| Show iT WAS ROUGH ON THE LAD I Bit Then Ho toolced So Proud They Did Not Dare Offer Him a Lift I Wen I was in Switzerland I ran across a half whimsical half pathetic little incident inci-dent which befell a Yankee boy of 17 It didnt show much sense on his part but I plenty of pluck which is not a good a sense but a good thing when it is needed to fetch a fellow through I His party was going up to the Rhone Glacier and he in heedless fashion did not ascertain that the pass divided above Hos I peuthal the Furca being the correct road while the St Gothard went to the left and I down into Italy He was doing the trip on toot while the rest of his party were riding Taking the footpath which was a shorter cut than the carriage road he mssed the fork in the road and started off toward Italy without knowing his mistake He could talk enough French to say Glace du about all Rhone and that was al He trudged along the greater part of the day stopping at a wayside inn for a bite of lunch and a bottle of beer and not until he reached Airolo at the foot of St Gothard did he begin to suspect that all was not right He saw a pretty valley with 1 tiny glacier at the end Rhone du glace ho asked of the first Italian he met He pointed to the distant ice and the man nodded so he went on at I rapid pace for it was getting late It was a beautiful and peaceful little vale dotted with humble hum-ble crucifixes The people were polite and bade him good evening men women and children It was not until nearly sundown that hemet he-met an intelligent fellow who talked French and comprehended his Rhone du glace question He got very much excited excit-ed and by gestures more than words indicated indi-cated that the lad was away off the track and that in fact he must retrace his steps After walking all day this was tough news but there was only one thing to do turn about ant trudge sturdily back So I back he went to Airolo and after abite to cat up the mountain side in tIle grandest moonlight that ever shone And so footsore and weary with pain at his heart to think of the anxiety of his father when he failed to turn up be nearly walked the night out landing at Hospen thaI about 4 in the morning Then he learned his mistake was told that the diligence igence would be along at 8 and went to bed It was the best that he could do At 8 the diligence came along and was crowded They could not give him a seat So there was nothing to do but climb again climb the road he ought to have taken the day before But what a climb that was It seemed as I this feet were as heavy as iron shoes There were great blisters on them and he could scarcely put one foot above the other When we had traveled for several hours a carriage came along going the same way as he It had Americans for passengers Oh i they would give him a ride He looked at them beseechingly Two young ladies in the carriage looked at him with interest They had heard his story at Hos penthal They said afterward that they were dying to offer him a vacant seat in their carriage but he had such a proud look on his face hearen save the mark I that they did not venture lest he should resent it And so between his silence and riije but left theirs he got no was soon behind by the strangers who told the story when they reached the glacier and relieved re-lieved the fears of his father who was almost al-most frantic with grief and anxiety I was nearly G oclock when he crept down to the hotel on his blistered feet Of course he was the herb of the night and when the people learned of the miles of mountain climbing that he had done they marveled < As for the two young g ladies who pitied but did not invite him they retired within their I shells and hurried away a quickly a they could So another romance was spoiled I 1 because the actors did not do the proper I thing and the wedding which would have taken place in novels did not come off Alas how often it is thus in the happenings happen-ings of the real world New York Herald |
