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Show Timpanogas, A Vacation Story I By WILLARD DONE I CHAPTER I. A group of young men, one day in early winter, sat in the cosy g office of a hotel in a town in Utah County. The first snowstorm of the season was raging, and the grateful warmth of the large heater around which they sat made them comfortably reminiscent. The conversation turned to vacation time. With the exuberant sprits of youth they recounted the experiences, more or less humorous, of their last summer's outing. "Why," said one of them laughingly at the conclusion of his story, "1 don't know when I've spent so pleasant a vacation, and in such an unusual place. Down by the marshy lakeside, with a few fe" A Cirque on Timpanogas. books and a skiff and rod and line to coax an occasional breakfast J out of the water. Long rows on the lake in the early morning or 1 cool evening, for exercise ; and languid reading in the shade in the heat of midday. Just a lazy, thoroughly enjoyable time, with enough uncertainty about my catches to add zest. That's what I call the ideal vacation." "Well," said another, "I can probably tell of a vacation experi-. experi-. ence a little out of the ordinary, too, with a "catch" of some importance import-ance at the end. But it's rather a long story, and if any of you fcl- , lows want to escape while there's yet time " He paused for a moment; but instead of trying to get away, his listeners merely settled themselves into more comfortable positions and turned expectant faces toward him. "All ready, commence," said one. And he commenced: "First of all, my name is Joseph Preston. The last year I have been traveling in central Utah, representing a wholesale dry goods 1 hoiise. I came to Utah more for curiosity than anything else. I'm 1 staying here because it's the best place on earth. Now you have enough of my history to be able to appreciate my story. "I believe there arc no more sublime and beautiful mountains i. in the world than the Wasatch range ; and nowhere are they grander $than on the cast and north of Utah Valley. Time and again in passing pass-ing them I have sat in the car, gazing on the peaks enraptured with their beauty. Rut there was one that always impressed me with an especial sense of grandeur, and seemed to invite a closer intimacy. It is lofty, stately old Timpanogas." i A burst of applause showed that his hearers agreed with him. They said that the old, gray, snow-clad peak had impressed them in 'M the same way. But none of them had followed up the invitation for a closer acquaintance, so the field of narrative was left to Preston. "Finally," he continued, "1 determined to spend my two weeks' vacation in this town, where 1 could be near the base of the fine old mountain, and probably have an opportunity to make up or join a party for the ascent. I chose this place because a friend of mine living here is an enthusiastic admirer of my favorite mountain, and he said he. would be willing to act as guide for any party that would desire to make the ascent. The opportunity was too good to lose. Foot of the Glacier, Timpanogas. "I did not have long to wait. The third day after my arrival at H the boarding place, my friend came in and said, 'Jc, I've made up H your crowd for that mountain climb. I think there's only one feature H of it that you won't like, but I did the best I could.' H "'And what's that?' I asked. H " 'O, a little billing and cooing may have to be thrown in. Two H of the people are just about half engaged, and well, you know H the rest' H "I laughed at him, and assured him that if the thing happened H to get too sickening I could turn my face away or cover my ears . H with my hands. I tell you I was willing to put up with any incon- H yenience in my enthusiasm for that climb. I did not know, however, H just how much trouble and mental torment the thing my friend re- H ferred to was going to cause me. But that's all past now, as they H say in story books, and I'm right glad I had the experience. H "The next morning just before daybreak we were off for the H trip." H CHAPTER II. "I just wish I could describe what we paw on our drive H up Provo Canyon to the foot of the glorious old pile we were to H scale. But I hope you fellows will make the trip yourselves some H time, and then you'll urge the people of America to forget about H Switzerland and the Alps and the glaciers there, until they have H seen the entrancing beauties of their own country. H "But I see that just now you are more interested in hearing I about the party and especially the young lady in the case. Of il I course you don't live here, or you might recognize the girl from H my account. For I'm willing to acknowledge that I looked at her H enough on the trip to give a pretty minute description of her. And H she was a brick. You'll be disappointed if you expect me to describe H her as one of the slight, willowy, fade-away beauties you read of in H the average society novel. She wasn't even anything like that. She H was a beauty all right, but she wasn't ethereal. There was a good, H substantial, healthy reality about her that ennobles any girl, and H seems particularly fitting to the sturdy womanhood of the west. H She was about twenty years old. I judge. Her hair was of the Titian H tinge, 1 think they call it. Some fellows might call it red at first, H but not after they had seen it twice. Her eyes, of course, had to be H blue, to match