Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1878-02-12
NUMBER 5.
Top of the BrookIyn Bridge.

Before we set off across the river, stop
for little quiet enjoyment OF the mar
velous picture spread out beneath our
view this pleasant summer afternoon.
II you have ever doubted the correct
ness of the bird's-eye views of cities and
the like, go common in the print-shops,
here at least is an assurance that such
things are possible. Brooklyn lies dis
played at our feet, with its fringe Of
warehouses, docks, and slips, perpendi-
cularly under u.s. How different is the
comparative newness and regularity OF
the sister city. and how marked con-
tra.t offered by its bushy greenery mark
ing out the streets like colored lines on
plan, as compared with the densely-
packed, dark, imposing mass OF archi-
lecture over the river The bay, sparkl-
ing silver and golden in the sunlight and
dotted with its many islands. is visible
clear beyond the Narrows and down to
Sandy Hook. Far eastward we can a.
most pick out the sand-hills OF Rockaway
and Coney Island, with the blue sea-line
beyond, and 10 the west, under the sink
ing sun, the picture is framed in with the
purple haze OF the Highlands. NeVisink.
and the Jersey hills. Look at that ferry
boat just starting from the Fulton Street
slip, packed with heads (all We can see.)
and notice the odd effect OF the dots OF
white faces turned up to watch Us, in
teres.ing as we are, not by our individu-
ality. but by our position. We can fancy
them repeating Pope's lines on the fly in
AMBER
"Not that the thing itself is rich or rare
The wonder Is, how It got thereP'
As for ourselves, proud OF our momen-
tary elevation, and drunk with the keen.
sweet, salt air, and the gorgeous pros
pect, one is reminded OF the man who,
on the ladder ready 10 be hanged. when
s mad bull caused dire confusion in the
crowd below. said. in lhougbtless exul-
tation to bis compsnion rogue, "How
lucky it is we are up here !"
And now down the steep slope OF the
river-span, digging cur heels we'll into
the stats, and checking our momentum
by the side.ropes till we stand where 3
few years ago no mortal probably ever
expected 10 stand-two hundred feet
over the channel of the East River, with
all its varied traffic fow wing beneath Us.
Hurry Just here want to get plumb
over the Bristol as she sails majestically
upstream, and enjoy the small vanity
OF doing what no one but the ship-build-
ers ever did before-look .quarely down
her smoke-stack into her hre.boI. Ne
tice her exquisite, fsh.like lines seen
thus in plan, and the way in which the
narrow hull is marked of from the guards
by the tim mber.work of the cabins. Phev
what racket! Bristol, Massachusetts,,
Stonington boats, all as they pass under
the bridge salute US with whistle.
while ferry-bosts, tugs, and all the small
fry, salute them, till the whole air is
vocal with one great treble OF demoniac
howl and screech, set of by the deep
bsss hum of toll and traffic, the grand
diapsson OF labor supplied by the two
great cities. As the noble steamers pass
on up the river notice The beautiful. di-
yergent lines OF wave from their paddles
like the double-tail OF comet You
remember the same effect, only more dis
tant. feathery. and tair-like, as we looked
down in the early morning from the
Rigi-top on the dark polished surface OF
the Lake of the Four Csutons. FROM
Appleton's Journal for January.