National Republican., 1881-08-31
TOURGEE'S THORHEIM
AN INTERESTING TRIP TO HIS HOME.
Along tho Winding Alleghnny-Old Cornplsnter's
Reservatlon-The Monument to His Memory
Judge Tourgee at Mayville-De-
cription Of Fine Country.
Special Correspondence of THE RrruntrcAs.

Special Correspondence Of THE REPUBLICAN,
ERIE, Pa, Aug. 20.-Early in August my
summer wanderings led me from hot and fervid
Washington TO hot and fcrvld Philadelphia, and
thence through bllsternghea and choking dustto
the mountains Of Northwestern Pennsylvania, A
ride by rail when the mercury is at par is great
strain on ones religion and provocative of much
unrevised expletlve speech, but night at Kane
after days broiling the rails ssome compensa-
ton The darkey liked to have his shins kicked "cos
dey feels so good when dey gifts dun akin" SINH
lary perhaps it's worth while TO roast for time In
order to thoroughly enjoy the luug.flling blood
propeiling breezes that are bred In the higher ali
tudes.
FROM WARREN NY ROUTE WAS NcRTuwARD
along the winding Ancgany over rs villainous
roads as the cows, the primitive patfnderB ofthis
region, ever surveyed now along the lovely margin
Of the river; now skirting precipices that would
make Chamols hunters head swim. Like
silver strand, now and then trans
muted into gold by the alchemy of sun
and shade, the river picks Its dainty way through
the forest crowned mountains. on either side is
n strip Of arabic land. That on the eastern bank
dotted with comfortable farm. houses shows fine
cultivation. The other Is the Indian reservation
granted TO the old Chief Cornplanter and his
tribe, who actually drove his people 10 something
like decent agriculture. This was amer he had
received a severe drubbing from General Arm.
thing when he sensibly concluded that the red
mans deviltry wouldn't pay sohe settled down TO
the quiet ways Of bucoliC life.
THE Tribe BUILT A MONUMENT
| TO his memory, but have forgotten his teachings
and TO great degree have returned to the In.
dians primitive ways, and agriculture languishes.
The noble savage can be seen guiding his canoe
with spear and prodding about for a stray pick
erel or eel, or spawled in the shade with bottle
of water, the price, perhaps, of a dozen tall
pine trees, many of whose fellows have been bar
tered for the same exhilarating flpid. The two
banks of this river present fine opportunity for
contrasting the thrif and energy of the all
conquering Anglo-saxon and the slovenly
lazneSs OF the Indian. At noon the sun
beats down on this. valley with fierce
heat, but at evening breeze follows the course of
the river and makes sleep profound and luxurl-
Gus. At dawn, when "jocund day stands tip-toe
on the misty mountain top" and the majestic sun
sends his shafls of light to drive away the coward
shadows, the scene Is one of rare beauty and far
beyond my powers of description. few hours Of
stage, railway, and boat, and am under the hos
pitable roof OF
JUDGE ToURGEE, AT MAYvILLE
In youth VIC took our hic hac hoe under the same
severe pedagogue, fshed the streams and ranged
| the woods together, and together in later years
marched, munched hard tack, and stood in the
imminent deadly breach" Since then he has
| achieved fame, but still
| The silver thread Of friendship binds
The same boy hearts and kindred minds.
| He Is busy with his books aud his span of fine
young Morgan mares, which he is breaking to suit
his own notion. They furnished us n mount, and
sharp trot of few miles settled our dinners and
afilrmatively the question where there Is point
whence both lakes Erie and Chautauqua are visible.
Thorheim is q beautiful home, house and grounds
everywhere showing the fine taste and artistic in
stincts of the Judge and his accomplished wife, A
Finnish gentleman, who Is translating "a Fools
Errand" into that tongue, has sent Judge Tourgee
copies Of his works, also photographs of noted gen.
| tlemen Of Helsingfors and one of a lady, whom he
calls Finland's sweetest song bird" On Monday
the 10Th instant the Jubilee Singers paid visit to
Thorheim and sang their sweetest melodies, after
which the Judge read an act from the forthcoming
dramatization of"A Fools Errand." Ny Judgment
may be warped by my admiration and friendship
| for the author but If the remainder Of the play
fufs the promise of the first act "a Fools ErraId"
will hold the boards and be the
SENSATION OF THE THEATRICAL WORLD.
! In. this work he has been ably supplemented by
Ethe ripe experience and rare tact of Steele Mac
I kaye, whose " Halle Kirk " so long delighted the
lovers OF the pure and cleanly drama. Nowhere
rlo the generous nature and wide and varied
culture Of the lord of Thorhoini shine with more
1 genial light than in his own home, where he dis
| pcnscs n liberal ADMINISTRATIONS hospitality, and
| Wherc his conversation, now bright, playful, ana
witty, and now earnest and almost terrible
in denunciation of wrong and hypocrisy,
makes nh evening at Thorheim truly
delight A beautiful country hercabouts.
The little lake nestles like gem IN this amphi.
theatre of hills whose wooded slopes and thrifty
farms make as pleasant bit oflandscapo as often
cheers the wanderers eye. 1t is said the old French
voyagers built their bateauX on Lake Chautauqua,
thence descending its outlet to the AllegaDy, ard so
on down the great water-waysto the Gull, stopping
at intervals to take formal possession Of the
try
IN THE NAME OF LOUIS, KING OF FRANCE,
and deposting in the earth, as n sort of muniment
oftite lead plates reciting the fact that then and
there they occupied the land in the name and by
authority of their sovereign. Perhaps had France
had the prescience to grant the fee.simple TO the
discovercrs this would be day land of pdrlcy
zoos. Wherever the summer wanderor halts,
whether by sounding sea, by winding river, or
towering mountain, there is shade of gloom on
all faces. The telegraph bulletins are closely
scanned and late arrivals eagerly questioned for
news from the chamber of the great cheftan. A
stricken Nation prays for its stricken head; and
God grant that when mountain and river and sea
shall send back the loitcrers 1t will be to greet
President restored to health. VoYAGEUR.
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