The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1864-08-29
MISCELLANY.
A White Mountain Adventure.

Charley, our minister's little boy, was once
the hero OF very startling adventure.
/ will relate it Tor you, dear children, and
hope your fathers and mothers will be inter-
ested in my true story, which Is to teach you
that your very ices may depend on your in
slant obedience TO their commands,
When Charley was five years old, he and
his brother, John, two years older aceompan-
led their father and mother ON a journey to the
White Mountains. The family did not travel
by cars and stage, but in the good old lash
Toned way, with their own horse and carriage
We lind our travellers, one bright summer
morning, among the Franconia MOUNTAINS
They had spent the previous night AT tne
Flume House, and were now pursuing tner
journey 10 the Franconisn Notch AS they
rode Quietly along, mamma consulted the
guide book, (Eastmans White Mountain
Guide and they read and talked of the pro-
file fold man OF the mountainl and the (crys-
tai mirror lakel at his feet, of echo lake, too,
aud the many, many wonders and beauties OF
the Notch, which they had almost reached.
"And here" said mamma, laughingly, as
she turned the leaves of the book" right here
in these woods somewhere, it must mean, is
another wonder--a wonder of nature and art,
so ii seems"
"Read ii to us read ii to us cried the boys.
So mamma read:
"About two and a half miles southwark OF
the Profile House, is Walkers Observatory.
A tall pine, standing by the side Of the road,
possessing wonderful capabilities as an OBJ
servatory, was brought TO its fated end by
trimming away the branches, and fastening
an easy succession of winding stairs around
Its trunk. As the tree is strong, and well Sc
cured by iron chains, we may feel reasonably
sale in ascending TO the look out at the top
a really commanding view is gained rom TINS
hal a..1 hall iai nhaArTafnrV
From no other place In the low land can you
obtain SO good view of the valley between
the mountain ranges
"Oh, here il is p said papa" is it best to
stop"
swell, we will" said the father, 'for the
boys will never forget it." "Hoi Charley boy.
was there ever such famous tree to climb?r
Now, as / said, Charley is the hero of my
story, so | must tell you more of him. First,
since it has to do with my story, he was a
wonderful climber, aud had been through all
the eveu,iul five years Of his life; having on
his hands and knees mounted to the third sto-
ry of the great hall at his grandfather's long
before he could go alone. For all he was
great brave boy, he was still the baby" soft,
white, rosy, curly headed, and as full of dim
Piles, and iond cuddling ways as ever was
mothers baby.
When the previous evening, all radiant from
HIS tACuftiOu ~ tic AuHics iiC TAU tuI Lut Ufot
time TO the parlor of the Flume House. one OF
the group assembled there exclaimed:
"Oh. you little curly-headed angel, where
did you come from?'
So at once he was their pet, and the pet of
the house. Dark-eyed Johnny, who was moth
er's companion and confident, ever devoted
and true, won golden opinions from all, but
Charley was the pet; fathers, mothers, every
body's pet.
Soon our party came to the foot OF the tree.
"Charley boy is such brave climber said
mamma, Il suppose he will be at the top first
of ALL"
All cast a fond look on the boy, who already
in advance, turned his bright face all aglow
with happy excitement upon them. Oh, had
that look been the last!
SO they wound their way slowly up, Char
ley just Ia advance, $50 they thought talking
OF the scenery, answering Johnny's thought
ful and over mature questions; winding round
and round, up, up, up,-Charley just round
the turn, out of sight, yet near
Oh mol oh terror! up, up, in the dizzy air.
above the tops of the highest trees, there is a
cry,a gasping, faltering, frightened, cry-try-
ing still 10 be brave.
"Mamma, where are you? everything goes
round so up here"
"You are only dizzy, my darling sit right
down on the stair; don't step, don't step, sit
right down." So went up mothers answer
from white lips and an agonized heart, yet true
To o mothers instinct, loud, clear, and cheer
full as bell.
Up sped the father, encouragingly: aGood
Charley, sit still, papa Is coming
What sight met his view as he reached his
boy, and clasping him to his heart, shouted
back, "All safer
Yes, all safe sat the boy, right on the outer
edge off stair just where the broken railing
gave no protection, more than hundred feei
from the rocks below, bis cheeks aglow. his
eyes abeam, bis red lips parted in happy smiles.
obediently waiting his fathers coming steps !:
wondering the while what "dzzyn was, to
make the world go round and round like top.
Yes, he was safe, because unquestionably
obedient, he sat right down without taking an
other step, on the verge of the yawniag death
chasm, safe! One step-one effort to go down.
TO do anything. but just what he was hidden
and Oh! what tongue can tell the horror OF
the results. We will not imagine. That fear
fu death plunge, that crushed and lfeless
mass, the agony OF those hearts, smitten by
great life sorrow. 1t is enough that God was
merciful
How ioyfully our travellers arose, when
their heads aud steps were once more steady.
and went up the few remaining steps to the
top, Charles first and highest of all, mounted
on his fathers shoulders. How gratefully
they went their way. Yet the mothers heart
was shrouded in a mist of penitential self re-
proach, and that night as she kuelt by the
couch of her darlings, nesting in their sweet
sleep together. she prayed:
yes, o my God. mother NAV forget her
boy; but Thou, o blessed Jesus, never, never
viii Thou observation-disclosures.