The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1876-11-25


dashes through them. 1t takes little time at our
rate of sn,ed to climb to considerable helGht'
and soon the Cheat fpples far below us. oh one
side, the mountains; across the ohea'' noun
talns again. Now we skirt along their HANKS IN
a moment We have made another bend ana mere
a glorious view of the mountains on both slues
and down the river till it makes bend OUT OF
s,ybt This section of the road, from Grafton to
the bridge across the Cheat at Rowels6urg, was
certainly splendid. We all crowded to the win
dows Oh the left of the car or out on The plat
forms: for miles hardly Il word was spoken; all
were silently taking in the beauty OF the scene,
and nothing could be heard but the clatter OF
the train, till it stopped Oh the bridge AZ
Rowelsburg among the hills, with vie" from
the bridge up and down the river, when, as Win
one impulse, each shouted to his neghbor, "lsn |
it loyely:" and rushed out onto the bridge and
away from the train for better view. well,
said one granger, they we land enough here and
to spare, if it were only spread OUT Another,
who evidently made god Of his belly, asked:
"How in the world do you fellows live here
What do you eat" "Oh." said one of the ma
tiyes, Eve only exist, we don't live. We eat
nothing bat chestnuts and punklns.' And we
could see nothing but "punHins" and chesinuts.
To be able to appreciate in part their style oil
living We paid our ten cents and ate chestnuts
for the next two hours. They beat those we get
here "all to death
Here our motive power is doubled as we begin
the real mountain grade; and from here to Gran
berry, the scenery is beyond our pen. Indeed no
pen can do it justice, and but few pencils. The
entire route abounds in objects Of interest and
beauty, and many gem could the artist gather
here. Finally we reach Cranberry, the summit
on the west; altitude $500 feet 1t is 4 o'clock
The sun has been shining all day long, yet in
many places we find snow on the ground, and the
air is quite chilly. From Cranberry to AltaInont,
the eastern summit, the scenery is pretty, but
more subducd; the mountain tops, which an
hour ago had stood out lin their full manhood"
are now but low hills, and the eye can take in
miles OF space; yet the unduatlng hills in the
soft haze Of autumn, after the long run before, is
rather u /, lief and good stmulant for the treat
to follow.
Between these places, among others, are the
towns Of Oakland ard Deer Park both summer
resorts Both are small, bnt very pretty places,
while the surroundings in summer must be love.
ly. At Oakland there is a fine large hotel oppo.
site the depot, with finely laid out grounds.
At Deer Park are Springs, and large hotel in
the midst of large and beautiful grounds also
cottages for rent during the summer. There are
many beautiful drives around the neighboring
country, one to be seen from the cars leading to
an observatory on mountain peak some distance
off. We really envy those VINO spend their sum-
mer here, for nature has done everything for the
two villages. A great many annually go there,
am told.
How the people live in this mountainous coun-
try is a mystery. The upper Cheat was lined
with saw mills, and the side hills and every flat
spot was cultivated, aHd showed its crops OF corn,
''punkins" and potatoes; but up here, where the
mountain sides are almost perpendicular, there is
little chance for farming and not much for graz
Ing stock, while saw mills are few. Occasionally
a cleared spot appears on the top Of peak, look.
ing more like the shaved chin Of man raising
"burnsldes" than any thing We can think Of but
these are few and far between. Occasionally,
too, there are inclined planes down the mountain
sides to the river below, to send down logs on,
possibly, yet these were not numerous; and now
and then, where the valley widens, is fiat space
of few acres, which invariably has its little
frame house, barn and rail fences, and cultivated
fields. True, we do not see many people, but
those we do see are Il woe-begone set; look half
starved and as If their last friend had deserted
them. They, too, ought to be miseraby wasting
away, but nevertheless thrive In spite of their
hardships PENCIL.