Rensselaer Republican, Volume 20, Number 25, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 February 1888 — Page 6

A WOMAN’S GLORY. Within ■ «liv*ry light th* lady stand* ; Like wnw fair saint. Her rcjtw* of purest white ▲ bolder bears of lepbyr Avoren down | Fiom cygnet’s‘showy breast. And from her head. I So nobly polael, there falls a misty soars spun from the finest fleece ot shepherd's fold. In rings, all argentine, her hair lies soft On pure, pale brow, where intellect is writ. Aspuro the hands that with such kindly grace A welcome hold. But now she speaks, and Oh! Her guileless words unconsciously reveal Whiter than all-the woman’s spotless soul!

THE UNFINISHED WEDDING.

Why did Lord Verriner wander in a strange and tropical clime, explore Japan and Titnbuctoo. and attetnpt to cross the Himalayas? The noble earl only tried to get married once, and in the story of that wedding is contained the reason for his becoming such a distinguished traveler and growing such a very good beard. Lora Verriner had been going the pace ever since he came into his title and got hold of his property; and, at the time of which I am speaking, though the former necessarily remained intact, the. latter was practically nonexistent. Gambling. racing, and women had, in fact, ruined him. But still his title and pcsiiicn had a marketable value; for his was one of the oldest and most distinguished families in England. But in spite of the lost credit of Lord Verriner among the money lenders, be was still a spoiled darling among the women. And it occurred to him one day that here was his market. He must do the usual thing—marry money which wanted a title in exchange. Thinking the thing over, he saw that most fellows who had Succeeded in getting out of a similar predicament by these means had married American girls. This, he thought, would be a tolerable easy thing to do. He believed he understood women thoroughly. He was an excellent actor, and could cloak himself with a- languid and profoundly bored manner which was a great success among the women of his own social status. He preserved this intense languor when in society, except in the smoking-room, for, as he well knew, it was safe. It prevented his ever getting into hot water. Underneath this qniet surface a volcano biased, and a very unpleasant volcano, too. Verriner had the most frightful temper, which he was accustomed to let loose upon his lady friends, his servants, his horses, and dogs. The fii-st two left him; the last two showed their resentment in various ways. He :was never safe from a bite in his own stables, and his dogs kept out of bis sight. This was the man who a month or two after he had made up his mind to do it, had discovered a new American beauty, just over from the States for the London season, with greenbacks enough to reinstate any ruined lord.. Verriner thought her really very tolerable, and was much amused by her independent and lively manner, which contrasted with the profound languor he always maintained in her presence. “ His handsome face, his intense, quiet repose, and the position he could give her, all pleased Hetty Leigh, for they had for her the charm of novelty. She could not resist so big a catch as this; it was worth all her greenbacks to enter the Marlborough house and sit under the wing of this quiet, handsome fellow. And so, when Verriner lazily but respectfully proposed, Hetty Leigh accepted him with open and'undisguised delight. In fact, she clapped her hands as soon as the thing was done, and said: “My, won’t the gi rl sat home stare! 11 — - Mrs. Leigh-nearly fainted—as nearly as a wiry, middle aged American lady can—when she heard the good news. She had come over with one object: to marry her Hetty to a lord. And it was all“fixed up” before the season was fairly begun. And Hetty’s husband was such a quiet, handsome man; and Hetty’s wedding would be the grandest event in the London season. It was all settled, and everything went merrily. Hetty and her mother were asked to all the best housae; the girl who was to be Lidy Verriner must be royally entertained by everybody, even thongh many of the women would have been glad to throw vitriol in her pretty, piquant face. How Hetty dressed! Her toilets alone were enough to make any woman hate her, even if she had not the additional and pardonable privilege of being rich enough for to pay for Lord Verriner to be always carrying her cloak and fan, and keeping put of the way of her train. •” Well, the time came tor the wedding. It was at the very height of the season, and, as Mis. Leigh had foreseen, it was to be one of its events. More than one great penonsge bad promised to be present, including that very great personage who gives the tone to English society. The noble ones of the land were bidden to meet them. The wedding presents were a sight indeed, and the list of them in the papers made the mouths of burglars water with longing. The trosseau was a wonder, tod, and made sad the hearts of many great ladies. The morning came, and when Verriner rose he felt nervous for the first time in his life. There certainly is something very trying about a wedding morning, even to the most hardened. -He ate no breakfast, but beganr at ighampsgne before he dressed, and went

