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Show Monastery at Dlsentls. Tho Alpine monastery of Dlsentls, was founded by an Irishman. But British mountaineers know It chiefly as the home of Father Placidus a Speocha, an eighteenth century pioneer pion-eer at climbing, whose great ambition was to ascend the Jilghcst local peak, tho Todl (11,887 feet). His brother monks suspected him as an atheist bo-causo bo-causo of his scientific tastes, as a French spy becauso of his climbs and maps. When tho Invading French demanded de-manded 100,000 francs from thorn and Placidus secured a reduction of 20,000 they held his -Jacobinism proved. Tha Fronch burned tbo monastery, and his, MSS. perished. Tho Austrian Imprisoned Impris-oned him. Finally, aged seventy-two and no longer ablo to climb so high himself, ho wistfully watched tho chamois hunters conquer tho Todl for him. |