The Potter journal and news item. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1872-1874, 1873-03-14


knew his father, "Just as easy!"
The traveller rides shudderingly
beneath the overhanging masses,
which generally appear as indifferent
to the requirements of gravitation
as the Leaning. Tower OF Pisa, and
wonders to what storm each will fl
nally succumb and what fleeing pleas
are party will be caught by the fear
full destruction. These sensations
cause the exit from the garden to be
hailed with feeling of relief, and we
drove out upon smooth road which
leads us between rich stones, crown
ed by natural-looking old castles.
PARADISE IN A WILDERNESS.
At sharp turn in the road our
feudal castle became reality in the
more gracious shape Of beautiful
luOltIl 1Gdlltn NIlld- I1cIc 10 Il rus
tic-work gate, fianked by pictur-
esque vine-covered porter's lodge, a
winding stream bordered by willows,
and at the end of park road, in the
very pocket of a romantic glen or
bower, handsome and new enough
for a show palace on the Hudson
River. Our surprise was intense.
but a glance at a bona fde eagles
nest perched halfway up on a ire
mendous rock near the gate con-
vinced us that this was the "Glen
Eyrie" of which we had heard so
much, and the house and grounds
those of General Palmer. who has
chosen this unusual site for hand
some and hospitable country home.
1t is a singular position-yet beauti-
full; the park is shut in on every side
but one by precipitous rocks. or al
most equally precipitous hills; these
remarkable obelisks, like those in
the Garden of the Gods, actually
overhang the dwelling. They are
called the Needles, but to our eyes
they much more nearly resemble a
gigantic alderman, his tEb-shaped
wife and their obese daughter, en-
deavoring to do the honors of their
first reception-they looked so stiff
and uncomfortable, and were so out
rageously fat! In addition to these
strange neighbors, the house has one
of the widest canOns in Colorado,
stretching out at one side and form
ing an extension of the pleasure
grounds.
The interior of the villa cvinces
the same eccentric but noble taste as
its environment. The hall has a deep
fireplace over which stares the head
of gigantic buffalo, so large that it
takes ones breath away, and seems
more like some monster of an extinct
species than any animal that can
have survived to these times. The
hearth is formed of choice selection
of all the stones found in this gem
bearing region, while across the face
of the carved mantle-piece runs a
graceful design in natural leaves,
fastened there by some ingenious
process.
A buffalo calf, head, feet, skin and
all, is fashioned into luxurious chair,
so contrIved that an appearance of
life is preserved to the clumsy but
powerful beast. Faded and tattered
flags won in battle for the Union,
hang oversuperb elk horns. In short,
time would fail to tell ofall the ways
i'll which love and admiration for this
paradise of a country have been
shown by the owner Of this unique
country seat. Of the more easy APP
preciated taste shown III a fine library
and well-used grand piano, we for
bear to speak, as we forbore to linger
in their neighborhood, and tore our
selves away, because as strangers we
were ashamed to trespass any more,
and also because the famous Queens
Canon (named after Mrs. Palmer)
was still to be visited.
THE QUEENS CANON.
To this gorge Nature has cunning
" framed an entrance so narrow that
no inpertinent vehicle can ever dis
turb her sacred music, and we gladly
dispensed with all carriage but our
own feet in threading those cnchant-
ing shades. Imagine perpendicular
walls of rocks many hundreds of feet
high, tulI of inviting caves and grot-
toes hung provokingly out Of reach
of anybody but bears and cata-
mounts, and holding close roaring
torrent so full of resonant motion
that il seems to hear AWAY nne,s