Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1928-11-30
The Goat of the
Glacier
~ AID ScHUSTER
So. .p.sF+F+E'F.F++Fs'E-


DUDWORTHY DWIGHT was both
~ scientific and supercillous lie mao
spent so iH.y hours over his BOOKS
and In the fields studying rocks ana
lplants that he came to believe that
all OF Ill. . who We're not similarly
occupied were poor men and OF 'litie
use.
His thin legs encused In sturdy
khaki, his light thatch OF has COW
cred by u broad-b rimmed hat Dud-
worthy night poked about IN me
lava fields ut the base OF Mount Shas-
ia, looking for specimens to add TO
his collection. Ephirlam Weller, noun
taineer, seeing him from distance,
took notice of the long nose, the
nervous movements of the head as
Dudworthy peered about through his
thick classics, and was reminded OF
bird. Dudworthy saw the mountain
man.
Ephlrlam nodded. "You can have
bunk in my cabin II It'll do
Although Dudworthy was not man
after his heart, the mountaineer ex-
tended the traditional hospitality OF
the hills. What he had was plain, but
the guest was welcome The guest
was distlnlnful, showing by his man
ner he would make the best OF Il bad
situation. Ephirlam smoked In silence,
seeking revenge by filling the cabin
with peculiarly pungent tobacco,
smoke When Dudworthy reached into
his pack and helped himself OF his
own store of food without Offering to
share with the host, Ephiram pulled
the harder. This was not according
to rules.
After dinner the wind rose and the
corners of the shanty hummed and
moaned. From the distance came the
call of mountain lion. Dudworthy
turned pale and glanced for reassur-
ance at the bolts on doors and win
dows. EphIrlam smiled
"Are you going up to the glacierr'
the mOuntalneer asked. "There IL
what | calls an interesting place for
man of learning" He lowered his
voice and leaned forward. "rhere Is
something queer about that glacier
odd things transpirIng, and maybe you
could investigate.
"a long time ago." Ephlrlam was
settled back for story, there were
mountain goats cavOrtlng and GALL
wanting all over that mountain.
fellow could go up there with gun
| and bring back a fine set Of horns In
no time. Then, somehow they dlsair
peared. About fifteen years ago II
fellow said he saw one Of them and
that was the last There amt n goat
left 'cept Archllochus."
"ArchIlochusT
ayes, and you might say he nin't
Of the modern generation. lie was a
big fellow In the old days and my
grandpap used to go out perhaps,
a-looklng for him. Maybe the Indlnns
hunted him long before grandpap
came"
"But you say he Is here nowT'
Ephiriam nodded solemnly, facing
| the other with look which demand
| ed attention. "He IL. That's whit Is
| queer. You see in them days the
glacier was larger. Some years when
there was a lot OF sun and little rain
1t shrunk. Some years again II grew.
| Well, anyway, years ago Arcll0chus
that's what we all calls him-was
jumping over the rocks and he musta
slipped. He got caught in crack In
the glacier and the Ice Just closed
over him, shutting him In and sealing
him up cold storage like. Then the
SHOWS came and lotta heavy winters
and the old goat was buried deeper
and deeper In the glacier.
"And he was safer there too, than
the rest Of his tribe They were hunt
ed and disappeared but Archllochus
slept on. Bimeby, II was only year
ago, they dug him up. There he was
stiff and as perfect as when he fr0ze.
| II was about this time OF night, and
the wind was caterwaullng through
the rocks and we had to shine our
lights on him. You see, was helping
out with party studying the glacier
In an extra dry season.
Anyhow, there he was and there
was us all admlring and wishing they
had goats like that today when he
Jumped up, let out a terrible cry,
and bounced Off. We Just stood there.
as the man says. transhxed In our
gum-shOes."
Ephriam lowered his shaggy brOws
and glared at Dudworthy, but there
was no contradiction, no evidence Of
disbelief
1--WE haven't seem him since, but we
hears him. Llstenl"
A weird, prolonged wall came from
behind the cabin.
Hes a-callIng for them other
goats, the ones he knew-and the
ones he misses. Most like he wonders
what has become OF them. I'm think
Ing II has sorta affected his brain"
Dudworthy Dwight glanced at the
door. lie did not wish to stay and he
dared not leave. The cry came again.
81 guess I'll go to bed" he said,
and he covered his ears with
blanket and spent fearful night star.
ing into the dark.
In the morning he left and Ephlrlnm
went out behind the cabin to oil a
windmill which had been sGupnklng
and grooming for several weeks.
An Issue