The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1882-11-01

Written Expressly for The Morristown Gazette.
/ think it was Uncle John Wes-
ley's remarkable statement, that
there was one neighbor whom he
had lived in sight of all his life and
yet had never seen, which inspired
Bob and TO make the trip to Halls
Top. This well known mountain is
/ located about the center of Cooke
county, from whence it rises solemn
ly as sphinx, overlooking the sur
rounding country. 1t is densely
wooded, with single clearing and
that some four hundred acres on the
summit, certainly one of the most
beautiful mountains in color and
outline, ] have ever seen. While at
work, painting a view of this noun
tain and the beautiful "Yale of
Chuckee," for gentleman in Geor-
gia, whose prosperity hasn't in the
least cooled his affection for these
mountains of his boyhOod. l have
often wondered "what sort of man
could it be that would seek out that
lone spot on a wind-rocked noun
tain top for a hearth and home
perhaps a hermit up there like q
spider in n WEBB" But no; a nobler,
kindlier, SUMMER soul never lived
than that same very, very poor,
, simple hearted mountain man.
The Saturday We decided upon
for the trip opened up cloudless and
with that Indian-summer warmth
which makes a man satisfied with
himself, everything and everybody.
So, with our saddle bags well laden
with the conventional lunch of fried
chicken, etc, and plenty of sketch
ing paper and pencils, we mounted
our horses and were soon on our
way. r
Fording the Chuekee and French
Broad rivers we arrived at Newport,
where nothing happened of inter
est, beyond the purchase of some
cheese and INK Bob says positive
ly a man cannot get along in
mountain country without a pint
bottle of inl-to say nothing of its
efficacy as a snake bite remedy
and making a sketch of old-fash-
ioned Maj Robson, with his hair
tied up in a que. We dined on Pig
con ii. c., the banks of Pigeon riv-
or. . ....
Five miles above Newport, on the
Pigeon river, at Sweetwater creek,
we turned toward Halls Top, and
after a three and half miles climb
up the mountain, we found our
selves at the fence, halooing for
Hall, being sure Of the house from
descriptions received en- route. Quite
a crowd of robust, bright eyed chill
dren, in new home-spun- clothes,
met us as we walked to the cabin.
In reply to our questioning they
told us that this was "whar gran
pap lived Bob strobe ahead and
right by a savage looking dog with
as much indifference as if it had
been a wooden man. .a
Turning the corner of the cabin
we came upon the old man himself,
seated in the doorway with small
looking-glass in one hand and a ra-
zOr in the other. His sincere,
" howdy, strangers, come in and
take cheer" was the first time i
had ever heard this famous noun
tain expression uttered in earnest.
" Strangers" / repeated to myself !;
yes, these are mountain people, sure
". He explained that he was pre-
pairing to go to the" mudhead Bap-
tis' meeting the next day. After
a highly interesting conversation,
and much protesting that we
wouldn't be able to stand his poor
fare, he agreed to keep us over
night. 'i
The sun was getting low. per-
suaded the old man to take us to the
best point for getting a view. Col.
Sellars is not more enthusiastic over
his money-making schemes than is
this old man over the beautiful
scenery and the traditions of these
morntains.
From one point on the brow o.
Halls Top is, without exception, thC
most sublime panoramic view / ever
saw. Lookout nor the Wyoming
valley are to be compared with it
Lookout is one broad, fiat, map lik'
I =
view, with the Tennessee river wind
ing in and out. Here is, on the left
a similar map-like view Of the low
lands, with the Broad and HolstoI
winding about among the clouds
I On the right, the mountains sprea'
out in huge emerald biilows, surg'
> upon surge, like mighty sea, til
: they melt away in the purple haz
where Mitchells peak;-Bald noun
tain and old Smokey struggle.witl
the sunset light, trying their best t
seem something more than mer
ghosts on the horizon Bob :"
exclaimed, ga man who can loo
= out on that landscape and not tal
y in blank verse. or wish he could,