The Caledonian-record. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1920-current, 1921-10-19


imagine great things of all kinds
crawling toward us, or rather |
tried my best not to imagine them
but still they came. Now and
then great rocks crashed down
past us. l was holding onto the
bank only by my heels as | leaned
against the cliff. l was afraid of
slipping down and | didn't know
what was below me. 1t was well
/ didn't for if l had known |
should have lost my head and
gone over at once. AS it was |
expected every minute to start
but wasn't frightened. | was much
more interested in who would go
first and l thought l should be
perfectly furious if one of the
others pulled me off with them if
their turn came before mine. We
were wrapped in clouds much of
the time and were very cold and
wet. OCCASIONALLY we took brandy
from flask from the ruck sack
or | think we should have got so
cold we should not have stuck on
as long as we did.
After a couple of hours we
gave up hopes and the others be-
gan to say their prayers and Tony
tainted continually. | was cold
and numb all over and began to
think l should be glad when the
plunge was over as | knew we
couldn't hang on much longer,
when all at once | saw, far below,
a crowd of lights come out of the
hotel whose lamps we could see,
and start running down Their DAD
toward US. At first / thought they
were imaginary lights like the
Others but after rubbing my eyes
to make sure | called to the 9th
ers to look too. We were over
joyed when we were sure they
were coming our way for we had
decided the son must have gone
over some precipice.
1t took some time for them to
get up to US and we chung on
desperately again now help was in
sight. In time eight mountaineers
with ropes and lanterns came into
sight below US. | came the near
est to going over then of any time
for the lights showed me 'nly
about foot of loose soil at my
feet and a drop of hundreds of
hundl eds of feet at the edge. |
was very giddy and hardly dared
to breathe till the men came over
the cliff at our left. They led US
down, two men to each one of US.
When we at last stepped onto
comparatively level ground again
l certainly was a thankful person.
When we came to the first house
we found the mayor of the town
waiting for us with a Thermos
bottle full of hot rum punch. We
were hardly able to walk but after
drinking some of this and resting
for a few minutes we went on to
the hotel where we arrived soon
after midnight, having been lost
nearly six hours.
We had planned to continue our
tramp the next day but our clothes
were sent out to dry and didn't
get back till noon. Then we were
too lame and tired to do more
than walk the s miles to the next
town from where we could send
for an automobile to come and get
US. No road led up to the town
we had just left, only foot path.
1t is an interesting experience
to have had, but though like
mountain climbing very much and
have taken several such trips be-
fore this one this summer. | think
if anyone dared to ask me to take
another he would be no longer a
friend of mine.
We left the little town a week
later and came back to Rome,
stopping on the way at "Lago dl
Garda," one of the most beautiful
Italian lakes, and again at Venice.
a most wonderful and interesting
city.
| have had the Republican every
week for the last year since l
have been in Italy, either from the
publishers or from my home IN
Danville and l appreciate it more
than | ever did before. usually
read even all the adds and notices
of all kinds, it seems so good to
see home paper. ~
GRACE V. COBB.
Rome, Sept. 10, 1921.