Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1883-11-06

lofty mountains and dark ravlnes, PIC
turesque valleys opening into each other
sparkling and placid waters, wide rollins
pastoral landscapes follow in rapid sue
cession."
Among the notable things is the fam
Gus Horse Shoe Curve, where the roac
compasses three sides of valley which
it could not cross. At Cresson Springs
we pass the beautiful hotel, veritablt
palace in the mountains. While the
sun is shining brightly the porter lights
the lamps, and we plunge into the dark
ness of Spruce Creek Tunnel for a jour
ney literally Through the hills. At the
mountain city of Altoona we stop for
dinner. Later in the day our path winds
through the very garden of Pennsylvania
Lancaster and Chester counties, whose
farms are tempting to the eye even in
November. AT sunset we are crossing
the Susquehanna at Harrisburg. Night
has fallen again when we reach Phila-
delphia, and We have but glimpses of
moonht vistas ss we pass Paramount Park
in leaving.
We are out in the country few miles
not however beyond the city limits,
they tell us-when We are brought to a
sudden stands,ill by red lights ahead.
A wrecked freight train blocks the way,
and we are doomed to three long hours
of waiting. One never realizes more fully
the exact amount of latent patience in
their composition than at such time as
this. Nothing to do through all the
long hours but ICait, hoping each moment
may be the last. until Hope deferred"
and the thought of expectant and anxious
friends. so near and yet so far, if 1t does
not make - tue beart SIGN, ~ iSaSt uio-
turbs the equanimi,y of the average wo-
man. We have left most OF our passen-
gers in the "Ci;y of Brotherly Love-, and
the few who remain soon exhaust their
resources of entertainment, and wisely
conclude to make themselves as comfort
able as circumstances will allow. There
is a pretense at napping-but we are
sure it is only pretense. The longest
three hours of all the year are ended at
last, and we are soon crossing New Jer-
sey at q fearful rate of speed. " The
wee sma hours" of new day are upon
us when we reach Jersey City, where
ends not only the railroad, but for time,
our wanderings.
Could we fly to and from New York
York without the prosalc necessity of
horse-car and terry, no more charming
suburban home could be asked by rea-
sonable mortal than Jersey City Heights
The air is SO delightfully."- fresh and cool
in summer that there is no real need for
change to country or seashore. More
over, rents are reasonable-the one gain
growing out OF the evil of long distances
BY car and boat. In spite of these tedi-
Gus rides, hundreds OF people find enough
of compensation in the breeziness and
roominess of the Heights to induce them
to build, buy, or rent homes there: the
latter is at present quite the most sens
IDLE of the three. since the city is over
whelmed with debt-the result OF an at
tempt some years ago to NIL the salt
marshes in the lower part Of the town.
or course ones first Sunday in or near
New York. must if possible compass a
visit to Plymouth Church. Upon the
present occasion such plan promised
more than usual interest, as it was uu-
ders,ood that Mr.. Beecher would defend
his new position in theology.
To appreciate the power Of the man
one needs to listen while he speaks: his
inimitable manner makes his words
doubly impressive; his cutting sarcasms
are infinitely more cutting as they fall
from his own lips, than they can ever be
upon paper. The colossal egotism Of his
reasons for the new departure is in
measure overlooked as one listens. New
ertheless any orthodox person must carry
away the impression that the great
preacher has voluntarily cut loose from
many Of the moorings Of Scripture. and
that henceforth for himself or hi 8 hearers,
no other anchor is necessary than that
furnished by his Beecher g logic. Though
the man be brilliant and his reasoning
seem plausible, and though he be sincere
and good, still, the majority Of thinking
men and women will prefer to build upon
the solid rock of Divine revelation, rath-
er than the shifting sand of finite reason.
A sleigh-ride seems quite indispens-
able to the proper observance of Thanks
giving in New England. but they tell US
that last Thanksgiving day was the first
for more than forty years when such q
luxury had been attainable by New
Workers. and they made the most of their
opportunity-Central Park became car