The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1869-08-13

; munion with Niagara. Here he might b
seen, at every hour of the day or night,
fervent worshipper. At the gray dawn h
J went to visit it in the veil of mist; at nooi
he banqueted in the full splendor of it
glory; beneath the soft tinting of the lu
mar bow he fingered, looking for the an
gel whose pencil had painted it and at sol
emn midnight, he knelt at the same shrine
Neither the storms of autumn nor thu
piercing cold of winter, prevented his visit
to the temple of his alteration. There was
at this time an extension of the Terrapir
Bridge, by single beam of timber, carried
out ten feet over the fathomless abyss
where it hung TREMENDOUSLY, guarded only
by rude parapet. Along this beam he
often passed and repassed, in the darkness
OF night He even took pleasure in graspine
it with his hands, and in thus suspendine
himself over the awful gulf; so much hao
his morbid enthusiasm taught him to reve
amid the terribly sublime. Among his
favorite qualifications, was that of bathing
in which he INDUCED daily.
One bright but rather chilly day in the
month of juno, 1881, a man employed
| about the ferry, saw him go to the water
and for long time after observed his
CLOTHES to be still lying on the bank. The
poor hermit had taken his last bath. 1t
was supposed that cramp might have
been induced by the chilli of the atmos-
phere or the water. Still the body was
not found, the depth and force of the cur
rent below being exceedingly great. In
the course of their search they passed on
to the whirlpool. There, amid those boiling
eddies, was the body, making fearful and
and rapid gyrations upon the face of the
black waters. At some point of suction, it
suddenly plunged and disappeared. Again
emerging, it was fearful to see it leap halt
it's length above the flood, then float mo-
tionless, as if exhausted, and anon spring
upward, and seem to struggle like ma
lac battling with mortal foe. For days
and nights this terrible scene was prolong-
ed. 1t was not until the 21st of June,
that after many efforts, they were able to
recover the body and carry it to his DESC
late cottage. There they found his faith
full dog, guarding the door. Heavily had
the long period worn away, while he watch
ed for his only friend, and wondered why
he delayed his coming, He scrutinized
the approaching group suspiciously, and
would not willingly give them adj
mittance. A stifed wall at length showed
his intuitive knowledge of the master,
whom the work of death had effectually
disguised from the eyes of men. On the
pillow was his pet kitten, and in different
parts of the room were his guitar, flute, vi
olin, portfolio, and books scattered-ths
books open, as if recently used. 1t was q
touching sight; the hermit mourned by
his humble retainers, the poor animals that
loved him, and ready to be laid by strange
hands in foreign grave.
The motives that led this singular and
accomplished young man, learned in the
languages, In the arts and sciences, i'm
| proved by extensive travel, and highly
gifted in personal appearance, to seclude
himself In the flower of youth from human
society, are still enveloped in mystery. All
that is known was, that his name was
Francis Abbot, that he was native of
England, where his father was clergyman,
and that he had received from thence am
pie remittances for his comfort. These facts
had been previously ascertained, but no
written papers were found in his cell to
throw additional light upon the obscurity
in which he had SO efectually wrapped
the history of his pilgrimage.
| Niagara City contains about 200 or /,
500 inhabitants and is ofrecent growth. 1t
contains some handsome buildings, among
which are the International Hotel and Cat
aract House. Not far from the Suspension
Bridge is the Mount Eagle Hotel, lately
built, and said to be first class house.
Near the end ofthe bridge is grist mill, the
water wheel of which is placed so far below
as to require q shaft of $50 feet long to
communicate with the mill, on the top of the
bank. Near the Falls are an endless num-
Der of small stores, with bead work, canes,
vases, &C., for sale, about which the purchas-
er is generally told some miraculous story
such as that the vases were made from the
liable Rock" when the truth is that there
arc no such stone as these vases are made
of within thousand miles of the place
most of it, in fact, having been brought
from Italy, Or some other point not much
nearer to Niagara Falls. On the Canada
side, which is altogether preferable for a
view of the Falls, are two very fine hotels
the Clifton House, and the Royal Niagara
Hotel, lately built. The hotels, on each
/. side Of the river, charge four dollars and
fifty cents day, in American money.
About one and half miles from the
Clifton House, on the Canada side, is tina
famous battle field of Lundy's Lane and
about two miles above it is the Burning
Springs, which, when set on fire, burn as
freely as alcohol From the observatory al
Lundy's Lane you have fine view OF
Brooks Monummt, the base of which is
forty feet square and thirty feet high On
this base there are four lions, facing north
south, east and west. The shaft is futed
column of freestone, seventy-fve feet high
and ten feet in diameter. The dome is
reached by $50 spiral steps on the inside
and on the top of the dome is placed co.
lossal statue OF General Isaac Brock.
Many of the places about Niagara must
necessarily be visited in carriages, and
think the advice of late writer is valua.
BILE, and ought to be carefully followed
He says: 1--WE would urge our tourist moi
to neglect to make arrangement, on all oc
casions, with the driver, as to cost, or he
may have cause to regret it. 1t is sad
we think, that even spot like Niagara
should not be free from the spirit of grasp.
ing cupidity that is so noticeable at most
other show places"
A person who visits the Falls ought al
least to spend four or five days for if he
has any curiosity, it cannot be gratifed in
shorter time. He will find any amount
of rivalry among the hack drivers, stores
and among all classes who expect to levy
n