Year: 1875

IL not De to hun tomb and gave pas
sionate vent to his grief For many
weary hours nothing had passed his lips
ar with aching head and fevered brain,
eFh trembling limbs and convulsive
sobs, he prayed for deliverance, if by no
other hand, at least by the skeleton one
of death.


A week passed-a week Of the most
severe toll and anXiety-and yet he was
not disheartened. His trust in God had
returned, and love for his wife and de-
pendent children kept alive his often
sinking heart. He was yet in hopes of
reaching the upper air-of seeing his
dear ones again. But even as he was
thinking thus, with something of his old
time cheerfulness, new anxiety took
posassion Of and nearly operpowered
him. The carcass of the ibex, which had
been the innocent cause of all his troub-
lie, was picked almost to the bones.


With dire starvation staring him in
the face, he bowed his head and wept
like child. Starvation, that has in it
more of horror than thousand other
deaths. He could almost see it silently
approaching, and, for time, despair
alone had possession of him. Then his
trust in the Supreme Being returned, and
he committed himself unto his holy
keeping. "Heavenly Father" he muir
INJURED from between his parched and
biackened lips, sit is Thy hand that has
sustained me so far-has saved me from
all danger. Thou givest food to the
young ravens and markest even the fall
of the tiny sparrow. None but Thou
can hear me or help. Hear my prayer !!
Save me, D God! save me!'


Something of sweet consolation came
with the utterance of the words, and he
laid down to sleep more TRANQUILITY than
he had done for many previous nights.
Yet it was only to be awakened by a
new fear. It needed no seer to tell him
that the fohn, or hot south wind, was
sweeping over the glaciers and snow
fields of the high Alps, and that the rain
was falling in torrents, and the enormous
blocks Of ice melting as if, by the touch
of fire. The cavern he had dug with
such infinite labor was almost breast deep
with water, ,and it was rushing in with all
the swiftness Of mountain torrent
Then he breasted his way out into the
chasm, but it was only to return again as
quickly as possible. Never cataract ragged
more fiercely than the surging water
there Cutting little inches in the ice
wall, he climbed beyond the reach of the
water, and tremblingly awaited his fate.
The waves rose rapidly, higher ami high
er He mad climbed until his head rest
ed against the Top of the little cave
could go no farther. And yet the water
rolled upward about him. They reached
his wais.-surged higher to his breast
crept to his throat, and despite all his ef-
forts began to trickle into his mouth In
another moment he would be strangled
by them; his hold would he torn away
and his body dashed hither Sand thither
against the sharp points of the ice. 30
God save me save mel" burst from him
in the terrible agony Of the instant-the
moment of time that lay between him
and death.


A noise like thunder-a shiyerine
crash-resounded through the chasm.-
1t appeared as if the very foundations o.
the world were tottering beneath him
Now, indeed, he felt that his end haC
come. No! Terror was instantly
changed to rapture. The water rushed
out of the cavern with the most amazing
velocity; he could descend and stand ou
the bottom again without fear. How
this had been accomplished he was fore
ed to wait until the morning light to de
termine; and, with the first beams, h'
saw q great fssure had been opened
through which the imprisoned waters hat
found their way to the valley below
This unlocked for preservation again in
spired him with confidence, rendered
more firm his trust in God.


Through that tunnel he saw a way tc
freedom 1t was small, to be sure, but
he could enlarge it; and he worked dill
gently until his strength utterly failed =
The ibex was entirely devoured. He haC
split the bones and sucked out the mar
row, and gnawed them over and ovel
again to appease his hunger. For TIVE
days he had not tasted morsel Of food
The hatchet slipped from his hand wher
he endeavored to strike blow, and b,
was forced to abandon the undertaking
There was nothing left him now but tt
die.


1t was rayless, sunless. darkness in th


ice cavern, when the springs of his lif
again became capable Of action. He wa
ravenously hungry, and arose to satisf,
his hunger with portion of the ibex h.


had left remaining outside in the chasm


He felt around, but could discover II,
outlet. Had he been frozen in-shu
out from Gods blessed sunlight forever


Nothing but smooth ice met his burnin.
and blistered fingers. Then, after al
hours search, he found a soft spot, an,
instantly solved the mystery. He knew


there must have been heavy fall o


snow in the highland it had drifted int,


and blocked up the opening; and will


the strength of despair he soon du.


through. 1t was still showing heavily


the fakes flew like great feathers around
and he drew the remnant of the carcas


of the ibex into the cave, and made an


other rude meal And thus refreshed


new hope was born within him; agail


the ice walls resounded with the blow


of his little hatchet But it was sloy


work, and much of the time was takel


up in clearing the chips from the littl


grotto.


| Another day passed, ,and no help came


He lay crouched in corner wishing tina


the enc would come, and that swiftly


His eyes were already filmed, and hi


heart beat family Then strangesnois


aroused him. He looked aloft, and say


a chamois vainly striving to defend il
self from the attacks of two old vulture
that were striking at him with wing an


beak. 1t was an unequal contest, and 6
length the animal, driven to desperation
attempted to leap the broad chasm. Til
effort was noble one, but it failed {


success. The ehamois missed it's footing
and fell, bruised and helpless,at the yer
feet of the starving man. In an instar
his knife was plunged into its throat.a
the warm blood was drained by his eagt