perfectly her glorious hair. She was tall enough, H not too tall about five feet six. From actual demonstration, the H details of which you will hear before 1 get through. I found that H she weighed about one hundred and thirty-five pounds. Of course, H her complexion was clear, and her face attractive. They just had to be, to fit in with her other looks. H "There was only one thing about her I didn't approve of, and H that was her taste in the choice of an escort. You will naturally Glacier and Cliff, Timpanogas. . think me prejudiced, and perhaps I was after 1 got to know her. But I believe I'm willing to give a man credit for his good qualities, if even he happens to be a rival. Somehow I didn't take a bit kindly to this chap. He had that boorish sense of proprietorship about him, which of course you have seen. ' He seemed to begrudge every word and laugh and glance the girl bestowed on anyone else. To me it vas insufferable; and I wondered that the girl didn't resent it. Uut I presume she was too happy in the exuberance of her spirits to let a thing like that bother her." "Or, perhaps," suggested one of the listeners, "she hadn't seen you before " Preston smiled and said "Thank you," and went on with his story. "Well, he made me rather out of patience the first mile we traveled, and 1 was sure I should get to dislike him utterly before the trip was over. The girl's father was along, as also a lady com-panion com-panion about forty years old. They were nice enough people, and I got along pretty well in conversation with them and with my friend, the guide, without bothering the young folks much. But it was really distressing to sec the restraint and repression that he wanted to exert over that girl. "Perhaps you are familiar with the lower part of Provo Can-.yon. Can-.yon. Descriptions are always likely to be tiresome, but if you haven't gone up the canyon at least to the north fork, you ought to do so. Any time in the summer will do for the trip, but the best time is j late in September when the autumn leaves are most beautiful. I'll leave the beauties of the canyon for your personal investigation. "We left our wagon at the beginning of the real difficulties of the ascent, and took saddle horses and one pack animal for the hard I portion of the trip. In following the rough path made by the moun- i tain-climbers of years before, I found that the trip was going to be made very pleasant by the young lady, who was an entertaining conversationalist. Of course, various topics of botany and geology $ were suggested to us by the plants and the different formations we saw; and her knowledge of those sciences surprised me until I learned that she was a graduate of the Brigham Young University. This naturally brought up the subject of the higher education of women ; and almost before I knew it we were in the midst of a lively discussion. "I did not sec, and therefore could not feel the daggers which my friend the guide afterward told me the escort hurled at me with his eyes while the conversation was going on. I asked the stupidly trite question, 'Don't you think the higher education-of women will lift them out of their sphere?' "With apparent innocence the girl inquired. 'What particular sphere do you refer to?' jp- " 'Why, er cr ,' I stammered, 'you know ' "And then she laughed a merry peal that told me she had asked . the question with malice aforethought. 'Of course you men refer to marriage as woman's sphere, and it is. But don't you think'; mischievously, 'that we need to get a little learning to offset the innocent in-nocent stupidity of the husbands some of us are blessed with?' "I enjoyed that thrust, but I'm sure her lover didn't like it a bit, for he said rather savagely, 'I know lots of educated fools.' She colored col-ored a little; and attempting to relieve her evident embarrassment, T said lightly, 'That might hit me jf I was educated.' " 'I intended it to hit you,' he said. " 'Look at that pine clinging to the ledge.' I said, ignoring his remark. 'Isn't it strange how a tree can get its nourishment from a mere rift in the solid cliff?' And then tlie conversation drifted into a discussion of the disintegration of rocks through various agencies, and the formation of soil for the support of plants. To me the talk was fascinating. But I'll wager that the young fellow who had delved in the soil all his life wasn't interested a bit. "The first night found us ,about half over the difficulties of the climb. We prepared to retire early, with the intention of securing a start as soon as it was light enough to make traveling safe. Comfortable Com-fortable places were provided for the night, the horses were secured against straying or accident, and I was enjoying for a few moments before going to bed the beautiful moonlight which made the mountain moun-tain side a panorama of glorious scenes. I started at a low voice I close" behind me saying, 'Mr. Preston. I hope you will pardon the rudeness of my friend. He has not been himself today. I don't know what to think of the way he has acted. Will vou kindly attribute attrib-ute it to something besides wilful ill-nature?' "I turned and saw a tearful face, very different from the bright, joyous one that had made the day one of the most pleasant I had ever spent. 'Indeed,' said I, 'I shall hold no feeling. You do not need to explainer excuse what has happened.' "'But I care so much, Mr. Preston.' she persisted. 