Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1873-09-09
For the Oxford Democrat
To the Mountains.

To the Mountains.
A trip to the White Hills" forms 4
charming touI for those living among the
Oxford hills. At least. this has been our
experience. 4 week spent in our own
private team has convinced us that many
are losing great enjoyment which they
might have at comparatively small eN-
pense.
Starting from Sumner Monday, Tues
day +. NJ. found us-afler easy drtrCS
through pleasant scenery at North Con-
way, that beautiful village so eucased
with mountains and hills. Among 80
many hotels it is perhaps no easy matter
for q stranger to decide al which he will
stop. But we found The kaersargc,'
kept by Thompson, Son " Andrews.
every thing which the most lasIidious
could desire. II is new house, lighted
by gas. has ali the modern improvements.
and has accommodations for three hun.
dred guests. The parlors and other
rooms are large and elegantly furnished,
while the table ,ies in it, abundance and
variety with many OF our city hotels.
All. from the proprietOrs To the walters,
apparently do everything in their power
Tor the comfort ana entertainment OF
their guests. We are told there arc
other hotels where The rates OF board -
less, where good accommodations can
be found.
Though II WAS nearly four p. VI. 40
concluded - try aud reach the Crawford
House ere stopping Tor the night. But
though we pressed On we found that
darkness WAS coming on soon after We
passed "Sawycr's Rock" We caught
sight Of NancJ's Tar famed Btook-dasl.-
/ ing through lis narrow aud perpendicular
limits. passed Dr. Bcmis' stone house,
rode by the cold Crawford llouse"-tlie
very spot where ''old Abel Crawford
lived Following along the Saco, piss-
ing buildings" put up for the accommo
datiun If the men at work on the L. * y.
/ K. Il. we soon found ourselves in the
wild, lonely, hill and tree. hej&ed road
| leading l.. the Gate OF the Notch" It
/ is said that Abel Crawford when eighty
years oi age thought nothing OF walking
/ from his place 10 the Gate, a distance Of
eight miles, before breakfast. However
that may lie VIC presume it was not the
most desirable road 10 travel in the night.
Ii WAS at times so dark that we could not
see our horse. Oar progress was s!o~,
yet it WAS grand and impressive to rido
through that forest when all WAS hushcd
and silent. with nothing TO disturb the
silence save the low murmur of the Saco.
Thrice welcome were the lights which
suddenly beamed upon us from the
WILEY House" 1t WAS now So late
aud we were so unacquainied with the
road that we concluded Ia spend the
night here. We found the accommodate
tions very comfortable. The scene in
the early morning. as the sun bathed the
surrounding peaks of wiley" "Web.
ster,n and Willard" in Its golden light
well repaid US for our ride of the night
before We took an early start, and rode
briskly on through scenery grand and
picturesque. The mountains here are
about 1000 #. high, and little streams
come leaping down their sides forming
most beautiful cascades. The "Old Maid
of the Mountain" a stone which seems
to have been cbiseled into a rude face. the
Devils Pulpit" The Devils Den. y
other profles mo noticed rs we drive on,
till suddenly we find ourselves at the
Gate of the Notch" II is rightly nam.
ed. 1t is narrow gateway. the perpen.
dicular rocks rising high on either side.
At once the large and new holel-Craw-
| ford House is in view. But we pass it,
rs also tue Fabyan-anolher large and
fine hotel, and are soon on the turnpike.
The day is fine. and the stages are crowd.
ed, while numerous other teams hide be-
hiud and follow in the track (and dusO
of the stages. A ride of five miles brings
us 10 the 'Ammononsuc Station The
mountains which have surrounded you
now close thickly about you, while Mt.
Washington's peak can be seen almost in
the very clouds. Here one OF the
tumbled. down looking engines is pulling
and blowing its way up the mountain
with its car. load before it. Soon we too
are off, and now commenced an ascent
novel yet grand beyond all description.
The views on either hand are such as 10
keep the heads OF passengers out OF the
windows nearly all the way up. But we
will not attempt TO describe scenery
which ADLER pens have so well and he-
quently done. We will simply say that
the day was beautiful one-the view
from Mt. Washington all that it has been
represented 10 be. Returning by the p.
NJ. train we spent the night at the Wiley