Helena weekly herald., 1881-01-01

and set free the volume Of imprisoned wa
ters. That moment when, released from
the chill shadows of overhanging glaciers
they hurried with the wild impetuosity of
freedom out into the bright sunlight, leap
ed into unknown depths, and with the new
born grandeur of cataract's voice. made the
trembling rocks echo their sublime jubilate
Since then "the seasons marking moments of
a century" have each in their short lives
changed the aspect of the rugged mountains
surrounding; and yet the volumed symphony
continues. Untold winters have spread their
garb of spotless purity OH rocks and trees
and moss; with icy hands have caught the
humid notes of the cataract out of the rising
mist and hung them in silent chrystals on
the bended boughs of sentinel pines, and
with wondrous skill enclosed the living wa
ters in a glittering fros, wrought transforma-
ton of themselves. Successive springs have
whispered in soft south winds of the coming
of warm, bright, sunlit days, and the snow
has left the rocks and trees-all the bleak
hooks into which it was driven by storm
blasts Of winter, and in noisey little rivulets
has hurried from the mountain sides with
tidings Of it's release; wild flowers have crept
out Oh sunny slopes and nodded their little
| blue and purple heads in Joy at the laughing
waters, while even the grim old pines shook
/ the icy covering off their sombre foliage and
frightened into more vivid green, as they
caught glimpses Of the soft blue sky above.
Suns Of unnumbered glorious summers, keep
ing their dazzling course through the un-
clouded blue, have showered their brightest
beams into gloomiest crevices Of glens and
gorges, made legions of widespread shadows
crouch and hide in small clefts and under
overhanging rocks, and with a wealth Of
light drawn rich reflections from the noun
tains to build the glowing imprisoned arch
with which the cataract's brow was crowned
Countless autumns, succeeding the glowing
summers, III softened splendors Of purple
haze and richly colored calms, have spread
their dreamy peace from the silent and sol
cmn mountain peaks to the grassy plains be-
low, while trees and shrubs, drinking i'll the
colored airs, put on the beauty of decay and
sank to sleep upon the quiet earth. In its
presence, it was an impressive thought, that
in the infinitude of such changes, endlessly
recurring since the cataract had birth, its eX-
istence has been always the same-the gran
l,,,, o+; 80 ,,n;oo hoe haan Uiy Won 11ucaaSinp1v
to the solitudes surrounding, and the swift,
majestic leap Of its waters has never varied
from its downward curve. AS, in magma
ton, stand again to take the last lingering
look upon the wondrous solitude, memory
conjures up the scene in all its vast magniti-
cence and beauty The slanting sunbeams
streaming up the canyon i'll long, pointed
rays, amongst the darkening shadows; the
foaming waters of the cataract glittering in
the golden CLEANS; the brilliant bow hover
ing above the vapory mist; the mighty roar
of the falling torrents crushing and over
whelming all lesser sounds; the piled up
fragments Of massive rock the dense forest
Ol pluSS, stiit' t'iouAiA 'ii' e'oo'S
all, the gigantic heights, whose lofty peaks,
wreathed in dazzling white, tower five thou
sand feet into the cloudless blue. All these
are vivid remembrance, and as have writ
ten them, may give faint idea Of some OF
the features of that wonderful scene. But
how speak Of the effects of light and shade -?
How describe the mountain sides, gloritied
by golden haze, the rapid changes OF the
swift following purple tints, OF the bright ef-
fnlgence of the snowy heights: far above out
lined against the blue distance? see it all,
and feel thrill Of pleasure in viewing SO
much beauty, but poets pen, though dip
ped in the sottened puppies, or in the liquid
gold that bathed the dazzling peaks, would
fail to depict the loveliness and grandeur OF
the scene.