on with it during the process. His best man, the young Marquis of Broadlands, came in to look after him. He found Verriner trembling; he had never done this on the morning of a duel, or after a night over or the moment before a race was run on which bis all was staked. “What’s the matter, Verriner?” inquired the young marquis in much amazement “Suppose the prince shouldn’t come?” “Ob, nonsense; he always keeps his word. Make haste, or we shall be laic at 1 he church.” T ’ > Verriner drank another glass of champagne, and they started. The church was already beginning to fill, as a church only does fill on such occasions as this, with the cream of the upper ten thousand. Verriner was pleased, for in his hflirt this apparent cyfic was as vain as a schoolgirl. Soon after he arrived the prince came, and at last “every one” was there except the bride. The wedding dress did not come home till the very last minute, and then it was found that the white silk lace with which the lovely little floweradorned bodice was fastened had been left out in the hurry. Hetty’s maid went off in a handsom to the milliner’s, and at last all was right, and the prettiest and brightest-eyed bride of the year was ready. And quite cool, too, though she was so late. For Hetty was a girl whenever got fevered or worried. She took life very easily, spite of her vivacity of manner. She resembled in some respects the little heroine of “The Mikado,” who says, “We’re very wideawake, the moon and I.” Certainly she was late, and as it was very shocking, considering what an august throng awaited her; but it could not be helped, and she thought Verriner valued her sufficiently to bear the trial in patience. But by the time the bride and her mother reached the church Verriner had lost his head. He read the thing simply as an insult put upon himself, and that before the only audience in the world he cared a straw for. He began to feel like a horse with the bit between his teeth when sharp spurs are struck in by an ignorant rider. Broadlands, who knew bis temper, looked at his face and wondered what be would do. They were waiting in ambush in the vestry. At last there was a faint murmur; the bride had arrived. Verriner hurried around and reached the church door just in time to meet her as she stepped into the porch. “How dare you put such an insult upon me? ’ he hissed into her ear; “you, the daughter of a dirty oil merchant! By God, I’ll make you pay for this when we get away.” Hettie looked straight into the face of this furious man, a face hidious with rage. No lady had ever seen such a look bn his face before. But he thought this girl was absolntel yin his power now. Noone heard what he said but herself, it was all over in an instant Broadlands seized his arm and led him away, and the bride was taken possession of by a stately-looking American (like Hetty’s father, he, too, had struck ile) who was to give her away. Bride and bridegroom met again at the altar. Hetty looked quite cool, but her gray eyes were very pale; Verriner, by a tremendous histrionic effort, had recovered himself and wore his usual soft languor. The ceremony went on, and everybody assumed the right expression. The bridegroom was asked whether he would take this woman, etc. be answered, quitely but clearly: “I will.” When, however, the dignitary who officiated turned to Hetty and asked her the same question an awful thing happened. Quite coolly, without apparent emotion, she replied: “I wi'l not?” Her high pitched American voice penetrated through the church, and everybody heard the appalling words. The whole assemblage stood still as if petrified for a moment, and then Mrs. Inigh broke the silence by rushing to her daughter and seizing her arm. “Are you mad?” she whispered. “No,” answered Hetty, quietly, but in thoee fearfully audible high-pitched tones. “I’m sane. I ain’t going to marry a man who, the moment he thinks he’s got hold of me, talks to me as if I were a nigger. He called my' papa a dirty oil merchant No, thank you, sir,” turning to Verriner, “take your title and the rest of it, and sell ’em to a meeker sort than I am. To know all the best people don’t make up so: being bullied at home. It ain’t good enough. Besides, when Ido marry, I mean to marry a gentleman.” Every word of this speech was heard by everybody. Having finished it,Hetty courtesied to Verriner and then swept down the central aisle, followed by her discomfited bridemaids and her now weeping mother. People looked at her as she parsed with mingled feelings—wonder, admiration, horror, awe. “What a devil of a girl!” said Broadlands to himself. “I’d like to marry her, I declare!” But his attention was distracted by Verriner, who, having cast an agonized glance around, saw that the people were hiding their faces in their prayer-books and handkerchiefs,and that their shoulders shook. He fled through the vestry, Broadlands following him. What a murmur of talking and laughter rose from that distinguished contrsgation as it left the church and got into the long string of carriages which waited

