Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1880-07-10
A Visit to Mont Alto.

On the 18th of June, / visited
this this delightful resort, the
most lovely everyway it has ever
been my good fortune to see. |
had heard much of its beauty, but
now that my own eyes have look
ed upon the wonders of the place
am prepared to say of it, as the
Queen of Sheba said Of SolomOn's
wisdom-''the half hath not been
told.n 1t seemed to me as though
nature had reserved this place of
her handiwork as masterpiece
that the admirers might go into
ecstacies over it,-a surprise kept
back to the last, that one who had
already gone from beauty to b -au-
ty aud charm TO charm, coming
up to this creation he should sud
denly break out with the widest
enthusiasm.
Call it a Pdrk. O never that's
too tame. It's Para i5e-au Eden
an EIysium-a j,y forever.
When De Soto discovered Florida
he imagined that he had found
the long sought Eidorado had he
come this far north he would have
made no mistake. For my own
part | wandered about among the
seuuestered bowers of that noun
tain slope, like an entranced mu-
stefan. l felt much as Cough did,
when listening to great master
upon the piano; at every pause
with Open-mouthed wonder he
cried out-naore, more, more. 1t
was we'll there was the direst ne
cessity to take me away, or /
should still be there, lingering in
those shady grottoes, meandering
with the crystal clear brooks,
drinking from the ice cold springs,
following the EMPOWERED paths,
and ever wondering what new
charm was yet to greet my de-
lighted eyes
We had half a dozen prosy,
matter of fact fellows with Us, yet
even their pachydermatous brains
were stimulated into very lively
appreciation of the surrounding
= giolies. AS we followed the mar
row foot path just separating two
lovely streams of water and ascen-
ded toward the Pearl of the
Park"-a spring of clear cold wa
ter, twenty feet perhaps in circum-
ference and embosomed by messy
banks, covered with laurel and
tall fir trees-we were continually
met by scenes OF surprising lowell
ness and beauty. Isn't THAT
grand cried out leader, and as
each one came up to the spot the
cry was repeated until all along
the line there was heard the same
expression of wonder and admira-
ton.
A more desirable place than
Mont Alto for picnics aud excur-
sion parties, it would be hard 10
find Almost limitless in extent
it affords ample room for the larg-
est gatherings. Indeed il was
hardly an exaggeration when one
of our company said that 500 Sun
day Schools could picnic there
and no one School know that the
others were anywhere about. The
ground slopes so gently that you
hardly know you are rising as
you ascend to the head Of the
Park. The soil is whitish gray
ely loan, or mari, very firm and
hard and almost impervious to
rain. 1t is everywhere covered with
luxuriant groWths of Laurel, over
and above which may be seen the
mapal, dogwood, gum, beech,
chestnut, with all sorts of oaks
and evergreens, shading the whole
ground, and furnishing most de-
lightful walks: Paths run in ev-
cry direction, with finger boards
pointing to interesting spots that
have been named and fitted up
with rustic seats and tables. There
isno end TO the seats and tables.
Every rill is lined with them
Every nook invites you to repose.
And then everything is kept so
clean and cosy-nota leaf or stick,
no muck or mud-no flies, no
mosquitoes; you can sleep by the
snurmuring ril and not even an
ant ore midget will come to an
noy you. An admirable feature
IS the many little booths and pa
vilions where families may retire
and find table and seats for lunch.
These are not ornamented, but tit
led up in keeping with the sur
rounding scenery-a bit of taste
in Col. Wrestling that every body
will approve. The fountains, and
water jets are very pretty. Be
sides these there are attractions in
the Indian Spring, the Elm Grot-
toes, the Parsonage, the Three
Brothers, and other happily NAM
ed scenes which will repay the Wis
itOr thousand fold. Above all
when you visit Mont Alto fail not
To ASCEND Oak Knob. ThiS is