"The Nose of Madame."

Otago Witness, Issue 1950, 4 April 1889, Page 38

"The Nose of Madame."

Mrs Fred Burnaby, the wife of the English officer whose "Ride to Khiva" is memorable, was sojourning among the high Alps during the winter, mountaineering in search of health. Though on the borders of consumption, she found the pure air of the high mountains so beneficial that she now favours cold rather than heat as a cure for that terrible disease. Among her adventures while crossing a mountain one bitter cold day was that of freezing her nose, which she thus describes :— As we ascended the cold grew more and more penetrating, and the wind seemed turning to a positive gale. Still we walked Upward. As we were talking, I saw Michel's eyes opening to their widest extent. " The nose of madame I the nose of madamel" he screamed; and, to my astonishment, every one began rubbing my poor nose with all their force. " What is the matter 1 " I asked. " Rub ! rub hard ! " was all the answer I got. Presently the amount of rubbing which it received seemed to satisfy them, for Cupelin exclaimed : " Oh, it is beautiful now 1 " * " Beautiful 1 What do you mean 1 " I inquired. ••Yes," answered my guide; "it is now quite blask ! " At length they enlightened me. It seemed that my nose had got frost-bitten ; that its taming white was the first sign of the catastrophe, and getting black afterwards showed that it was cured. I felt no pain, owing to the intense cold, when it came to, but it burnt as if held before a fire for several days after.