The Rugbeian and district reporter. (Rugby, Tenn.) 1882-1883, 1882-11-04
"A TRIP INTO FENTRESs.

have several times written OF the route
and the plateau, therefore it will be
to refer to them particularly
now, beyond speaking Of the brilliancy
of the autumn woods. We seemed to
be driving through the color department
of the great artist, Nature. The illu-
mination of the leaves of her book,
reminded us of, although far outshining,
the bright pigments of the manuscripts
of the monks of old. The pedant of the
party said it was merely the absence of
chlorophyl in the leaves that created
the beautiful and varied tints, but
away with such technicaltes upon a
holiday!
Reaching the 'gum spring" about
noon, we disembarked, and dived into
the mysteries of the luncheon basket.
A heavy shower coming UPS picnic
complete without a shower l-sent the
ladies beneath the wagon bed, while the
It rner sex defied the elements, as did
Ajax the electric light. The sun shining
out, we resumed our journey over the
level, pleasant plateau, everything
smelling of the coming boom. We
could, indeed anticipatorily, hear the
whistle of the LOGON i've as it hurried on
its withdrawing track. At Pleasant
Taylor's, on the hull, we procured the
pioneers AK to clear away the over
hanging branches of the painless woods,
so that our skilful driver might pilot US
among the oaks, pines and hickorys,
till he brought us to the edge Of Il bluff
some eight hundred feet above the
valley below, a verisable Jumping off
place. You couldn't expect us to
describe forty or fifty miles of autumnal
tree tops, 'baslSing in sunshine bright"
and covering the sides of mountain
spurs, till lost in the blue and hazy
distance; therefore, we will only say we
sat long on the rocks of the ante
diluvian world, and queried, may be,
"What is man that Thou al n idful of
him ?"
Underneath us were vast beds of
coal, richer than all the Rothchlds, and
destined to help make East Tennessee
one of the wea!thest sections of the
country. The Clarkes have we'll
demonstrated the existence of this coal,
and with their characteristic intelligence
and energy will assuredly, and shortly,
make things ''hum." Let MS add all
the strength to their elbow that we can
give.
Returning to Pleasant Taylor's, we
had an excellent and varied supper,
after which, adjourning to the verandah,
: the old gentleman turned back the
pages of his life, and recounted to us,
in vivid and striking words, many
interesting scenes and Incidents Of his
eventful career-eventful, although
forty years of it had been passed upon
the edge Of the plateau. He saw much
of the marching and countermarchiEg
, Of the war, and had many "hair-breadth
Escapes" and adventures with the
soldiery of both armies. He was a
determined and uncompromisng man
with stiff upper lip for his rights,
howbeit, with human tact, and through
all, be it negotiation, or rough personal
encounter with his fellows, he came out
, unarmed. In the ways of peace he was
: better dealt with. Being on the high
> way for cattle droves, he entertained
> before the war, many thousands o
| animals, reaping from eighty to ninety
9 and one hundred dollars Il night. The
f raj and the war broke this all up. His
t farm is pretty extensive, and the sol
!. good. OF the garden triumphs one O.
e the party brought away carrots 41in
' in diameter, while we "heard tell" o
9 mastodon potatoes, and cabbages, cleared
of the outside leaves. turning the seal,
at eighteen pounds. What country
t for vegetarians
4. Next day we drove into jamestown
! visiting MIR. Brier's pleasantly situated
a house and grounds. Mr. Brier is be,
/ student, farming some one hundred ant
e twenty hives or 'bee-gums He showed
e us some portions of the hives will
. the busy occupiers, picking out tn,
f queen. bee from among her industriou
subjects. In 1880 be took 1,50(
e pounds of fine honey from seventy
hives How would honey making d,
t for Rugby2
e If the paradisiacal apples were any
r thing like Mr. Briefs, we have som,
n sort of sympathy for our mother Eve
y The Ewes, and Adams, too, of our part,
s fully appreciated the noble fruit; while
J. as honey extractors, bless you tn
D.