The Democratic advocate., 1881-08-20

many OF the farms and villages We
passed many spots which history has made
/ familiar, aud many scenes where the car
window view was charming, not least of
which was the crossing of the Potomac
River at Shepherdstown. At two clock,
after five hours of continuous riding and
sight seeing, We reached cur destination,
aud first of all appeased the neglected in-
ner man at a restaurant near by. De-
scending in tue town, We found the streets
of Luray as rough and ill-payed as any
artist could desire them. Down the main
thoroughfare, the houses rising aud falling
in picturesque perspective, form most in
teresting studies, aud present changed
outline 10 nearly every gable. The Luray
Cave Hotel was soon reached, aud its at
fable proprietor, Mr. Adams, with true
Yirgiuian hospitality, quickly attended to
our wants After performing some very
necessary ablutions aud assuming what
Artemus Ward would call "a clean billed
rag, aseended the cupola OF the house,
and discovered that Luray occupied a
central location in the Page Valley, which
is enclosed by an amphitheatre of noun
,aius Ii is the seat of Page county, has
a population of about 600, two enterpris-
ing newspapers, dilapidated court house,
and the usual appurtenances Of country
town, including local option.
The cave is situated about mile from
the hotel Our party found it quite de-
lighiful walk, much preferable TO riding
In short time we arrived at the house
built over the entrance, which resembled
a Swiss chalet, and we're soon armed with
a reflector containing three long candles.
Following the guide, the descent was be-
gun. Before we had proceeded far il grew
percepiibly colder (the temperature Of the
cave is 53o Entrance Hall IS soon
reached, aud we are at once IN the midst
Of exquisite formations that elicit sponta
ncous exclamations Of wonder and delight.
Il would be a silly coneeit TO attempt TO
describe the wonders Of these caverns 10
the brief confines OF q newspaper letter.
A two volume guide book could not do it
justice. Any approach to a true deserip-
ton sayors Of exaggcration, aud persons
are inereduloas Of what they have read
until they visit t. So varied and pFOfuse
are It's formations, presenting at every
turu. from the entrance to the exit, new
objects for admiration and wonder, that
the mind becomes confused aud utterly
incapable Of graspiag the beauties pre-
sen.ed 30 ones gaze as the iaintly fiekering
torches light his footsteps ever the silent
walks You pass through vast sub,er-
raaeah labyrinth Of gii,iering grot,os aud
irideseens galleries where stalaeti,es Of ex
traordinary briIlianey, sparkle in the can
die light and hang from the fFettsd and
sponge.eovered root like the eorbels and
pendants Of Gothic cathedral. Here the
eeasCless pctEitae,ions take all manner OF
beautiful and fantastic shapes, throwing It's
dFapcFy aTonad the form Of a yestal or
fastening its jewels to the person OF a
queen. As you pass along its crystal col
ouardes aud stop delighted bsfoce its fro
ren cataraets your light throws dim sha-
dows along the path and you see faneifal
gnomes and imps peeping forth from be-
hind opposing rock. Tie formations as
sume ali forms imaginable. They hang
in fsstoous aud pendants; they droop, or
twist themselves into jagged projections,
and ape nature 10 a thousand ways. The
walls throughout shine with fringes Of sta
laetites whose crystals reflect the candle
light IN all directions, and fairly sparkle
with their briilianey. Especially is this true
With the Empress Column, which, when
Illuminated BY magnesium light, glistens
as radiantIy as the reflection Of a diamond.
Il is surprisingly beautiful. Throughout
the cave are many lakes aud small bodies
Of water. They are formed from the
drippiugs from Of the stalactites, and when
We watch how slowly the drops fall, VIC
can form some idea as to how long It takes
to fll the lake These are very beautiful,
not less from the perfect purity aud won
derful transparency Of their tranquil wa
tiers than from the pleasing effect Of
candle light and shade upon their hashiye
walls, alternately glitteriBg with rejecting
splendor, and fadiag into the most delicate
gloom. Many Of the clear, still springs
are exquisiieIy ornamented with erystali-
zations and deposits as pure as snow; aud
one-the Cascade--I remember in par
tieular. 1t was Of the shape and about
the size Of large bath tub. The sides,
sloping evenly, were of most exquisite
coral formation, aud the borders were
covered By the same material iu the most
perfect arabesque.
II would be impossible TO mention more
IL. i. nF
which We encountered in our rambels
There were
Dim opening aisiss bright crystal fruits and fow-
And giitiering grOis and high aFehed beauieous
bowers
that would defy description.
The Fish Market, SO called from the
resemblance Of the strange stencilliDgs of
nature in the rock to the stock of fish
monger, is an object of much interest.
The semblance is almost perfect. While
we we're viewing and admiring this, the
guide suddenly inquired, "What fish do
they representa-" ?" humorous answers
were given, but no one appeared satisfied
until the silent member said that he
thought it was rock. The punster was
duly kicked down flight OF steps aud the
party proceeded.
Dianna's Bath Room is beautiful spot,
and in every way worthy of such god
dess. 1t consists of room deity made
by natures hand, in the centre of which
stands pool of water without ripple on
its surface and surrounded by solemn pin
nacled stalagmites, like miniature offer
ings hewn in stone to the tutelar divinity
of the cavernous retreat. "Staud back !"
shouts the guide THAT" said he, point
ing to good sized rock "is Roscoe Conk
ling" aud at once we could see a strong
resemblance, albeit, Notwithstanding the
fact that the honorable gentleman has been
mixing himself up with nearly everything
of late, it does seem little hard to say
that he is guilty of being found in Dian
mas bath room. The cave is so full of
ancient names that the high stalactites seem
like scattered stones torn from classic
burial ground. Pluto's ehasm is dark,
ghostly opening, five hundred feet long.
The view there by magnesium light was
ghastly sublime. The nomenclature, like