Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-10-01
Ascending Mount Mitchell.

The road to Glass crosses several
spurs of the Great Black range. This
rang takes its funereal color from the
balsam with which its sump.its are
covered "A tree which will only grow
above a height Of four thousand feet.
The range strikes across the mountain
region OF the Carolinas and Tennessee
! like an angry tremendous shadow. Up
on the summit of the highest peak Pro-
fessor Michel was killed by falling
from a prcc!pice, aud WAS buried by
the | nited States government, in an
unusual freak of poetic justice, on the
very summit. His name was given to
| the mountain. Such monument no
man ever had.
The Doctors party reached the
guides honsa at night.fall. The next
morning, mounted on mules and sure
footed Canadian ponies, they began the
ascent. led by William and Charley
Glass.
This family of Glass said Judge
Huxley, who walked by Sarah stirrup,
have been hunters and guides on the
old Black for three generations. They
are men and women of great native
force, who have lived in absolute soil
tude, and have been educated by the
mountains. find them the best of
good company. Towns breed none
such. When 1 was here last, their
father was living, blind old hunter,
his white hair floating down his shout
ders, his voice AS low and quiet as a
woman's. The boys and their sister
had strange and terrible experience
in the War, and bore themselves as
their fathers children would do"
They were Confederates, of course ?"
ono. Most of these mountaineers
were stanch to the Union," said the
Nirginian, with shrug. "This is
William Glass who is coming to lead
your horse. There is not mile of
this terrible Black Range which he and
his brother do not know. They were
hunted over it like wild beasts for five
years because they were loyal to the
ti,g. Oh yes, | was on the other side.
But know u man when | meet him"
The trail traverses sixteen miles OF
unbroken wilderness. steep precipices,
and angry torrents, sometimes only ~
foot or two wide; it crosses slippery
cliffs which overhang murderous
abysses. The wise little ponies test
every step with their fore-feet before
setting them down.
Halfway up the mountain, they
reached the spring of the Swannanon,
and the ruins of II house. Below lay a
sea of tossing clouds. with thousand
dark peaks piercing them reaching
skyward. They pressed on, as it was
growing late. The latter part of the
ascent WAS made on foot. All the
cheerful green deciduous woods were
now left far behind, and even the fun
ercal balsams refused to live on the
summit, and stool on the peak pro-
cession of CHASTITY dead trunks. Moth
ing but these gray wraiths of trees was
visible when they reached the top. the
mountain being wrapt in fog. They
made II tire, and camped all night on
the peak. Sarah awOke before dawn.
She started up, and hurried to tho edge
of the precipice. She was upon the
highest point of land east of the Mis-
sissippi. She knew that the Atlantic
coast and the valley of the Mississippi
were stretched ont below her, but the
earth had sunk wholly out OF sight;
ST. stood alone i'll the sky. Beneath
her, from one horizon to the other,
rolled an ocean OF liquid trembling
| hues. Ii'.as the very birthplace OF
color. She was above it, in pure ether.
She turned at last, and found the Judge
standing beside her. He was honely,
Insignificant little man, but there was
something in his presence not out
of keeping with the place and the mo-
ment.
This is Mitchell's grave" he said,
presently, pointing to u wind blown
patch of grass upon the topmost height.
i" should be glad to think that too
should SO rest at last alone with
God"
"Hillo!" said Merely, coming up,
with yawn. Nice cloud effects here,
Ell? That is. for this side of the water.
Come, let's so to breakfast"
They came down the mountain that
day, but remained at Glass for O week,
fishing for trout in the Swannanon,
which ran past the door, and hunting
deer and small game with good success.
The North Carolina mountains are in
tested with bear and wolves, but the
impenetrable laurel thickets give them
a safe hiding place in summer. 1t is
useless to hunt them until tho leaves
begin to fall in October. EEDEooA
HARDING DAVIS. in Hnper'S Mc0a-ine.
A Coop Hrr.-A poor old deaf man
resided in Fife, and was visited by the
new minister shortly after his coming
to the pulpit. The minister said lie
would often call and see him; but time
went on, and he did not visit him again
until two years after, when, happening
to go through the street where the deaf
man was living, he saw his wife a. the
door, and could therefore do no other
than inquire for her husband. Well,
Margaret, how is Tammas None
the better O. you," was tho curt reply.
How! how! Margaret" inquired the
minister. "Oh, ye promised twa years
syne to ca and pray once fortnight
wi him, and hae ne'er darkened the
door sim syne." "Weel, weel, Marga-
ret. don't be so short. / til ought it was
not very necessary to call and pray
with Tammas, for he is sac deaf We ken
4 l. "a 4