The Portland daily press., 1876-08-04
At the Glen.
The Glen and its surrou ndInxs-Hew n
Reach There-North CONWAY.

Some one whose bump of comparison is so
Dig 1t has encroached upon the rest Of his
Drains calls the mountain region OF New Hsmp.
shire the Switzerland of America" The, White
Hills stand 10 need Of no such comparison, Of
the patronage Of no mountains upon which the
clouds rest. 1t was Hsine who grew Indignant
because friend said the Polish women vera
angels The angels" he replied, "should
rather be called the Polish women of Heaven"
Without insisting upon so preposterous a DEF.
milton of the Alps as the White Hills of En-.
rope, one may be pardoned for feeling . re-.
sentiment like Heine's at the contrary compar.
ison
From whatever point Sviewed. and there are
many, the mountains cannot fail to profoundly
Impress the observer. But incomparsbly the
best point of observation ID the Glen, for there
we sit under the very shadows of the four
highest peaks of the great rapgs andi view
them from base to crown, q spectacle which
nowhere else offers ITSELF The spectacle In
one, too, which never wearies, for the aspect of
the mountains is always changing. The shad-
ows which steal down their huge fanks nj
morning and in late afternoon, their pensiye
splendor under the midday sun, and their mel
ancholy grandeur as they loom up In the even
Ing .dusks, sfford . sight which, like Tsnry.
sons maiden. is ''ever varying Jet always tho
same" From every other point at Igthe base
the view is Obstructed by outlying hills, bat
from the broad piazzas of the GleIn House
nothing stands between the eye and the vast
heights which tower above. Here, too, is the
only one Of the great houses which is entirely
away from the hideous rattle and din of the
railway. This recommends it to the many who
desire quiet above all things. Nature, like the
Roman general, has here made solitude, and
the seeker after rest thankfully pronounces II
peace Yet the element Of lonesomsness, the
feeling of exile from ones fellows, is totally
absent, for with three or four hundred people
for companions if one desires to make them
so, he who has the most absolute terror of be.
ing alone with himself, the most ardent desire
for society, can be content Here. sixteen han-
dred feet above tide-water, with the pine
covered Garter range behind, and the most
magnificent mountain scenery this side of the
Sierras in front, the tourist may dream weeks
away and count the time well spent THE
Glen is the Mecca Of the White Mountain pil-
grim.
Travellers too, are fast discovering that far
the best way to ascend Mt. Washington.
because the most compensating In the
views it affords, is by the great carriage
road which winds over the spurs Of the noun
tain. doubling upon itself like some tortuous
river, from the Glen to the Summit The ride
affords succession Of unsurpassable views
from the moment one reaches the Ledge to the
moment one touches the Summit Even the
first three miles arc not without their charm,
for the mountain wagons climb mp wooded
road walled in with pine, the dnsky green re-
leved at intervals by vines and hedges loaded
with scarlet berries which Chamber along the
road side, or by the red pompons of the sunas,
while every now and then glimpses are OBJ
tanned of the Glen itself through the openings
or of the beautiful valley of the Androscogsin.
Just below the Half Way House the woods are.
cleared and the traveller begins the finest Ave
miles ride on the continent. He starts along
the very edge of tho Great Gulf, viewing the
magnificent spectacle OF the oonverging lines
Adams sweeping up from base to pinnacle, a'd
just across the huge chasm the snow-patc d
tanks of Jefferson. As he ascends from a.
teau to plateau, circlinx the mountain, the
valleys of the Connecticut and the Saco come
successfully into view, and before reaching the
summit the whole wide sxpanss from Katab-
din to Monadnock uurols itself and the map o.
New England is spread open to the view.
Since the Crawford bride path has.fallsn into
disuse, no route Of ascent is comparable TO
that by the carriage road. Unless the day Il
clear the ascent by rail is useless for little is
to be seen on the way up and nothing ct the
top. On the carriage way, even if the summit
Is hidden by clouds, magnificent views are re-
vesled on every hand until within handrsd
rods of the top, and the spectacle on the way
up is more inspiring If not 30 extended an that
from the summit itself.
One of the chief attractions Of the Glen 10
the majority of tourists is the situation there Of
the largest and best appointed of the mountaIn
hotels. There are not few who hold, with
the ancient philosopher, that the seat Of the
soul is in the stomach, and all Of rs appreciate
the pleasures of the palate; 50 the unsurpassabls
cuisine of the Glen House commands general.
and in some quarters enthusiastic appreciation.
mountain region, and is certainly the most pop-
ular having at least twice as many guests as
any other. II has been thronged dnripg tho
whole season. The causes Of its popularity are
not far to seek. Its incompatible location and
the perfection of its appointments are among
them, and it is . profound satisfaction 10 most
people to have gentleman for host While
other mountain resorts have been dull this sea-
son, the Glen has been lively. Most Of It's
guests too, come to stay through the season.
Among the boardsrs there this season arc
Charles Francis Adams and family, Prof.
Pierce of Harvard University, Mr.. Lippincost
of the great publishing house of Philadelphia,
81. w. Shaw (Josh Billing,) and family, Bsrna-
bee the singer, Judge Brown and family of De-
troit, Judge Endicott and family Of Salem, j.
G. Smith and family, Mr.. watnough and fami-
ly, all of Philadelphia, Mrs. Dc Hon and
daughter, Mrs. Marsh and daughter, Miss Ap.
pleton, Mr.. Wharton and family, Mr.. Bancroft
and sister. Mr.. Loring and sister all of Boston,
and Mr.. John Hanneman and family of New
York. Mr.. Hanneman had an adventure In
the piny soltudes of the Carter range
Last waah---l:~a. -z---~-.--.-,z~-uf the
lion of the hour. He started out TO
climb the mountain toward sunset, lost his
way, and wandered about in the woods nearly
all night, being rescued from his perilcus sta-
alton by Ben Osgood, the experienced guide
who has done service at the Glen for the ls.t
twenty-five years, and who knows every square
inch of the mountains. Josh Billings is an
other centre OF attraction. He is one of the
pleasantest of companions, and his quaint say
ings keep group about him constantly. He
is worthy disciple of St. Peter, and has
"slain'' over eleven hundred front during his
stay at the Glen. The House rejoices this year
in the presence of Q fine band Of music, Blsis-
delrs of Concord, N. H., Consisting of seven
pieces. 1t is thoroughly excellent organiEa-
ton, its members being educated musicians
and enthusiasts in the practice Of their art,
Its chief attraction to tho mssculine eye and
ear is the presence of lady violinist, Miss
Blasdell, who plays finely and is very pretty
woman. ....r.
Noticeable among the attractions of the Glen
are its beautiful approaches. From Gerham
the eight miles ride is along the valley OF the
Peabody, starting from under the shadows of
Mounts Moriah and Hnves Shortlv altar Law