Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1873-09-26

! who had had seventeen years experience in
his business. A gentleman and his wife, trav-
cling in a private carriage, with span OF
horses, followed us.
From Gorham to the Glen House is eight
miles, the road pretty good. The Glen House
/ is beautifully situated, with fine view in
| front of it of Mounts Jefferson and Adams,
! with intervening valleys, fields and forests.
It is immense in size, and elegant in all its APP
! pointments. 1t is said to be fitted for at least
/ 500 guests We had the privilege of prone
nading through the luxurious parlor for about
two minutes.
Passing the Glen House, we reached the
entrance of the carriage road built by cop
Grafton, which exacts a toll Or each passen-
ger. Commencing the ascent of eight miles
we were soon disabused of several precon-
ceived ideas. Onew that the road is rough.
On the contrary, it is very smooth and well
made. Another, that the climbing is steep.
This is not so. The gentlemen chose to walk
the second mile, supposed to be the very
stcepest grade in the whole ascent, and found
readily draw a light carriage up this road, if it
were not for the length Of the ascent, with
scarcely any change of grade to relieve the
steady pull. Another fancy was, that the
precipices were frigh;ful, and the overhang-
ing cliffs seemingly ready to topple over upon
the unwary traveller. There is nothing of
the sort. The cliffs overhead are not more
alarming than in many ordinary roads through
billy countries, and the precipices, though
steep and of great depth, are not so situated
as to alarm the most nervous and timd. The
road is of good width, and protected by side
wall when necessary. Further, we imagined
that riding in one of these mountain wagons
would be extremely venturesome and danger
Gus. Instead of this, it is safe and pleasant
riding, whether up or down the mountain.
Unfortunately we had not proceeded far on
the mountain road, when the mist began to
| distill, and with occasional intervals it contn-
! ued the same disagrecable performance. Once
in while we got clear view of the surround
ing mountains, but the shifting and drifting
fog was constantly changing its shape and po-
sition. AT last, about the time we reached
the half way house, and came out of the for
est upon the bare rocks, which constitute the
, surroundings of the road for the rest of thu
route, the rain began, not only to drizzle blu
, to pour. Our party had abundant wrappings
but no umbrellas, as they are of little use OF
the mountain. In spite of shawls, blankets
waterproofs and overcoats, we began to ge
uncomfortably wet. The prospect was tina
further up it would be worse instead of bet
ter, and no probability of seeing anything bu
the road and its immediate vicinity. 1t wa.
hard to submit to our fate, but we did, ant
the driver turned his team, and took the down
ward track. This he informed US was the
second time he had done so in seventeen years
experience.
The gentleman with his carriage and spar
went on mile or so further, and finding j
growing cold and windy, and meeting will
sleet and hail, he concluded that discretion
was the better part of valor, and he too CAV
itup.
} We had then twelve miles before us of rid
ing in the rain. We all kept as merry as W,
knew how, and submitted to the weather tn,
best we could. When we reached the hotel
we and all our wrappings were saturated witt
the rain, and presented about as sorry sigh,
as one need to see. However, by the aid OF
good fires, and warm supper all round, we
got into comfortable shape again; and thus
ended tho first chapter of our experience OF
Mount Washington travel. We ran a race
with the weather, and got beat. Of course,
you that are comfortable at home will be mer-
ry at our expense, and perhaps say
''And when they next do run race,
May we be there to see"
SENIOR.