The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1882-10-07


Of the Bijou Opera House. Mr.. John How
son, the Hon Jacob Hess, James Buckley
and II. F. Kennedy Of the Erie Railway,
Mr.. E. B. ByingtUn of the Lehigh Valley
rond, Col. Skinner Of the Pennsylvania
road. Col. Alexander Mason, late of Whop-
whdllopy, Major 0prer of Puck, Gov. Heck
Ter, Gen. Bangs, Mr. Aronson, and other
crenm of candy citizens. They were all
bound On an excursion to Mnuch Chunk
dnd the Switch back. The train ran to
Enstun in the bright morning sunlight
like comet. The sight of that city awoke
sad "reminiscences in the bosom Of Com.
missioner Hess. at is the scene of my
FIRST business venture" he said. "When
was IS years old my father put several
thousand dollars in my pocket and said,
Jacob, New Yorks no place for you. Get
out and seek your fortune The business
sky looked bright in the direction Of Eas.
ton just then, and drined over that way.
The nearest point on the railroad then was
a place called Factoryvllle slipped over
the river into Easton before saw anything
that promised money. Once fairly in Eas.
ton, however, 1 saw a fortune. bought
about SO 900 worth Of dried calfskins; and
worked night and day like beaver until
/ shipped them to New York. II was big
speculation. 1t made my father open his
eyes. He thought considerable Of me, but
he didn't pat me on the head. lost $3.50
by the Transaction. But didn't lose heart.
] determined TO regain the money where
had lost il. went back to Easton: hadn't
been there six hours before saw the finest
horse in the universe. His carriage was the
perfection Of equine grace, and his form and
action would have made Jim McMann or
Dan Mace wild with joy. bought him at
n bargain-fo S300-and rode him to New
York. My father opened his eyes, but he
didn't pat me on the head, although it was
a great speculation. The horse turned out
to be blind in one eye, and sold HIM for
$3.50. Now, after this second tumble, most
any sensible mans sou would have taken
water. But was like most of the fellows
in this car. l didn't. / put straight for
Easton again. L hadn't bean there twenty
four hours before stuck the biggest kind
of a thing. bought thirty seven beeyes
at ridlculously low figure. Before drove
them over the rivera man offered me an
advance Of five dollars a head for them.
laughed ut him. He followed me all the
way to FactorYyille, and kept bidding up
on me at every crack of the whip. As the
cattle were being shipped be offered me five
hundred dollars for my bargain. The moon
was as high as eyer, and I refused it, The
beeves went TO New York. 1t was a beauti-
tul speculation. My father opened his eyes
wider than ever, but he didn't smooth my
hair. Before the cattle reached New York
beef went down two cents pound, and
lost over $500. Then my father borrowed
what money had left, and said, 'Jacot
New York's the place for you. You'd better
stay here and watt Tor a fort une. Ive
been waiting ever since, but it seems q
mighty long time coming. Easton's love.
ly city, but never look at IL without think.
ing ofthe dried calfskins, the one eyed horst
and the thirty seven beeves.
By this time the train was dsrtiug up th,
Lehigh Valley. The air was as alear a,
the air of the Wasstch Mountains Th,
light was so soft that's a filmy moon followed
the sun in its course over the sky. Patches
of ever changing foliage were seen on tn,
mountains. The river rippled and bubblec
below in rapids and cascades. thir
smoke Aoated from the chimneys of the iror
loundri"s. Contentment and rosy checked
children smiled from every farm house
and at intervals the solt popping Of cork
was heard in the baggage car. An hou
later the train popped into a gorge, and w
were in Mauch Chunk. Col. McCaull tool
the place for Harper's Ferry, aud immedl
ately began to point out the site of the Gov
ernment a.mOry and of the engine hous
where old john Brown made his last fight
"There's Loudon Heights" said he, "wher
onewall jackson came when he bagpet
Miles, and there's Maryland Heights oppos
ite, and the little cemetery on the ridge
Why, can see the very rock in the rive
where one ui Browns men was shot try I'M
tn escaped | belonged to a company OF Vir
ginia militia then. 1t was good company
but nothing equal to the company now er
Iormmg at the Biinu."
|
Herr the landlord of the Mansion Hons
announced Il performance at his house. Th
rafting oi knives and Iorks and the popping
OF gilded curks lasted an hour. Then tn
railroad magnates, the good and bad actors
aud Charny Commissioner Hess were pack ?,
into sort Of baud wagon. and dragge,
through the city, to the delight Of the ladie
and the wonderment of the children. A
the foot of Mount PlSgah the caravan
st"pned. The Commissioner, the bad an,
ra,Ir"ad magubtes alighIed, aud ascendt,
an open car which was nitched 10 sleC
strap. Then they were yanked, like crud
or, up an inclined plane 1892 feet long /
! UtlHnl OF OOi leet. MI. hess StuOd llR
Moses on Mount NrLo and viewed the won
drous scene below him. Wild gnrges, sill
very canals, green meadows, wooded slopei
craggy ridges, ebon coal piles, mountains G
Stag, and villages dotte with spires wer
spread at his feet in inextricsb BILE confusion
lie gazed at little farm miles away, Ion
aud steadily. Thirty seven cattle, appaI
emily not larger than fless. were grazing o
it. The sight recalled recollections tina
marred the beauty Of the landscape. CigHl
were lighted aud the party remounted th
open car. 1t ran down gravity road Oft
own weight for seven miles ,dasbing throug
leafy defiles, aud lunging around shsrl
, rocky corners like a runaway horse. The
u the company were yanked up second il
clined plane to the top of Mount jefferson
Here Mr.. Byiugton took Mr.. Hess in han,
He seemed to be pointing out to him all th
: Kingdoms OF the earth in the distance, bl
= he was really pointing out second grain
: herd. Hess and the actors, good and bat