outside. There was no wedding breakfast, but there was the most delightful afternoon teas that day, for everybody who had been present had to relate the story to innumerable friends. Verriner left town by the first train to Dover, and when he was next heard of had been living for some time in a very distant and very warm country. He was among savages, and his ferocity bad earned him an enviable distinction in the most elevated circles. As for Hetty, she braved her mother’s tears and her friends’ reproaches without dismay. She was quite convinced that she had done the right thing. And so were her friends when, in the first snows of winter, they were bidden to a grand country wedding, which made this “devil of a girl" the marchioness of Broadlands.

Mourning Rings.

“Did you ever see a mourning ring?” asked a Maiden Lane jeweler of a Mail and Express reporter yesterday. “Well here, is one.” It is a heavy gold band, perfectly plain and with a seal in the shape of a coffin. It has a glass face, through which can be seen askeleton in gold. On the inside of the ring is the inscription in black enamel giving the initials of the deceased and the date of death. y “These designs were used over a century ago, and now they are to oe revived as the latest fad. Some young widows who find it difficult to indicate their bereavement when indoors with hat and flowing veil remove.i, take, advantage of the ring to announce to susceptible young men that they have returned to the matrimonial market. They need not look melancholy. A turn of the finger and the sad news is told.” “Do men use them?” “Most assuredly. Widowers have no way of announcing their loss except by the band on their hats. With a mourn tng ring all embarrassing inquiries, regarding the deceased wfie maybe avoided, and knowledge of the widower’s restored eligibility quickly and neatly imparted.”

Cost of Coal in Foreign Countries.

Reducing British money into terms of United States currency, the averagecoet of bituminous coal production throughout each of these countries named, as a whole, is $1.16 in Great Britain, $1.24 in Germany, and $1.46 in the United States. The cost of production in Belgium is nearly as great as it is in the United States, while in France it exceeds the United States figures by about 50 par cent. As coal is the basis of nearly every importantmanufacturingindustry and of most of the great productive enterprises except agriculture, its relative cheapness in Great Britain exercises an important influence as a factor in the material greatness of that country. It,, indeed, furnishes employment in Great Britain to 519,970 persons at the mines alone.

Sizes:in Clothing.

St. Louis Globe-Democrat. It is astonishing to observe how few people understand the common rules of measurement in purchasing wearing apparel. For instance, a man will buy a coat that is a “size” too small or too large. A “size” smaller or a “size” larger is what he probably needs, but he probably does not know what a “size” is. Well, a “eize” in a coat is an inch; a tize in underwear is two incehs; a tize in a sock is one inch; in a collar, one-fourth of an inch; in a shirt, one-half of an inch; in shoes, one-sixth of an inch; pants, one inch; gloves, onefourth of an inch, and in hats onefourth oi an inch. Very few people understand the schedule named.

The Law Was Satisfied.

They tell down East of a poor fellow who owned a remarkably fat hog, and who also owed a rich man.’ The hog was about all the property the poor deb tor ii ad worth -levying on, an d the law exempted a man’s only pig. One day the creditor meeting the debtor said: “You need another pig; let m£ send you a nice little one.” The poor man was astonished. “Why, I owe for the hog I’ve got now,” he stammered. “Never mind, you need another one, and I’ll send it,” and he did; ana the little pig was put in the pen by the side of the fat one. In less than an hour the Constable came and attached the fat hog and took it away, and thus the law and the rich man were satisfied.

The Tunnel at Libby Prison.

The March Century will contain the story of “Colonel Rose’s Tunnel at Libby Prison,” told by one of the hundred and nine Union officers who escaped on the night of February 9, 1864. The successful construction of this tunnel, dug from a dark corner of the cellar of the prison, thr6ugh fifty feet of solid earth,—the only tools being two broken chisels and a wooden spittoon in which to carry out the dirt,— was one of the most remarkable incidents of the wax.

Work forHome Missions.

Publie Opinion. • : . Out of 40,000 Sioux Indians there are 35,000 still in heathenism. There are sixty-six tribes on the Western prairies for whom nothing is yet done. There are 40,000 Indians of school age; but when every school is packed to its utmost only 12,000 can be accommodated. This includes Government schools Roman Catholic schools and all: so that theee under mission teachers would be far less a number than 12,000.