'He has never been so before. I don't want,' and she looked down, while a slight blush overspread her face, 'I don't want you to think that I admire such boorishness in any man.' "I hastened to assure her that I should not think ill of her or of her choice of escort: but all the while T was selfishly hoping that she had made a mistake in that choice, and would come to know and acknowledge the fact. As she went into her tent and I turned to nunc, I became aware of the fact that we had been watched by a pair of very jealous eyes. Avoiding the place where the said eyes were located. I walked to the tent" I was to occupv with the guide, " and retired." CHAPTER ITT. "Just as day was breaking, we had eaten breakfast a,nd struck our tents, and were ready for the real hardships of the climb. Tt soon became necessary for us to leave our horses, and prepare to make the remainder of the distance on foot. We had come to a sort ol cirque, or crater-like ridge, encircling the peak : and it was in this half-depression that we were able to secure the horses within easy reach of sufficient food and water to supply them until we returned. As it was the intention to go to the top. and return at night to the place where the horses were left, it was suggested that those who did not care to encounter the extreme difficulties of the journey might remain with the tents and horses until our return. The father and the lady companion of the girl decided to accept the suggestion ; and the others prepared for the final ascent. "I don't want to weary you with a detailed and tedious account ot that climb. Of course you know what is necessary in such a case. (Continued on Page 10.) I TIMPANOGAS, A VACATION STORY H (Continued from Pago 4.) Each one needed a level head, good nerves, plenty of strength and grit, heavy boots, and a good staff, well shod with sharp iron. For the most difficult and dangerous passes we had a long rope to use in any emergency that might arise. Thus equipped, we bade good- bye to the two who were remaining behind, and commenced the as- cent of the final peak. H "The glacier near the top of Mount Timpanogas is a typical one, with crevasses and lateral, transverse, and terminal moraines and all the other well-known glacial elements. Many a man has crossed the Atlantic and climbed the Alps to sec a glacier very little more in- structivc or interesting than this. It was this glacier that possessed the highest possible attraction for us, and gave us our greatest trouble on the return trip. But, I must not anticipate my story. "After a few hours of the most difficult climbing, in which the young lady showed the great advantage of her gymnasium training, , we were rewarded by reaching the top. I'm simply not going to try to describe that scene to you boys. I can't do it. 1 can index it, and that's all. Imagine being above every object except the fleeciest clouds. Imagine looking over three of the most beautiful valleys of Utah at once. Think of seeing the wide expanse of two large lakes, and the course of three of our largest rivers. Think of looking down upon billows of mountain ranges, that tower into the clouds. Imagine the glow of conquest when you find yourself, through your cxer- tion, with nothing on earth between you and the blue heavens. One minute of such a feeling is worth a year of effort ; to say nothing of three short days. "As I finished my first sweeping look at all these objects, I turned to the young lady. I shall never forget the picture she formed on the pinnacle of that mountain. With lips half parted, with hair just ruffled enough by the wind to make it seem like a halo, with Hands clasped as if in adoration of what she saw, and with her eyes literally devouring the glorious view, I never saw a picture, drawn even m the most rapturous moments of an artist's inspiration, to equal her. I'll confess that then and there I fell madly in love with her. I . experienced a most childish fancy. I wondered at whom she ( would look first after completing, her. rapturous survey of the land- scape. I hoped she would' look at me.- Somehow, I felt that she ought to. With my gaze turned half toward her, I waited. Finally with a sigh that told more plainly than words her feelings, she turned and spoke my name: 'Mr. Preston,' she said, 'did 3-011 ever see such a picture?' "I could not have helped making the answer I did, if it had meant a plunge from that dizzy height into the depths below. 'Onlv one more beautiful,' I half whispered. 'You!' She started with sur- prise, and I know that my eyes must have betrayed my devotion A crimson wave swept over her face and neck, and I knew instinct- ively that my love was not in vain. I was intoxicated with happiness. I tt tU,r? , T"1 il,cy""S - His appearance worried me. He semed to have ost all interest. His eyes were only half open, and I 1 ? ! n-aS a !a,Ck: "Str.C session in them that wai strangely ou of keeping with the circumstances. I expected to sec jealousy de- p.cted m ns facc or his acti0s But in' j disappointed 1 did not know what to make of it. I saw that the young lady was also surprised. But we said nothing to each other on this matter I AflrT1 -VC WCfC ,sin? Ur ca,ncras for a they we e rth H treasure as long as I live, wc prepared for the descent." I CHAPTER IV. I 1 suppose US' fcllnw, 1 rCat Uncas.incss ,as we commenced the descent. ; bU.PPose you fe lows have experienced a feeling of fear all the more I I ES a"d know f ' Rood leasoHo I