Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1869-10-21
s'The Old Man of the MOuntain.''

cript, writing from the Profile House, gives
the following pleasing legend of one Of the
most remarkable wonders of tho mountain
world;
Whoever visits the White Mountains of
New Hampshire, docs not soon forget that
profile of the human face, carved in the
solid stone, and known as the "Old Man
of the Mountain"
Abruptly projecting from the receding
side Of the precipice, the profile stands out
against the western sky, 1,5OO feet above
the little lake below. There is no mista-
king the features-the massive forehead;
the heavy brow; the shardly- defined nose;
the slightly-parted lips; the senile chin
all are there, chiselled by nature, complete,
symmetrical, and with an expression of
more than mortal sadness.
How came the profile there? By what
cunning hand have been traced those lines
of enduring sadness?, Is the Old Man
now what he ever has been, or was he
once living, sentient being? We asked,
and in reply. as we gazed at his sad face
from the shores of the little lake, received
the following.
Among these mountains there lived for
ages undisturbed the Indian god Ulala.
On the little plain near by stood his wig
wan, facing the sun, which only at midday
shone into this mountain fortress A little
beyond the plain, surrounded by towering
walls of granite, its waters cool as an Al
pine spring., there nestless quiet lake. On
its fair bosom he padded his light canoe;
from its sparkling depths, with q line OF
sinews, he drew the frisky trout; along its
pebbled shores he chased the timid deer,
or sped his jasper-headed arrow swift to the
very heart Of the imprudent stag, which. in
native vanity, sported with it's mirrored self
along the brink Of its quiet waters; and
ever, when tho shades of evening fell, he
whose spirits, as if conscious of the sur
rounding grandeur still fingered on the
misty nlountain-tops, there to repeat again
and again his every call.
For his people he exercised paternal
care. He told them where was found tho
evergreen hemlock from which their bows
we're made; he pointed out to them the
hidden paths among the mountains; he
taught them the medicinal properties of
plants, how to bind up wounds, and bv
what magic to drive away evil spirits; he
explained to them the mystery of their orr
gin, tho rites Of their religion, and the re-
wards which awaited only the brave in the
land of the Hereafter.
Long and prosperous had been the reign
of Ulala, Guant Famine had not entered
the wigwams of his people. Consuming
Fever was ever checked by his simple medi-
cines, and his braves, strengthened by the
life-giving air of the mountains, never fail
! ed in battle. Often did Ulala rejoice at his
children's prosperity. But an evil day
brought from the south the pale man, scat
tering diseases in his path and dealing death
among Ulalas people. As he advanced,
red man retreated. Victory ever stayed
with his terrible weapons. Ulala watched
the unequal contest, and mourned ovor his
vanquishcd and fleeing children. No long,
or wos tho song of the Indian maiden Or
the ecloing whoop Of the dusky warrior
heard among these hills. Toward the set
ting sun the red men, torn and bleeding,
turned their tottering footsteps. Ulala
climbed the mountain side and watched
with heavy heart and fearful eye their re-
treating forms. In the distance tho nthlet-
10 Indian became specl-the speck moth
ing-all war gone! A tear fell from the
cheek Of Uialn, rollod down tho mountain
side and formed the little lake boneath. -
Suddenly his breath coased-his forehead
of unhappy Ulala we're transformed to this
profile Of ever enduring granite ! And thus
shall it ever remain, facing tho western sky
in grand but gloomy majesty; and rs long
NJ time shall endure, the traveller among
these mountains will be reminded of the
white man cruolties, tho rod mans wrongs,
as he gazes into the sad. stony features of
Ulala. 1the Old Man "ftho Mountain"
ANRCDOTE OF COUNT bismarck. "A Siles-
ian paper gives the following anecdoto Of
Count Bismarck: Tho peasants on tho
Counts estate had got into tho bad habit
Of working on Sundays. The Count heard
of it, and wrote to the hailiff, "Thcre must
be M end of that" The bailiff answered.,
''The people are not to blame. Six days,
from morning to evening. they have to
work on tho estate, and yet they have their
own bit Of land to look after, and 80 they
have only Sunday loft to do it
in." But tho Count will not listen
to such excuses. and writes
back From this time forward
new order il to he introduced. When
nv people havo lund. and their corn is
RHO. thoy are t. begin with thcirown first.
The bniliff informs the peasants OF tho
Counts commands, and adds, ''But now no
moro work on Sundays" The result is that
the peasants soy 10 each other 1.-THE mas.
ter shall not lose fartlling by caring for
us first, so lot III work with Il will, "and
they do it, too. Mover WAS tho work done
80 we'll and so rapidly, and tho bnilff could
write to tho Count fow days atterwurd,
"l'hat was capital hit, and nobody Inns
had more advantage from it than we. It
was all finished in tho twinkling OF M eye.
Mountjoy, the English pedestrian, il
80 years old, and recently walked $50 miles