Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 186?-1872, 1871-04-15
Forthe New Orleans Sunday Times.
A TRIP NORTH BEFORE THE WAR.


A summer tour in years gone by
when our then happy country was
united in bonds of brotherly love
could not fail to be more interesting
than one in these sad latter days o
greedy mammon worship, and un.
generous and bitter ranimosities to our
poor conquered South. Then our
country'S future seemed bright and
joyous; and yearly hundreds from our
Crescent City home thronged the
Northern cities their gay watering
places and wondrous works of Nature
to while away the summer months,
the only dull season Of our Southern
cline. An old diary of such II trip
lies before me, and i'm memory seem
to live over again a joyous week
among the White Mountains of New
Hampshire. 1t was the first trip from
home of young school girl, accus-
/ toned heretofore only to the fat, mo-
n0tonous scenery of the South and
as these noble works of God first
burst upon our view, our enthusiastic
admiration was hushed into feelings
of solemn awe by their grand and
silent majesty. 1t Is not our own
! feelings, bnt the glorious beauty of
the mountain scenery, which we wish
to describe for the benefit of those
who have never been blessed with O
sight of the reality Facilities for
travelling are doubtless now much
improved. Our route then lay from
| Springfield, and u half days travel
whir!ed us up the glorious valley of
| the Connecticut to Littletown, where
we were to take the stage for the rest
Of the way to the mountains. The
cars moved but slowly, and we had
ample opportunity to admire the
beauty of this far-famed valley. The
bright river glancing here and there
through fertile fields, teeming with
the highest state of cultivation, form
ed indeed n lovely landscape, shut in
on all sides In the distant horizon by
lofty ranges. Mighty towers Of de
| fense, they seemed to guard the bright
/ paradise within.
On reaching Littletown our party
decided on visiting that portion of
! the mountains called Franconia first,
whose chief attraction is its wonder.
ous giant profile known as the Old
Man of the Mountains. Some of the
party were SD fortunate as to get an
open wagon for the twelve miles
ride before us; but as this was the
only one to he had, we were obliged
/ to content ourselves with the lumber
! ing stage, and for two hours and n
half dragged slowly over most
miserable road At other times this
would have tired one to death; but
now, fatigue and all other discom
forts were forgotten in the glorious,
and. to us, novel scenes, bursting up-
on us at every turn. The suhlinlity
of this scenery Is almost indescriba-
| BILE, On every side lofty mountains
proudly reared their heads above and
beyond each other, until i'm the far
distance they so mingled with the
clouds as to be scarce diScernnble.-
| While DER the varied vcrtiue of their
rugged sides and barren SUBMITS the
passing clouds threw lights and sl,ad-
ows, causing everchanging but never
falling scenes of beauty. MANY times
our road seemed completely shut in,
when sudden turn would open to
our view fresh scenes of yrander beau
ty. Reaching at last our destination,
the Profile House, Franconian Notch,
we found to our surprise a most cX-
cellent hotel and blazing fire to wei q.
come r,s. This. thouph i'm the midst
of summer. was most com Portable,
for we had already found thick dress
es and blanket shawls quite necessa-
ry. After n good rest and dinner we
started i'm an open wagon and six
horses to visit the Old Man of the
! Mountains. Our party consisted of
twelye-a CAV and ioyous set-and
we dashed along at merry rate,
though in many places the road was
so steep it would have been rather
dangerous had we not have had so
expert driver. We wished to test
| if This famous Profile was really as
distinct as we had heard, and there
fore requested the driver to give us no
warning on our approaching il. All
were intent watching the rugged
sides of the mountains, when at a
sudden turn, n general exclamation
of wonder and admiration burst from
our lips. For there, towering over
us, was the veritable "Old Man of
the Mountains.n not to he mistaken
| i'm his awful and silent GRANDEUR
Our driver reined in his horses, and
all were awed into silent admiration
of this wondrous semhlance OF the
human face. No imagination was
required to discern clearly every fea-
ture-so far above us and vet so life
llike-that one could almost imagine
! il n ri,nt monarch of the forest, look
| ing sternly down upon US, as if de-
n,oudinn yrhX, ot,r own raca had driv
"i"no'lS WY W. "" - 90 i '''' w
en- his rom thc,r once h'PPy hult-
ing grounds This Is truly one OF
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GU, SouivJ w ny o"v arraa, 90 @ =, -
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sun w pe =. vi. ,,; n." w. Ill, ~, =" ''i1
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~ sucn lnut ~ uoc9 hoI "Ppe"l iIoIe