we stated I f instinct. That was the feeling with which I younff Sdv tint s o V10 pa,c 'Ct crmincd face of the I Srt with it d; and somchcw 1 associated her es- In order to descend a particularlv stoon Hiff ; ,.,0. to attach all the members of thcnaLtoSr'i ""cssary rope, and each one had to niakc the ht Sf Y mCa"? f thc ahead, under the guide's careful instructions; and I followed a few paces behind them. We had gone only a few hundred feet when the thing I had been fearing happened. Apparently possessed with a mania brought upon him by the unwonted height, a mania that had been growing on him during the entire day, the young man slipped the rope from his waist, and attempted to hurl himself from the ft ledge. He would have been dashed to pieces, had not the girl, with rare strength and pre1 ncc of mind, caught him with the hook on her alpenstock. The f jrec of his fall dragged her from the ledge, which was about twenty feet to the right and some ten feet below the one on which I stood. The two swung down directly over the vertical face of the glacier, immediately below me; and in order to catch and sustain the force of the fall, I threw myself back on the ice and braced my feet against a projecting rock, which was being carried on by the glacier, a jagged projection of it having been exposed' ex-posed' by the melting of the ice. The shock of the fall was great, but the rope was strong and I was well enough braced to hold the weight. "The situation was desperate. I might be able to stand the y strain for an indefinite period, but I was well aware that the young lady, held by the rope and holding in both hands the staff on which her companion hung, would be forced to let him fall unless immediate imme-diate help was given. I hastily made a hitch with the rope around the projection of the rock, fastening it so securely that it would j sustain the weight of four or five persons; and in the meantime 1 called for the guide to hurry to the ledge on which I was standing. As he did so, I went hand over hand down the rope to the assistance of the two. "Fortunately the loose end the young man had slipped off his body before making the plunge was within easy reach, and this I brought up and fastened it to my waist and to the rope above the girl's body. I then seized the staff from her hands, just as she was almost exhausted. By this time, the guide, a strong, active man, had reached tlic ledge I had just left. As if by instinct he divined what I wanted; for with almost incredible strength he played out the rope over the edge of the cliff, with the three of us dangling at the end. Like the heroine she was, the girl dug her sharply shod heels in the face of the cliff to lessen the weight, and I did likewise. It was most fortunate that the young man at the end of the alpenstock had swooned, and could not hinder us by struggling. In this way we reached a ledge directly below us, where we were able to rest for a few minutes, and relieve the strain on the faithful and heroic guide above. " 'You don't know how grateful I am for your brave and generous gener-ous action,' she said. 'You have saved our lives.' " 'Can I hope,' said I, 'that at some time you will let me tell you how thankful I am that your life was saved?' "She saw the meaning look in my eyes, and knew how to interpret inter-pret it. Giving me her hand for a moment, she said simply, 'Some time.' And I was satisfied. "And now we prepared for the remainder of the descent. It was to be difficult, but not particularly dangerous. As the young man showed signs of coming out of his swoon, I at once proceeded lo make everything secure. I fastened the rope about his waist, then around my own, and placed the end loop around the girl. Calling to the guide, who by that time had secured a foothold at a place where he could let us down in absolute safety, I sent the girl ahead, and followed, supporting the half-conscious man. Where the face of the glacier was particularly hard to traverse, I half carried the young 'ady, who now gave signs of exhaustion. In this way we reached the bottom. Picking the fainting girl up in my arms, and allowing al-lowing the partly dazed man to follow, I carried her to her father. h The guide reached us a few moments afterward. "Under the ministrations of her companion, the young lady slowly recovered from the shock she had sustained, and joined the others in praise of what we had done. My native modesty prompted me to ask them to leave that part of it out; but I could not refrain from praising my friend the guide for his work. The strange sequel to it all is, that when we finally reached the town, the young man, recovered entirely from his temporary aberration, went to the girl, frankly acknowledged, as he expressed it, that he was 'not in her class,' and released her from all claims." "How about that 'some time?' " asked one of his listeners. But iust then a young lady passing by the window glanced in. Waving his hand, the young man seized his hat and rushed to the door, saying, say-ing, "That's all right boys. I made a splendid 'catch,' thanks to old v. Timpanogas!" (The story of 'he ascent of Mount Timpanogas and the accompanying descriptions arc partly real, partly fanciful. Enough of reality lias been retained, re-tained, however, to show the attractiveness of mountain climbing in Utah. The illustrations an from photographs kindly furnished by Prof. Swcnson of the Brigham Young University, Provo.) I |