Sketches From A Traveller's Journal.

" one Claude Gaultier , a native of Avon , " whom they incited fco doubt his betrothed Marie Dubois , and to burn with hatred against his supposed rival . There is no age ivhen men cease to torment themselves , or Claude might have known better , since he must have been past early manhood , being a widower and the parent of two children , whom , doubtless , the mountain maiden had promised to love as her

own . Probably the rival was a younger man , and a bachelor , and therefore a better match , till circumstances apt to fire a man ' s jealous }* - ; and with the want of judgment that passion induces , he renounced all claim on his betrothed ' s hand , and leaving his children to the care of his aged mother , betook himself up the mountain—a piece of folly for which

doubtless his rival thanked him , though we are told the forsaken betrothed " wept full sore . " Claude Gaultier sealed his resolution by undertaking the care of a chalet built hi gh up the mountain . It is a beautiful , yet lonely and monotonous life , that of the herdsman of the Alps j dwelling on the glorious mountains at that season , so

green and flowery , where the glow of evening lingers in the west until the morning comes to flush the eastern sky , so that there is no ni g ht , but a soft twilight lit by the brilliant stars glittering through the transparent atmosphere . It is a wild life also ; for as the 'summer heats melt the snowsthe herdsman follows themfor the sake of obtaining

, , the richest pasture for the cows , whose advantage and coinfort are the ruling objects of the chalet . When the summer is at the hottest , the herds graze on the summits of lofty hills and among giddy precipices , where a single false step would be destruction ; and as the animal ' s own care does not

increase with the danger , they keep their guardians constantly employed running after them , and with their long ring tipped staves , turning into safe paths their erring steps . And many are the dangers these men each day encounter , fche runs along narrow ledges , the leaps over yawning fissures , and creeps round jutting crags , in order to force their charges

back from unheeded perils . When night conies , they return to their chalet , to share its shelter with their cows ; but in the midsummer months the heat of its huge fires , and the smell of its new made cheeses render it oppressive , and both herds and herdsmen rest upon the flowery grass , the latter keeping watch by turns .

In those lonely watches , while his companions slept , we may guess how full wore the thoughts of the self banished man of those he left behind , and of wondering whether he had clone wisely and well in yielding up the hopes that were not then quite lost . And as time passed on , ancl he Avatched the shortening days and the fading leaves , he knew then the indications of the coming winter , which would drive him back to Aveu to look on the happiness of Marie and his rival .

'The soft summer nights were long passed by , and September was rapidly passing also , when one ni ght Claude was awakened by a strange , dull , rolling sound , either real or imaginary . The impression continued some moments after he awoke , and a sensation of tremor was upon him , yet he heard nought that could account for it . He listened , but no sound

came to his ear save tlie regular breathing of his comrades telling how soundly and calmly they slept . But fche fearful feeling was so strong upon him , that he arose and left the chalet . When he looked round him all was still and bri ght . No thunder cloud shadowed the sky , no Avind stirred the leaves , moaned

or through the wild defiles , and in cold calm majest y the five glacier-loaded peaks of the Diableret chain stood beneath the tranquil stars , firm and proud , as they had stood for countless ages , as ifc seemed thev yet would , stand while the world endured . In the morning Claude told his companions the strange tears that hacl awakened him , and the painful impressions

they had left . All crossed themselves—for the people ' of Avon are catholics—and bade Claude regard it as a warning , but of what they coulcl not tell—doubtless the poor fellow ' s own thoughts told him it was of the bridal of Marie—then they drove out their cattle to the pasture . The day passed on as usual . The herdsmen lay extended on the grass

watching their charge , or busied themselves in knitting , or in wood carving , until past noon , when , while on the highest spot of verdure thoy heard a loud rumbling sound which seemed to issue from the ground beneath their feet . A mortal fear seized the herdsmen , and falling on their knees , they crossed themselves and prayed fervently to their

patron saints . Tho cows stood still and trembled , during the few seconds that the appalling sounds lasted , then seized ivith panic lied wildly in every direction—the herdsmen flying after them , calling to them in tones of entreaty and of warning . Their zeal was successful , and all were at length collected : but while driving in tlie last , Claude Gaultier fell and hurt his leg severely .

" It must be the evil spirits , " his comrades whispered to each other fearfully . " What else should it be ? This mountain is steady as Mont Blanc , and there is neither tempest nor thunder . They have doubtless a spite against Claude , and wish to injure him they have tried it twice , and he must beware the third time . However , we will each

of us say five paters and five aves extra before we sleep , and Claude must say ten , and surely that will drive them away . " Ancl satisfied . Avith this explanation and plan—which iu that day would have satisfied many of far hig her pretensions —they helped'Claude home ; but in fjpifce of what hacl happened , all slept so heavily that they knew nofc what sounds

mig ht have been round them in the night . The next morning—well remembered in the' canton as thafc of the 23 rd September , 1714—found Claude too lame to go out with the herd ; and , after exerting all their skill iu applications to his injured leg , the others went off ivith the cows , leaving him to perform the duties of chalet-keeper , and to attend to the fires and cheeses . The sun rose above

the tall hills , and looked in through the narrow windows of the chalet on the lonely man ; and who knows what thoughts and what regrets were filling his heart ? when suddenly a sound as of thunder burst from under his feet , and the chfilet rocked and trembled like a wave struck ship . Claude Gaultier guessed the meaning of that sound now ,

but it was too late to attempt escape . A second fiercer shock dashed him to the ground , as the ovaille fell with a terrific noise into the valley below , burying fche chalet beneath a hillock of stones , trees , and earth , casting large masses of stone three leagues distance , aud covering a square league of country with splintered rocks ; for one of the

mighty teetii of the Diablerets was iu fragments , and only four peaks IIOAV rose towards the cloudless sky . Terror fell on every heart for many miles around , and deep and distressing was "die anxiety of all to learn what friends had perished . But the warning , which during the past night had been more explicit , had been truly read

byothers , and many herdsmen with their charges hacl lied from , danger ; while Claude ' s companions , having led their cattle that day in a another direction , had also escaped to bear to the village the tidings of Claude Gaultier ' s fearful fate . We need not speak of his mother ' s grief—none will doubt its depth- —even though he had not been the stay of her old

age , and that this event had not brought sorrow and poverty together on the infirm woman and her hel pless grandchildren . The Swiss is naturally warm hearted and kind , but in thoso primitive Alpine hamlets none possess wealth , or even competence , and it is only by the utmost exertion that each is able to provide for his own family . Thus it was likely to go

hard with the bereaved . Mario Dubois also was overwhelmed with grief for the horrible ; death of him who had so cruelly left her—perhaps , too , ivith remorse for every idle word that might have ividened the breach between them .