THE FORTIETH YEAR MYSTERY.

Strange Presidential Comparisons Evolved by a Chicago Man. The Chicago Inter Ocean printed last week a strange combination of facts relative to the political history of the country and its fortieth year repetitions. The contributation was from the pen of C." H. Chamberlain. In 1828 And 1868 respectively and in 1822 and 1872 respectively Gen. Jackson and Gen. Grant, two very popular soldiers, were elected. The history of these men were in'very many points identical. . Jackson was a man who stood by his friends and made his political appointments accordingly. This was also true of Grant. Jackson never knew when he was whipped—neither did Grant. la 1136 Mr. Clay, who was the greatest statesman of his day,asked the nomination for the Presidency. Forty years afterward Mr. Blaine aeked the nomination for the Presidency. In each case the claim was set aside for similar cause. When Van Baren was nominated in 1826 it was clearly undeistood that the Jackson wing of the party held the balance of power, but Van Buren dissapointed their expeclations. When Hayes was nominated in 1876 the Grant wing was supposed control, but events proved that there was nothing in it. . Van Buren and Johnson in 1836 and Hayes and Wheeler in 1876 were elected by grace of Congressional handling of the electoral vote. In each case the votes of the electors- were guided to a settlement. In 1810 Clay came again before his convention as a candidate, but General Harrison, of Ohio, who was chiefly conspicuous for his kindly heart and open hospitality, carried off the prize. In 1880 Mr. Blaine followed his fate and the route mapped out by Mr. Clay. General Garfield, of Ohio, received the nomination. He waa also popular with the people because 'f their belief in his integrity and large-heartedness. Clay again defeated in convention. Blaine again defeated in convention. In 1840 Tyler, who had been officially decapitated, was placed on the ticket with Harrison, partly to please the disappointed, delegatesand partly to down the ticket. The same was true in the case of Arthur in 1880. He had been summarily removed by Hayes and was what might be termed “a salve candidate.” Harrison was murdered by poison. Garfield was murdered by pistol. Tyler proved as a President the diiect opposite of what been expected. He was not what might be termed a strong party m n. The same was true of Arthur, except that while Tyler wss infinitely worse, Arthur was infinitely better than the people had supposed. In 1840 the young Abolition party (fighting against agreat evil) had so far materialized as to present a National ticket, “Barney and Earle.” In 1880 the young Prohibition party (also fighting a great evil) voted under he banner of “D ow and Thompson.” In 1844 Mr. Clay again called for the head of the ticket and his third call resulted in a rousing, enthusiastic nomination. Just so with Blaine in 1884. For the first time in the history of the country (Mr. Clay) the Presidential candidate stumped the country in his own behalf. Mr. Blaine also presented his claims in person forty years afterward. The people were carried by storm through the eloquence and sound argument of Mr. Clay, and it was generally conceded tha; he would be elected. The same was true to the letter in Mr. Blaine’s canvas. But — ■ . . Abolition had in 1844 become an important factor, and lessened Mr. Clay’s adherents by many thousands. So— Prohibition served Mr. Blaine in 1884. e Mr. Clay finally announced a policy of protection. ? This is just what Mr. Blaine did forty years afterward. Mr. Clay and Mr. Blaine were each defeated at last by silly prejudice. ’ In the case of Mr. Clay (who was a Mason) it was a wave of anti-Masonry tossed up too late to be subdued. It was the foolish alliteration? “Rum, Romanism, and Rebellion,” that wap needed to determine the defeat of Mr. Blaine. Tn both cases New York was the pivot, and several days were required to determine the result. The President-elect in 1844 went up like a rocket and down like a stick—unheard of before and after. The loss of his best adviser left him during the close of his cfficial career at the mercy of his own inefficiency, and he disgusted even his own party. The President-elect of 1884 has lost his right hand man—Daniel Manning. In 1848 Mr. Clay was the foremost candidate of his party, but the choice of the convention fell upon a popular man, who had nothing but a military history and a handle to his name (said handle expressive of the love of the people), General («jch) Taylor. Mr. Clay had 97 votes and General Taylor 111 on the first ballot, aid the result of this convention practically ended Mr. Clay’s career as a statesman. The correspondent concludes as, fol - lows,which may be w tiue or false prophecy: 1

Mr. Blaine will fail as did Mr. Clay, and General “Phil” Sheridan will be the next President of the United States. | Mr. Alger, of Michigan, will be Vice President of the United States on the 4th day of March, 1889. Herein (this question of Vice President) we also find a repetition of history; but I will not itemize here.

