37



long-anticipated climbing of his snowy slopes.
What, then, was my consternation, when mine
host assured me that it was not a foot less than
18 long miles yet to Chamouny, where the
climbing was fairly to commence! At this rate,
it would be after dinner, instead of after
breakfast, when I might begin the ascent; and
so I resolved to start at once, taking breakfast
on the way.
  Six miles further up the valley, winding my
way around the lesser mountains which lay
between, refreshed rather than wearied by the
walk through waving fields of grain and sweet
smelling clover, fresh with dew, and I came to
the little village of Chedo, with nothing in
the world to recommend it but the rotuantic
beauty of a half hidden cascade whose foaum-
ing waters leaping down the rocky side of a
near mountain filled that nook of the vale
with sweetest music.
  Hitherto the road over which I had traveled
had been a veritable highway, such as any
State of the good old Union at home might
covet. But it was a highway no longer, and if
we had come thus far in -diligence " or car-
riage, it could have gone no farther with safety
to itself or humanity to the horses or mules.
We were glad, therefore, to be a-foot and in-
dependent.
  Up, up I and not so weary! for what were
muscles made for, if not to climb . And if to
climb, then what climbing in the world like
that of the glorious *ld Alps?  This was
enough; P was tired no longer, but made the
windings of the upward way as nimbly as the
happy goats whose tinkling bells delighted and
cheered me; stopping here too look down
some fearful precipice upon the rushing snowy
Arve; there, where a turn in the path afforded
a new and better view of his towering heights,
up to the cloud-piercing ice of the mountain in
whose presence myself, the cottages in its
clefts, and all else just around me, were as
motes
  Next to the mountains themselves, the ob-
jects of most curious interest were the human
habitations-ofUimes so high above my own
dizzy hight, and so utterly inaccessible that a



balloon was suggested as the only possible
means of communication on the part of tie
humble dwellers there with the other scattering
inhabitants of the mountains.  There they
were, tucked away, a half mile above the wild
gorge below, with ice above and snow on either
side, yet surrounded by little verdant fields
and orchard trees in blossom, and animaked
by groups of merry children and the tinkling
bells of clambering goats.
  A few miles further on, and I approached
the quiet village of Servos. The smoke ofits
dwellings curling heavenward was an encour-
agement to my weary limbs and craving appe-
tite; but I had already walked eight miles
since rising, and the welcome music of a cow-
bell coming fromu a minature clover pasture in
the vicinity of a peftsant's cottage a few rods
from the highway, wooed me to turn aside and
see whether the tmilk of the Alpine cow was
really as good as had been represented. There
was no fence to hinder, and I followed the path
which promised at least a sight of the cow and
the cottage.  In a moment I was enjoying
botth.  Her bovine ladyship was a splendid
specimen of the Swiss breed-large, mouse-
colored, handsome, fat and sleek, cropping off
the fresh dewy grass with a relish that sharp-
ened my own hunger and gave assurance of
such a breakfast as I had often craved in vain.
A rosy maiden of ,sweet sixteen," who stood
in the pathway carelessly swinging her broad-
rimmed hat, politely welcomed me in the most
bewitching French, and soon I was seated
with a bowl of the most delicious creamy milk
and good wheat bread, in the midst of the
whole family, answering their eager questions
about the far off land whence I had come, and
the war, of which even they had heard and
knew more than four-fifths of the witeacres in
the English House of Lords.
  Another bowl-full of milk, a little shower of
centimes-a small French coin equal in value to
one-fifth of a cent-many thanks on both sides,
a friendly grasp of hands and adisus, a half
franc left in the palm of the fy maiden, And
I was again on my way to ML Blanc, whose
ever-receding form seemed more and more
averse to familiar approach.



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Ts :l T n n u s V D * n * 1:1 n



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