The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1873-09-10
New York Letter.
A Trip From Old Orchard TO New York
via the White Mountains.

MOI only WalUeu LOT US, Dut ACTUALLY ndue up
the lost 20 minutes by extra speed, aud arrived
at North Conway the moment they were due
there. This is a feat unparalleled as far as 1
know in the annals of railway transportation
North Conway is pleasant place enough to
pass an afternoon and night, though so effec-
lively hemmed in on all sides that it gives one
a sense of suffocation. But l do wish they
would abandon the side shows. Any ordinary
imaginative school girl, or romantic spinster
could fashion 'in the minds eye'' as well de-
fined white horse in half the lodges in Casco
Bay as the unfortunate visitors at the Kiarsarge
are asked to strain their eyes to make out of a
few projections on the hill at the rear of that
excellent hotel. Thee conceits have been
pushed beyond the limits of reasonable patience
through all the mountain region and deserve
to be frowned down by the indignation and rid
icule of discriminating public.
These people too, have fashion of deluding
unsophisJcated tourists into taking a two hours
excursion through rough roads, running several
gates, and fording two streams il quest OF ra-
vine which they have digniGed with the impo-
sing title of "Diana's Baths, where they affect
to discover wonderful holows in the re cks as if
nature intended them for bathing purposes but
my respect for heather mythology Is much too
profound to permit me to associate the divine
form of Diana with any such rude experiences
of ablutory suffering. 1t is true they make you
some amends for the dismal journey by show
ing you ON your way back very pretty little
lake which has an echo quite distinguishable
to fine ear, but as a whole, this detour is
thing to be discouraged, and if this falls under
the eye of any reader whose visit to the White
Mountains is yet in the future, L caution
him or her not to be betrayed into the waste of
time involved in taking weary ride under the
tutelage of somewhat morose urchin whom
they facetiously term ''gude" but of whom you
speedily stop asking questions, for the double
reason, that his answers are uncvil, and reveal
a hopeless ignorance of everything connected
with the locality
1t is not the most cheerful sensation in the
world, to wake up, on the morning you are to
start on scenery-viewing coach drive, and find
the rain pouring in torrents; and yet this hap
pens with painful frequency hereabouts. Judg-
ing from my own limited experience, should
say that the fair days were exceptional and
rare. Persons enjoying abundant leisure may
wait till the skee-eye smiles, but even then her
moods are so changefu one can never be sure
the sunshine will last. 1t is best to prepare for
the mountain tour with a supply of waterproof
wraps and other projections against wet.
We pushed our way with heroic fortitude to
Crawford's, where we found comfortable wood
fires and every appurtenance for enjoyable rest.
Heavens! how il rained! 1t was veritable
deluge And yet these habitues of the hills
didn't seem to mind it. They are used to it.
1t rained all the afternoon, all the evening. and
far into the night. Without the house everything
was shrouded in impenetrable darkness. With
in there were music and song, good cheer aud
cracking fire that lighted up the great drawing
room and impaired a glow to every face it
shone upon.
Next day it was pleasant, for wonder, and
there was general note of preparation for the
ascent of Mount Washington. Among our fell
low travellers were three very agreeable and in
teligent foreigners, two from Scotland, and
one from England, who were traversing this re-
gion en- route to Canada, the West and the Pa
cifi". OF course they proposed to climb the
mountain, and L was especially glad for their
sakes that the weather was propitious. AT the
railway station we met parties from Fabyan's
aud the Twin Mountain House bent on the
same errand as ourselves so that, when the
train started for the summit we filled two cars
completely full. 1t is astonishing how soon the
ice of conventionality melts away under such
circumstances. Before we reached our destina-
ton, men and women who started entire stran-
gers to each other, were chatting with all the
familiarity of old acquaintance, and there was
good feeling and kindly sympathy throughout
our novel little carriage.
We got to the top of the mountain before it
had assumed its normal blackness of aspect.
The sky was comparatively clear, and our pros
pect immense There is no denying that there
is grandeur aud sublimity in such view. Per-
haps we would tire of it soon, and that that is
why nature draws her veil over the scene of
magniicence so quickly. For we had but just
got seated to take in the whole grand area Of
terrestrial expanse, when darkness and tempest
forced us to take shelter in the hotel, whence
We emerged no more, till we ran dripping
through the torrent to the car in which we were
to make the descent
When we reached the valley below the sun
was as gracious as ever, and our stage ride over
to the Twin Mountain was as agreeable as good
company, good road, good horses "a care
full driver and an exquisite landscape all the
way could make it.
The Twil Mountain House is in many re-
spects SUI generis, among these elevated inns
1t is a sensible, practical, every day sort of
tavern. They don't bother you when you get
there with propositions to start clambering
around to find all kinds of fantastic figures on
the rocks, nor to go in raptures over falls whose
descent is so mpalpable that one feels like keep
ing them out of sight, especially when there
are strangers about, las was our case) who, hav-
ing heard of Niagara, exclaim in curious
wonder: ''Why Amonoosuc?" The attrac-
tions at the Twin Mountain are far more sub
stantia and tangible. First they have good
landlord. That is the chief essential. The
brothers Barron are propretors of the Craw-
ford and the Twin Mountain, and 1 believe of
two or three other hostelries. They are we'll
to-do gentlemen, and they look as if they were
practical disciples of the creed of good living;
then they are obiging and courteous, and so
are all their employees. Besides, the place is
pronounced specific against hay fever. That
brings class of very desirable visitors, for the
victims of hay fever are always intellectual peo-
ple 1t is the most exclusive and aristocratic
of ailments 1t utterly refuses to touch any
body who hasn't liberal allowance of brains
Webster had it, and Beecher has it, and while
it does not always soar SO high as that-if it
did how few would ever be troubled with tit
Gloves shining mark" and chooses its prey
with dainty taste.
But the browning glory of this favored pub
lie house is that it has Beecher. My English
friends got realizing sense of the consequence
attached to the name of the great preacher of
the century, during their march through the
mountains At every spot where they tarried,
they were congratulated on having included the
Twin Mountain in their programme, for Beech
err was there Every traveller they met said,
go to the Twin Mountain. Beecher is there"
"We are going to Twin Mountain remark
party as they chat with the hotel clerk at
Crawford's. care you? then you'll see Beech
er." We were introduced, one by one, to
dozen or twenty of the guests of the Twin
Mountain House, before we reached that de-
lectable retreat and each of them said to us