CRUELTY ATSEA.

Acts of Shocking and Fatal Brutality Charged Against Officers of the Ship Macedon. One of ths most atrocious cases of cruelty ever known in the annals of the sea has been disclosed by the finding of a naval courtof inquiry in connection with the voyage of. the British ship Macedon from Philadelphia to Hiogo, Japan. The Macedon left Pbila delphia, on May 19, 1887, in command of Jesse Willis Jones, master, and after a protracted voyage of 218 days reached her destination on Dec. 22, with her crew reduced in number by death and disease, and the survivors half dazed from the brutal treatment to which they had been subjected at the hands of the ship’s officers. The crew were all shipped at Philadelphia, several of them having been American seamen. F ive unfortunates succumbed to their tortures and were thrown .overboard, to be devoured by a school of sharks that followed in the wake of the ship. The list of the dead included Edward Grant, John Miller. James Armstrong, Alvin Chapel and Angelo Banchio. On the arrival of the Macedon at Hiogo, out of a total surviving complement of' seventeen persons on board thirteen were suffering from scurvy, only the master, mate, cook and steward having been exempted from the symptoms of that dreaded disease. Charges of gross tyranny were formulated at Hiogo against Clarence N. Cox, the mate, and Charles F. Beveridge, the boatswain, and a naval court, with James Troup, British counsel, as president, was organized to investigate the complaints which had been entered by surviving members of the crew. Oi the five men who died at sea the evidence showed that Edward Grant’s death occurred on Sept. 25,1887, of scurvy, after having been the victim of a wanton act of cruelty on the part of the mate. Eight days before his death, Grant was triced up to the mainmast by Cox and was kept at work until the morning of the day before he died. John Miller was lost overboard on Oct. 7 f and the master allowed the man to sink without making any effort to rescue him, not even causing aboat to be lowered when the accident occurred. On Nov. 19,while suffering from scurvy, James Armstrong was sent aloft on the mizzen-mast by the boatswain to scrape the mast, a task that was not of an urgent nature. While performing the unnecessary duty Armstrong fell to the deck and died of his injuries the following day. Alvin Chapel and Angelo Blanchie died of scurvy, the former on Dec. 13 and the latter six days after. Bianchio received the most shocking acts of cruelty, he having bean dragged along the deck on several occasions by Cox and Beveridge while in a dying condition. The outbreak of scurvy on board the ship was shown to be due to a gross violation of the English statutes requiring the use oi lime or lemon j uice. and to a deficiency in the quantity of other antiscorbutics in the food supplies for so long a voyage. Daring the voyage of the Macedon one of the steward’s feet was bitten off by a shark when the ship was thrown on her beam ends by a sudden squaUr

The Origin of Leap Year.

The custom observed every fourth year of permitting the fairer sex to assume the right and prerogatives appertaining to their brothers during tne remaining three is a very ancient one. When it originated is not definitely known, but a law enacted by the Parliament of Scotland in the year 1188 is doubtless the statutory recognition to the custom. The law was as follows: “It is statut and ordaint that during the reiueof Her Maist Blissit Megestie, ilk fourth year, known as Leap Year, ilk maiden ladye of baith high and low estait shall hae liberty to bespea ye man she likes, albeit, gif he refuses to tak hir to be his wyfe, he shall be mulcted in ye summeof ane dundis or lees, as his estate moit be, except awis gif he can make it appear that he ie betrothit to ane ither woman, that he then shall be free.” _

Trying Experience for a Wife.

Robert 8. Tarver, a prominent Texts lawyer, left Monterey, Mex., recently with his wife to return home,. He was in the last jj stage ,ol and when the trainhaffpassed Lampasas the doctor who accompanied him discovered that he was dead. The doctor imparted the sad news to Mrs. Traver, who sat in the next seat behind him, but told her that if it was discovered the body would be stopped in Mexico and SSOO export duty demanded before it could be taken into Texas. Her fortitude for th? nt xt three hours, which it took the train to cress into the United States, was very great. Daring all that time no sigh or sob escaped her* and the dead body of her husband came safely to this side without even the conductor nr a pwwnger being rwarethatthere was a corpse on the train.

