Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1869-07-30
A Pic-Nic---Trout Fishery---Shot
Tower, &c.

Last week we had the pleasure of &C.
companying the party who made such a
successful raid upon the beautiful farm of
Mr.. Lowrey, situated at the head of the
Helena valley. The day was delightful.
Nature seemed to be in her most joyous
mood, as she had wept all her tears, and
had nothing left but smiles. Upon arriv-
ing we found the gates wide open, and
driving in, were greeted with friendly
welcome. Our Mineral Point friends had
begun the ack upon the edibles, and we
were not slow in joining them, for twelve
mile ride had given us the sharpest OF APP
petites, and the feast and surroundings
were enough to tempt an anchor;te.
The sun Was shorn of his brilliancy by
soft, fleecy clouds, that foated over the
sky, and a friendly oak gathered us under
its arms, gentle winds waited to US the
song of birds, and the perfume of new
mown hay. Before us lay the valley with
It's fields of waving grain, and around US
rose the everlasting hills. Happiness
beamed from every countenance. The
lively, pretty, the profound-all seemed an
mated by the same spirit. 1t did not
seem possible that such bursts of merri-
ment could emanate from beings whose
days were passed in porting over tables of
compound interest, musty legal documents
or in writing editorials.
Imagination pictured before US Pan with
his pipes and troupes of FAIRIES dancing az
ter him; and We caught ourselves inspect
ing the ears of our nearest neighbors to
see if they were not the least bit furry /;
but they were discouagingly human. At
ter the repas, was fully discussed we ad-
journed to the trout pond. The fishery,
in charge of Mr.. William Esterly, promis
es entire success. He has about fifteen
hundred young trout, and although their
proportions are at present rather delicate,
their growth is exceedingly rapid, and
there is no doubt but they will be all large
enough some day to be fried. 1t goes by
the name of the Walton fishery.
Next on the programme was the shot
tower. A ride OF two miles brought US to
the point of embarkation, where we cap
tured fat boat and proceeded as rapidly
mp stream as the machinery would admit
Nothing can be loveler than the scenery
at this point. From the river, bluffs rise
crowned with foliage. Here a1d there a
magnificent pine, standing out alone in
gloomy grandeur, looks like some grim old
sentinel on the ramparts Of . rocky fort
ress. As We approach the tower, the out
lines become holder, and wall of stone
rises almost perpendicularly to the height
of at least one hundred feet Its rugged
sides are Scared with battling the ele-
ments, but here and there patches of moss
and little punches of hs-ebel relieve its
grimness This massive rock forms the
tower. The hand of man adapted it to his
uses-patient industry wrought-down
through the heart of this solid rock, and
out to the river. After inspecting the tun-
mel, We retraced our steps TO the boat, and
returned to the landing, thence to the top
of the bluff. A scene of beauty burst up
on US that pen cannot describe. As far as
the eye could reach ran the beautiful Wis
consin, the hills on its banks stretching
away in the distance. Here and there a
little village or . farm house cleaning
white like q crested wave in sea OF green.
The magnificent outlines Of such picture
and its glorious coloring cannot be easily
effaced from memory's tablets. We were
10th to turn away from such a scene, and
our eyes fingered, striving.to look
beyond the purple and the blue
To stiller and grecner land,
And softer lights, and airs more bland,
And skies the hollow of Gods hand"
When we returned to Mr.. Lowrey's, the
sun was sinking behind the hills, and
something was suggested about returning
home, but we were urged to stay, and
kindly entertained until the next day,
when we babe the "happy valley" adieu.
For the hospitality Of Mr.. and Mrs. Low.
rey, and the efforts Of their household for
our entertainment we return our sincerest
thanks, and trust that coming years may
deal as gently with them as they do with
all who pass their threshold.