The Republican journal., 1872-11-21
For the Journal.
Over the Alledhanies.

Perhaps no portion of the old keystone State
merits more notice than the grandly beautiful
ana picturesque mountains that form the prin-
cipa] subject of our sketch. The mountains of
| considerable heights are clothed to their sum-
| mlts by forests of locust, maple. pine, and the
| stately white oak-from out the thick shade of
which project huge boulders. that vet stand the
| stern witness of some tremendous convul>ion.
the traces of which not even time. that has for
| thousands OF years been scattering their debris
| daily below, has been able to oblerate. No
| pen car fully describe the beauties of this ma
| lestic region; but the impression it leaves upon
the recollection Of every beholder is indelible.
| Each object is thoroughly original. Nature
| reslns enthroned in the full power of mountain
| grandeur. One can not well find, in lands
| more famous for matchIess scenery. any
| thing to snrpass the qualification of well in
| formed taste than the whole of Western Pensyl-
vania. Could the noble founder and legislator
| OF the State have lived 10 this dav. would not
his heart, which has long been stilIed forever,
| throb with pleasure, to note what the real, en-
| ergy and enterprise of men has accomplished
| IN his beloved Pennsylvania? When in 1912 he
| landed in the new colony, and acting upon the
| paclilc spirit OF true Quakerism successfully
negotiating with stern In dian warriors, allaying
| their fears and iealousies by his calm and be
| nevolent manner, he laid then and there the
| foundation of the noDlest and richest State in
| the union.
The Pennsylvania Central another example of
! what the mind and hands Of man can accom-
| plish, and one of the finest and safest roads in
| the United Kingdom, cuts through and over
| some Of the most beautiful mountains in the
| cham. Following us patiently, we will touch
| upon the most remarkable portion Of this road.
| the celebrated Horse Shoe Bend, a deep preciI,-
| itous gorge of about 300 feet, around which
! the cars move tremblingly as if endowed with
| life, exciting in the nervous and timid The wild
est fears, and awaking i'll the fearless ali that is
sublime; and having reached safely the top of
! the pinnacle we begin to 90 down the grade,
| and are now in the very midst of the mining
| districts, every small town which pass 50
| rapidly through being favorable spots for husi-
ness, and containing large manufacturing es-
| tahlishments OF various kinds, and commune
eating with the principal cities Of the State by
| railroad and canal
At last we reach the terminus of our journey
! by all,and enter the comm0dou> Union Depot,
| in the Iron City. They tell us il is Il beautiful
| day. that the sun shines, and the air is balmY
| and pleasant. We look incredulously at them,
| while above, clouds of thick black smoke are
meeting and rolling in one continuous mass,
| ami a sitting smell Of coal gas greets our otar-
| tories and pervadeS our whole i,ein@, until we
| gladly turn our backs to the city, leaving its
| iron furnaces, torges, foun,lrics. rolling mills
and glass factories, and hailno a carriage we
are conveyed swiftly down To where the noble
| steamer Geneva sits So proudly on the bosom
OF the Monongahea. As our feet touch her
deck, we experience Il thrill of delight
For we're now homeward bound,
| How sweet is the sound
| How precious the sheavrs which we bear:
| How enlIvening the view,
TiIl! glads hearts not few,
wait to welcome US lovingly there.
Time and space forbid us porrayine i minute
| description of the romantic scenery ct hills and
lovely vallies that greet the eye on each side OF
| the winding M0nongahra. Suffice il to say
| there is scarcely Il spot but wouid form sub
lect for the pencil of any Claude l.orrainpS that
may be existing in the present day. II is on
| this river also that some of the finest dStrrieS
| for the manufacture of Old Rye are situated.
turning ont hundreds of barrels daily OF the
| beverage. Admitting that its use like every
! thing else may be abused, we will here state
with ali due respect for the Maine liquor law)
that if we wish to partake Of little a Ia Panl,
we can ito so without procuring Il prescription
from IN NJ. d.
Steaming up the river 60 miles from Pitts
! bursh. we arrive at the old and prosperous
| town of BronSville. IIeie familiar faces greet
us. loving hands clasp our own. cheeks wet
| with tears of JOY press ours, and for The hrict
/ space of one week we enjoy home, after two
! years separation. Then those stern admonltorS
| that rule many of MS on the foot~too--tlutv and
| dire ncccssity-hid us turn, not willing, but a
| brave face toward the eastward. and we retrHre
! our steps, seeing new beauties on the route we
could scarcely deem ii possible hld been over
| looked, and reaching at last the State of our
adoption with its chilling winds and n, T..
snow storms. While we honor the sturdy
| pioneer for loving the home he has rolled iol
and made in the Pine Tree State. while we give
due credit to her immense wutrr-powcrS. her
| many manufactures. her vH~i amount of ship
plug, giving employment to thousands of her
| sons, her great forests OF lumber. and tile
hospitality of her people,--yet We must love
| pehnSVlvanla because IN it is ccntrrcd thr
| happy. peaceful and sacred precincts of home
In it our happy childhood and grIhood were
! passed; in it thousand associations are held
| 10 memory dear; and IN it, if a Chinese wall
| surrounded ii, are resources enough within
itself 10 supply lis population for ages.
ANNA AMES.