Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-07-12
OUT OF THE CITY.

Correspondence of the Union and American.
BEEBsHEBA, July Q, 1S73.-On the
mountain at last Stop the weary horses.
The view, the viewl The deep vale, the
distant mountains, blue and bluer. The
rains from the 'sweet heavens of June
have dressed these forests; every leaf is
trembling with ecstacY. Even yon old mon
arch, smit by heavens blast and killed, holds
out its clinging vines and purple flowers.
The trees of the Lord are full of sap. The
mountains rejoice. As l sit in this watch
tower, the glorious sun reflects its light from
a rivulet thousand feet below me. | see
distinctly its bright waters. Away yOnder
the gray rocks are piled mp IN stony towers
homes of the forest BIRDS their shelter
from the windy storm and tempest. And
miles and miles far down in the valleys and
even high up on the mountain sides, see
the broad field of dark, green corn, dwarfed
by distance into a mere garden-a gem OF
green set in forest of poplars and oaks.
Sit here on the wide verandah and gaze and
wonder. Close, for the nonce, that
puny volume of man-that novel or what
not-and behold another. Read the
"Sermons in stones,
Books in the running brooks"
Now the sun is shining and the scene Is
flooded with light; anon a cloud floats I'M
der the old King and deep shadow falls on
yon distant mountain, making the dark
green darker; watch it, it floats, it flies, it is
gone! Another and another comes. They,
too, 60 like summer friends one meets in
this world. Soon the last rays come of the
respondent evening sun, A red light falls
and envelopes these grand mountains; the
tops seem on fire; the sides are dim; the
wales dark as night.
Now comes another and softer beauty
the night on B2ersheba. The moon is
out and all her lovely train; her pale light,
bright enough on this clear white sand, is
flung far down the dark raYines and lost IN
shadows. Look up. The stars seem so
near; you feel as if you could almost reach
out your hand and touch them. They are
friends, whispering TO you, oh, busy man,
of love and mighty power and infinite
beauty,
"FOrever singing as they shine,
The hand that made us is divine"
Then, this heavenly air! 1t comes from
the throne of Health. 1t is the breath of
natures sanitarium. You drink it. The
lungs tinsle with its free oxygen. The
languid forces of life move on apace. You
thread these valleys aud mount the lofty
hills unconscious Of fatigue. You s,eep;
you wake refreshed. Lustre is in the eye;
elasticity in the step. You maiden, pale
with scholastic toll; see, she walks like the
gszelle. Rest and tone come to men and
women worn down with many-sided cares
for ten months in the year. o.! the sweet,
charming. pure, vital, magnetic air Of this
mountain! Our Father made il; He laid
its deep foundations, spread its blue skies
and sent its springs of pure water for our
benefit.
The fourth was celebrated on the fifth by
grand display of fireworks in front of the
hotel, with every variety of wheel and pro-
jectile, fre-crackers, roman candles and
rockets. 1t must have seemed wonderful
to the mountaineers ten miles away who
can see every spark up here.
The daily routine is pleasant. They
wake you early. Mr.. Scott rings that big
bell. Then he has bind, who post them
selves in the Square and play such piercing
and lively tunes as eftectually to drive old
SomnQs back into,
"The Nights Plutonian shore"
A CHEEKY breakfast, strolls, ten-pins,
games, songs and rides bring you to a
round dinner. The afternoon siesta and
then-the stage!
The coming of the stages from Tracy
and McMinville are great events. all ye
denizeDs Of the city who wish to get one
more glimpse of old-time stage glory-the
spanking fou:-in -hand-the grand driver
with his long whip and mellow horn-just
come up here. "Ho," in tone of thunder,
shouts Aurigs, and the fosming spankers
dance up to the plaza of the long hotel
out with your dusty travellers; down with
your Saratogas; up to your rooms; out with
the letters and papers; answer thousand
questions.
The news digested, the older gather in
knots and talk Of days that were better and
hopes that were brighter; the younger bic
to the ballroom where Jordan, the maestro,
as vivacious and enjoyable an old man as
many you meet, ''rees off," and "gives
out" pleasure until not later than 10, when
he plays, "Home, Sweet Home"
But, bark! it is the Sabbath ! see no
stately fanes, hear no gorgeous bells.
Yet there is a sweet serenity in the air
and Heaven, a simplicity in the grand
mountain al.ars, voice of praise in the
towering wilderness of pines, and an re-
minded that
''The groves were Gods first Temples"
Nothing could be loyher than Sabbath
on Beersheba. There are no drinking and
gambling saloons, and the tone of the place
instinctiVely calls you to church. A large
congregation assembled to hear DIR. Nc
Donnold, of Lebanon, in the morning, and
the writer in the evening. Mr.. Dorman,
Mrs. Horton Fall, ths Misses Hollins and
others of Nashville, gave zest and pleasure
to the services by their cultured voices and
wiling hearts.
The company here is very agreeable, and
for the most part, from Nashville. We
note among the guests, Mr.. w. II. Evans
and family, Mr.. Vim. Porter and family,
Mr.. Hollins and family, Dr. D. Winston
and Miss May Winston. Rev. j. W. HOyts
family, Mr.. John Kirkman and family, Mr..
Van Kirkman and family, Mr.. e. Ii. Prit-
chett and f.mily, d.. T. J. Harding and |
family, r. Dorman and family, Misses o.
Brien, Rev. DR.. I. A. HOyts family, A q.
Adams and family, A. Hamilton and fami- |
ly, Mr. Orr and family, D. T. Wlkiu and |
family, Morton B. Howell and family, w. !
McPhail Smith and family, A. j. McWbir- |
ter and family, Mrs. Kinnard and family. |
Sam Donelson and family, Miss Mary Wal
ton, j. II. Byran and family, w. F. Foster |
and family, Mr.. Scruggs and family, Geo.
Calhoun and family, Mr.. W. Henry Smiths
family, A. Tyler and family, Mrs. Patten,
John Rh1m and family, Mr.. Settle and
family and Mrs. Gardner, Mr.. Metz and
family, VIM. L. Brown and family, Mr.. g.
L. Lewis and family, Mr.. Jennings and
family, Hon. Henry Cooper and family, and
Mr.. Cowan, Of Shelbyviile, Hon John W.
Burton and family, of Murfreesboro, Capt.
Fordyce and family, OF Huntsville,
E. j. Bell and family, of fernando, Miss,
Mr.. Maury, of Franklin; DR.. j. G. Hunt,
of Texas; Mr.. Austin and family, of Mem.
phis; Mr.. Frank Williams and f'mily, of
New Orleans; Mr.. TONNES, of Mississippi;
Thos. II. Malone and family, Horton Fall
and family, Mrs. Alexander Fall, Mrs. Far
rell, Mrs. John o. Ewing, DR.. A. J. Paine;
Mr.. Dewes Berry, Mrs G. Fl. Ridley, Rev.
DIR. Mcdonald, OF Lebanon; Mrs. E. B. Ell
liston and family, Mrs. Armfeld and Mrs.
DR.. Franklin; Gen. j. B. Palmer and fami-
", Mr.. L. D. Baker and mother, Mr.. j. K.
Mason, Mr.. Tnos. Caldwell, Mr.. J. ii.
Thompson, Mr.. Dan. Adams, Mr.. Ed. FL.
Fall, Hon. Ed. Cooper and Miss Ida Bon
ner. And The childrenl have not at
tempted to count them. In their beautiful
evening d ess and flowing hair and many
voices they are tn JOY of the vast household.
W. L. WARD.