The Portland daily press., 1877-08-23

tns melancholy spectacle of the blackened hill
sues. All trace of that has now disappeared,
s; suu tne fresh young growth Of maple and
tho ooXers the long slopes to the very top In
5 S,ne 'vusn tS rlse, IKE solid WALL Mount Moriah
and the Carter range, most curiously and
fortunately placed to catch, all day long. the
most magical effects of light and shade.
Other bills have their hours Of transfonration
at evening or at morning, but these are batbed
sunshine
Day after day have sketched them, trying
with my pen to rival the tint my artist friends
have put upon their canvas Turning back
me leaves OF my journal find this the record
High over our valley heavy broken clouds
an day. Keeping us, but for now and then q
tiny CLEAN of sunshine, in perfect shadow.
Inc OarIer range, all dark blue to very
oiackness. But all the way above the top of il
long white cloud, no rounded masses. bnt a
long flat wind-blown drift of dazzling white
Only the very peck of Mt. Carter rises above
IL. against far, faint blue sky, the yery body
OF heaven for clearness.' SO it has been ali
day, but at six sudden wind drives the clouds
above US over towards the Ellis river and the
picture is reversed. Over the northern ridge of
Carter steals sunbeam; creeping onward it
catches each tufted maple, each spire Of fir Il
is like boar frost, or the festhery bloom over a
forest OF Spanish chestnuts: Darker and dark
or grow the clouds above, and ever and onward
steals the enchanter's wand till the deep gloom
OF the mountain wall is yelled in silver gauze.
IL IS clad in garment of light"
remember it was all SO faint so shadowy
tnat 1t seemed like transition to the eye Of
tne fadlng echo OF some far-off perfect mu.
sic
1t was the felicity of North Conway to be-
come the resort of artists while all the noun
IAN region was comparatively unknown, 80
Inat the attractions of this side seem ALWAYS to
come iE as sort of afterpiece to the play. Yet
this valley has variety in its landscapes un-
known at Conway
The view from the Lead Mine bridge, four
miles below, is simply perfect in symmetry
and coloring, and the valley as seen from
Gates two miles further down, is in nothing
less tnan the famous view across the intervale
at Conway. Besides these there are drives
westward to Randolph Hill and along the riy-
er 70 berllp, which afford such views of ''the
great peaks" as make all others seem tame.
over the river just opposite the Alpine House
rises Mount Hayes, some $500 feet hiQb. Ia
oyerlooks not only the bright mosaic Of river.
wood and meadow in the Androscoggin Valley,
but 1t commands the whole course of the Pea
body river, far up above the green fields at the
Glen, which shine like an emerald in the dark
setting OF the forest. We made the ascent
three days ago. 1t is only difficult enough to
De worth the doing. Since Starr Kings trial
good path has been made, and two hours of
moderate walking are enough Cor it. The dav
was nne, with great summer clouds which, now
dark, now bright, lent the last charm to the
landscape as whole, but to our disappoins-
ment they hid the higher slopes of Mount
snare our regret eince it obliges mo to borrow
Starr Kings words:
From no other point where I have had. tha
fortune to stand, does Mount Washington rise
peIore you from valley to crown in imperial es::
and poised with indescribabie stateliness and
grace. The eye clung ever fascinated and SUN
hhang5y upon those noble proportions and that
told that the dome was ten or twelve thousand
Arithmetic was out of the account was sat.
isfactory, artistic, mountain eminence and mai
esty that we were gazing upon'
nave always regretted that Starr Kings
White Hills But in his time the season here
was quite over by the first of September. Only
solitary enthusiast or two knew even of the
glory OF the autumn leaves, and a winter visit
was a thing almost unheard Of was myself
one OF party of children who were brought 20
the Alpine House, in the winter of 1873 /
could scarcely tell now where we went or what
we saw, but know that when long after
stood among the snow covered Alpsit was only
10 ma again the vision had seen here In my
girllhood.
A winter visit to the White Hills twenty
even hve years ago could only have been made
with discomfort and with no little risk TO
health. but have 30 often heard it said, s'I
WAoA NouLu ~ w bu0 MOUNTAINS In winter
that conclude my letter with what else might
seem seem an anti-climax-a word about the Alpine
House.
1t is kept open throughout the winter by the
proprietors OF the Glen House. with the same
care and attention that have made il so delight
fu to the guests this summer 1t is not only
warmed throughout with steam, but all the
parlors and many of the bedrooms have omen
tire-places. IL IS within the limits secure from
hey-fever, though perhaps not quite to the
same degree as the higher air of the Glen.
The sleighing all about Gorham is very good,
but especially so On the road which would be-
most attractive for the view, that to the Glen,
for the woods prevent the snow from
drifting and the many teams which are
carrying in supplies keep it hard and smooth.
A Christmas at the White Hills would be a
novel holiday, but should rather recon mend
the longer, brighter days of February The ex-
pertinent once tried, shall look to see such
excursions as much part Of the winter pro-
gramme as the flight to Southern climates now
ls' O. M. B.