen
tury. He tells how for n long time
the villagers had noticed cracks In the
green slopes Of the RoSsberg. Il Noun
tain which overhung their valley. The
weather was very wet, the sky was
dark and gloomy. and strange booming
sounds were heard at intervals. Still
the people did not think anything very
dreadful was about to happen. II was
not until they saw great claSm Sud
denly opening in the mountain sid"
that they felt their danger.
Then the whole side of the mountain
began to slide downward: faster and
faster 1t came, bringing with it huge
rocks and crushing and buryins ev'
erything which opposed its progress.
Among those who were thus buried
were the little daughter and the maid.
servant Of n man named Wigct. The
man and his sons saved themselves by
running away. but his wife ran back
to rescue her infant child. and mother
and baby were both killed. Frances
ca, the servant. and Marianne. the lit
tie girl, though both injured, were not
killed outright.
When the awful shock was passed
the maid awoke to find herself cover.
ed with earth and to hear the faint
cries Of the child for help.
She could not move, neither could
Marianne. bruised as they were be-
meath the fallen earth and timber.
But It was some comfort to hear
each other speak. and the brave serv
ant girl did all she could to keep up
the little child's courage.
All night long they lay in the dark.
sorely oppressed by the weight upon
them: then they heard the joyful
sound of human voices and found that
a party Of men were come TO dig them
out. After being buried alive for more
than fourteen hours they were brought
safely home and long lived TO tell OF
their marvellous rescue.