Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-04-03

Touring in Switzerland went to :
Chamounix with a view TO climbing
Mont Blanc. but the weather was not
favorable. and l was obliged to spend
all the time | had TO spare for that
purpose watching and waiting for a
change. | strolled about a good deal.
sometimes going up the side OF the
mountain. On one Of these walks
came upon the chalet Of an old noun
taineer IN whose chat l was interest
ed. He lived with his son-in-law. who
was guide, and his daughter. The
couple had several children. the oldest
Of whom was boy OF fourteen. Be-
fore / left Chamounix | had so far
won the old mans confidence that he
told me a story involving bit of fam
lily history.
l give it in his own words. l noticed
while he was telling it that his face
wore an expression Of one who had
something on his conscience OF which
be was not satisfied. At least such
was my impression.
My daughter Lena when she was
a little girl was a veritable snow bird.
There was no height to which she
would not climb. no precipice over the
edge OF which she would not look
without drawing back. Once l saw
her standing on a cliff poised as If
ready TO sail down on to the snow
some forty feet below. Then, to my
horror. she stepped OF. Her fall was
somewhat broken by the air being
caught beneath her skirts, and she
seemed to sail down like a swallow.
II ran toward the spot where she
/ had fallen and found her in the soft
snow some three or four feet below
the surface. Had not been on hand
/ to assist her it is questionable II she
| would have been able to dig herself
out. When l released her she laughed
/ in great glee.
Il took her home and spanked her.
but 1t didn't do any good. That child
did not know the meaning Of the word
fear, and 1t seemed as If she believed
she could fly from one cliff to another.
At any rate. after what had happened
! was always in dread lest in attempt
ing to initiate bird she would be kill
ed. Such children are always loved
more than those made in the ordinary
way, and Lena was worshiped by me
and her mother, and there was no one
about here who did not know her for
something odd. She passed among
them all as the little snow bird
My old friend Pfeiffer had a son
nd
fer had made a lot of money down on
the line between Switzerland and Italy
smuggling goods across the Italian
lakes. For the reason Of this money
which would one day belong to young
Gustav Pfeiffer. was quite willing
to betroth Lena TO Gustav 10 be mar
ried when she should be old enough
But Lena had playmate, Fritz Hen
kel, who was as fearless among the
mountains as she. and the two became
lovers. Young Henkel as soon az he
became old enough began TO guide
tourists up the mountain. for he knew
every foot of the way, and every one
said he was more at home there thar
in the valley.
marrying n guide. who was liable a.
any time to 20 down with the ava
lanche and leave her a widow, witt
nothing to live on, when she cOulC
have young man with money in The
bank ut Geneva. So | kept my con
tract with Pfeiffer Lena was muci
broken in spirit at not being allowed
to marry the young man she loved. bu
] thought that after she had been mar
ried awhile and had children she would
settle down 10 the humdrum OF If,
| like the rest of us and forget abou
Fritz Henkel She could have ruI
away with him and been married. bu
she would not Her mother had died
> and she knew needed her and if sh
made break between herself and M
would have no one TO take care o
me in my old age.
When HenkeI knew that he mus
. lose her. like a good fellow he wen
, away from her to Interlaken and guild
! cd tourists mp the .Iungfrlu and tn
other mountains therea bout. He woul
/ not come back here even TO see hi
father and mother, though he sen
: them a part of his earnings AS 10
: Lena. she did what she could 10 b
content as the wife of a man she di
not love. She did not complain, but
saw that to please me she had mad
>, a sacrifice that she might never r.
= cover from. Resides. Gustav did NJ
, turn ont very we'll His father. NJ
4 fortunately for my plan. continued {
n live instead Of dying NJ n proper az
and leaving his money to his son NJ
did he give Gustav anything either o
which 10 live. So Gustav. instead {
taking up any steady employment
= thought he could make money rs h
!. father had made it and became
smuGCIer.
Put every year the revenue me
became more watchfu and expert
= detecting smUGElers and, what
: worse for the smuGglers. more homes
- 'hough perhaps this was because the
themselves were more closely watche
At any rate, Gustav did not succet
as his father had succeeded and al la
L was caught smuggling and was sent
" prison.
II was much deDraSSad hv what