The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-12-30
THFRMOPTLG
II Is not OF tho narrow pass hard by the

three hundred that am to discourse. but OF
less-renowncd gate Of hot wells lying between
| fir and beech clad spurs OF tho Ozark noun
| tains, amid the Willis Of the Southwest IL WIS
bleak region when | visited 1t decade ago
| Now, am told. II Is not without certain from
! tier splcndor. Tor new hotels have sprung NJ
and new structures taken the place Of the old.
| | made my perilous way thithcr through many
leagues Of wilderness. which We travcrscd by
stage. fording swift water ways and riding
down zgzag mountain roads. shuddcring at
| the abysscs beneath us. Now there Is n railroad,
and toegrnphic wire subtly connects the muir
muir OF the little hamlet with the rumor OF the
world. There is n newspaper. also. which Impair
italy supports everything except its editor. hut
which occasionally admonshcs the dcspo,s Of
the Old World IN n tone VI magistcrial severity.
| In my time She village was much ont oi repar.
only few Of its original structures remaining,
and these were falling in decay. Their con-
gencrs and cocvnls had mostly been burned.
Some Of tho latter had been rebuilt in a hurried
and fragile manner. so that from your bedroom
M stairs you could look through the crcvccs
| of the 0nOr into tho dining room beneath. and
observe with terror the rlacidity with which
two or thrco score Of dinors inserted the cut
lcry OF the establishment into their widely
distondcd but morally unmovcd countonances.
The hot springs issued from the base Of
small hill atthc border Of n small brook spauncd
by frail aud slight foot bridges which led to the
bathing houses. over which thin gray plumes Of
steam arose. and hung in the air above like n
canopy. The hills rose on either hand bleak
enough under their ragged fringe OF withcrcd
trees. and they left but hand breadth OF valley
for the little strcamlet to mcandcr through.
Along the single road which hordered this the
houses. hotels and shops struggled. Thoy
were OF various prctensions but Walshs WAS
undoubtedly the point 81 90 ttai interest. Tho
post onice across tho creek set up some feeble
claims Of rivalry. but they never amounted to
much. AZ Walsh's there were three billiard
tables and bar. not to mention a small room
partitioned OF in the front corner. looking out
on the main street and the Doctors Office oppo-
site. which wis deyotedto faro and other ganes
Of an exciting and practical character. Walsh
himself possessed many OF the qualities which
win and retain frontier popularity. tie was
tall we'll look my and we'll dressed, with mild
voice like n girl. and Il courage which Lad
heen called in question but once since lac came
to the valley. On that occasion he throw tho
quesiioner INTO nei.hbOrlng well. bat mag
unanimously drew him up in u bucket nitcr tho
p"nitcnt apologies which followed his brief inn
mersion. First AMI last. Wtlsh's card room
seemed 60 draw to 1t almost all the floating pop
ula,ion II Thernopylw. Tothosc who resisted
It's seduct. ons the billiard tables held out an adj
di.ional and perhaps less perous and immoral
soil 'itaIon. Most ut the visitors camc to Their
mopylW to battle and drink the waters. They
brought with them nearly all the malalics
which are known ia the catcgorios ~ human in
firmly. and in n morning walk through the
single street NJ the village one would be likely
t. meet ~ many shapes ot physical ullctlOu as
gathered at the pool ~ Bethesda. Oi any par
ticular chamber in either Of the half dozen
hotels which the place contained IL would not
have been an entirely desperate speculation to
let that II contained its hypochondriac There
was. of course much leisure among a people so
assembled. and tina, which was inadequately
solaccd 10y the milicr recreatons 81 tho locality.
such a. expeciorattg at the handle of the post
oillcn stove or dsctarging from the summit Of
the adjacent barrels unwise political and gem
cral observations upon the casual frequenfers
OF the same resort naturally took refuge IN
cards and the excitement II moderate wue"rs.
Itinerary gamblers 81 tho protest. nal va
riety who came out q. unknown regions. and
ater Il space departed for lands Of equal mys.
tory. unrNllei thor lay outs ono pit"r an
other. and opened snap" games In the little
room. making some private. but evidently sat
isfartory arrangement with tho house" \
bank which lasted two successive days was
look a upon as poss sssins elemen hts OF solidty
VIII 'h entitled a 10 serious attention. IL was
therefore. b"sct with unwaNering dctermina-
non by all the sporting society of the place.
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