MISCELLANEOUS NOTES.

According to the official statistics on the subject, 78,792 cabin passengers were landed from the various steamers at the port of New York during 1887. The total number of steerage passengers arriving was 371,619, and the trips made by the steamships of the various lines aggregated 885. “ There are ten times as many tenants turned out of their houses and rooms in the city of New York in a year for the non-payment of rent as there are evictions in all Ireland. In the former there ware, according to court records, 22,804 families evicted in twelve months; in the latter, according to a Parliamentary report, there were 2,088. A Russian general has created a great sensation in Europe by furnishing an elaborate scheme for the construction of a railway through Siberia tq the Pacific ocean. It is intended to go by the shortest possible cut from the Urals to the Pacific ocean. The total cost of the road is estimated at $200,000,000, which, it is believed can be readily raised in Russia itself. James G. Blaine taught school at Millersburg, Ky., when he was a young man. Butthat town boasts “a bigger man than old” Blaine. “Ike” Smith, a young colored man, wears shoes made on a No. 18 last. They are the largest shoes in Kentucky. Smith is six feet seven inches tall and weighs tt ro hundred and forty pounds. It is said that the big cattle ranches of the far West and Southwest are breaking up. A year ago the Niobrara Land and Cattle Company, which has become bankrupt, refused $1,000,000 for its property. Instead of the big companies swallowing the little ones, it is thought that the tendency is toward the breaking up of the big ranches into smaller ones. It is best to bathe just before going to bed, as any danger of catching cold is thus avoided, and the complexion is improved by keeping warm for several hours after leaving the bath. A couple of pounds of bran put into a thin bag and then in the bath tub is excellent for softening the ekin. It should be left to soak in a small quantity of water several hours before being used. At Xenia, Ohio, the other day a man traded a calf to another for an old buggy and $2, Then he traded the buggy for several miscellaneous articles, which he swapped for other things that took his fancy. During the day he made thirteen different trades with various parties, and in the evening he found himself still the owner of the calf, and also of $24, the profit of the several transactions. r— “ Many of tne valentines which are a combination of laced and silvered paper, sprigs, mottoes of colored flower?, little mirrors, and the like are made in London, in a factory where the work goes on the year around. Much of the work is done by hand,' and women are the mos* expert at it. They use a good deal of mucilage in constructing these affairs, and invariably use the third finger of the right hand instead of a mucilage brush. A ppg and a Newfoundland dog belonging to a New Jersey gentleman were seen to halt before a brook. The big dog took to the water, but the pug refused to do so. The Newfoundland then persuaded the pug to get upon his back bat he slid off when half way across, when the big dog yanked him out and set him on the opposite bank. Since then the pug has carried out of the house to the Newfoundland the choicest bits of his food, and he seems to enjoy seeing ihe big dog eat .them. A little Esquimaux woman, who left her native home on the eastern shore of Greenland when 15 years old, has resided in this country long enough to learn the language and to develop the fact that Esquimaux are as white as any other people when the dirt and grease are washed off. Among other things she says the people of her nationality never wash or bathe in all their lives have no rulers, no form of government, every one does exactly as he or she pleases, all are contented with their lot as they know of nothing better. The biggest income of any single man in England'is said to be that of the Duke of Westminster, who has miles of tenement housesand many square miles of agricultural land. He is said to receive SSO a minute the year round, or $3,000 an hour or $72,000 a day. Queen Victoria has also a nice income, and it is estimated that she has received nearly one hundred million dollars since she ascended to the throne. The Dukes of Devonshire and Norfolk and the Marquis of Bute, have each rents amounting to $2,000,000 per year, and the Duke of Portland, after extravagancies like those of Monte Cristo, accumulated $10,000,(XX) of unentailed property during his life. ___

A Remarkable Railroad.

Probably the most remarkable railroad in the world is that running from Gloggintz to Lounering, near Vienna. It is only twenty-five miles in length, andcostover $7,000,000. It begins at the little station of Gloggintz, at an elevation of 1.4Q0 feet, and from there the train, hauled by two powerful locomotives, winds around and around over some fifteen double viaducts and through as many tunnels. It creeps along precipices, affording glimpses of some of the wildest scenery in Europe. of 3,500 feet.