The Portland daily press., 1877-06-19
Opeuiug of the Glen House.

L
| party OF about one hundred including Hon.
Bon Bradbury, 81. N. Jose, Henry Fox, and
| other distinguished and well known citizens,
| with some from other places among whom
were Gov Counor, Mr.. G. Drinkwater man
| ayers assistant, James Stevenson assistant
| superintendent, and William Wainwright gen.
| eral traffic manager Of the Grand Trunk, DR..
G. E, Graham of Oldtown, Mr. Cocker Lloyd's
| agent at Quebec, representatives of Montreal
| and Quebec journals, and other Canadian gen.
| tlemen, assembled to assist in this important
enterprise, taking the o'clock train on the
| Grand Trunk road Saturday, the 10th. Those
who saw this company leave the Alpine
| station, loading down several Of those elegant
| six-horss coaches, and who roted their grave
and earnest faces and determined air, cannot
donbt-and it is to be hoped the public will
not-our assertion which we make right here,
that the house acas opened, and there is not
| the slightest doubt about it.
Although the governmental provider of
weather had not met the public with that
candor and openness of prophecy which their
faith and confdngness deserved, but had even
darby limited at rising aud falling barome-
ter, wind from ENE to SSW, with areas
of rain, the weather proved fine and the sue
ceedng morning clear. Still cloud hung
around the extreme summit, and many of the
experienced mountaineers who had been up
often enough, and who felt that IN the lovely
glen they had found the land where the bong
tree grows, spoke gravey about the prospects,
told of the perils of freezing, of being soaked
", th 10 mis- nd Of fol to
catch view of the summit; but Mr.. Charles
Milliken, willing to run the risk of his reputa-
ton as a weather-wse man, and to meet their
ill humor in case of failure rather than have
his guests dsapp 1inted, persisted that noon
would see the mountain-top clear. aud fually
dispatched large party for3 that destination.
Josh Billings. who has already established
himself there for the summer, was also in
favor of the advance, even speaking of the
pleasure of vanquishng difficulties and bracing
oneself against cold and mist. But it is to be
feared that Josh is not only an angler for the
wary trout, but also, like the sons of Zabedee,
fisher of men, and that the cordial frankness
with which he meets new corners is but a
development of his humor in seeking to prac-
tice upon the unsuspectiDg. And who should
be choose of all the party but the special
bumorst who deVotes his leisure to getting up
practical jokes to betray his own townsmen,
for it was upon him that this advice was be-
slowed, and much more valuable information,
50 genally impaired, that he was running over
with it, and ready to share it as soon as the
wagon was under way. "Fine sheep pastur-
age on the summit" sad he, shading his eyes
and glancing upward. "Josh Billings tells me
that in the Sierra Nevadas SONS of those sheep
breeders pasture their hocks fourteen thousand
feet high; that while the 70 cks are bare lower
down, the pasturage is fine at the top"
"What, above the line of perpetu al SNOWY"
said the elderly person in a sepulcbral tone.
s'Whoa" said the driver, setting hard back on
The reius, as the horses leaped at an explosion
of laughter which shook the wagon.
THE limit of perpetual snow is at $500 feet
in latitude 400, and Mount Washington lacks
but few hundred feet of being high enough
IN our latitude. Even under the blazing sun
of the equator perpetual snow is reached at
1890 feet, but sheep don't pasture there, living
foot never trod so high. and only the condor
towers to that altitude
The Glen will probably never again meet
with such an example of true dignity and
quiet reserve as was manifest in our hu morist
for the rest of the trip, OF any of its walters
with such look of mute and fearful agony as
was cast upon him by that man when he asked
him at dinner if he would have mutton?
But Josh may be mortal, and if go, be can
not beard the Douglass in his hall and hope
unscathed to go. "No! by st. Bride of Both
well, nop'
The Mount Washington road was opened this
year on the 18th of June, earlier than ever be-
fore since the Milikens have had the Glen 1t
is ia excellent order and the teams in splendid
condition. There are still patches of snow on
the mountain sides, and the Thermometer stood
a. 400 on the summit, with the wind blowing
AZ miles an hour, lively wind to stand up
against when it got its grip, as was plainly ap.
parent when pair of shoes followed by lit
erary pair of legs and body lying fiat and
holding Cd, came vermicllating around the
corner of the signal station seeking shelter
under its lee.
Mr.. Murphy, the signal agent, received all
corners with hospitality, the Summit House
not being yet open; and to convince them of the
present mi!dness of the climate told them that
on December 9th the thermometer stood at 40
below zero, while the wind went piping by at
the rate of 100 miles an hour. There was not
much society upon the mountains at that time,
and Mr.. Murphy acknowledged that it would
have been lonesome if they had not had COM
munication with the outer world by telegraph
The day proved beautifully clear, the view was
superb, and the party blessed the thoughtful
persstency of their host, who would not let
them go away unsatis6ed. The season does
not appear so far advanced as on the coast, and
the spripg still fingers, but the rain has made
the whole country green and fresh, and it was
quite delightful to think how these smiling
valleys lay waiting, and these breezy woods
stretching out their arms to Welcome the sum-
mer pilgrims from all the hot and weary cities
of the LAID. While we can never tire of the
charms of the sea or overlook its attractions, we
can ever fled growing pleasure in tarrying
among the mountains and lea rnlng to feel their
grandeur so nobly expressed by the Rev. Wm.
Gannett in his poem, "Tna Hills of the Lord"
God ploNed one day, with an earthquake,
And drove his burrows deep,
The budding plans upstarled,
The hills were all aleap,
But thai is the mountains secret,
Ave hidden in his breast;
"tIod's peace is everlasting"
Are the dreamwords of their rest
He hath made them the haunts of beauty
The home elect of his grace
He spteadeih his mornings upon them,
His sunsets tighten their face,
His thunders tread in music
Oftootfalls ecboing ong,
And carry majestic greeting
Around the silent lhrong.
His winds bring messages to them,
Wild storm news FROM the main;
They sing it dowO 10 The valleys
In The love-song of the rain.
Green tribes from far come lrooDing,
Aud over the uplands flock;
He hath " wen the hours together
AS robe for his risen rock.
They nurseries for young rivers
Nests tor the flying cloud
Hpmesteads for new-bp rn races,
Nasterul, free and proud.
The people Of tired Giles
ONE up to their shrine and pray;
God freshens again within them,
AS he passes by all day.
And 10, l have caught their secret,
The beauty deeper than all!
This taitb-that le's hard moments
When The Earring sorrows befall,
Are out God blowing his mountains,