The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1883-06-24

broad stream, and landed Us IN safety upon
he shores Of Tennessee.
In Memphis we entered sleering car
and travelled ali night, arriving In Decatur,
Alabama, for breakfast. AS We alighted
rom the cars here and walked TO the hotel |
Tor breakfast, my eyes ran eagerly over the |
taking in the familiar out |
lines OF the town and the sloping banks of
the Tennessee river, along which my child |
ish feet had wandered in years gone by. |
How longed for time 20 visit all the points !
OF interest In the town, endeared to me by |
so many fond memories of childhood But
consoling myself with the promise OF such
q Visit on our return, we sat down to a
tempting breakfast, alter which we re en-
tered the cars and soon had crossed the
river and were whirling rapidly along the
lovely Tennessee valley toward Chatta-
nooga.
We found al Chattanooga all the hustle
and activity OF an important railroad cen
ter, the town lying In the valley at the
base OF Lookout mountain, which rears its
majestic height overlooking all the fair
scene below.
For the next twenty.iour hours our
course led us through the enchanting
scenery OF East Tennessee and the southern
portion Of Virginia.
AS We neafed our destination Lynch
burg, Nirginia--the scenery increased in
beauty and the outlines OF the Blue Ridge
mountains became visible.
Lynchburg il one of the oldest towns in
the state, and IN ante-bellum times has
been widely known tor its wealth and the
aristocratic families who had their homes
upon its hills. II is to-day considered the
third city in Virginia in point OF wealth
aud commercial importance. Its situation
upon the banks of James river, together
with the rugged hills, gives the town a
picturesque appearance. We thought OF
ancient Rome with Its seven hills when We
drove through the town, but we soon found
that we might very appropriately call this
the city of seven times seven hills, so
numerous are the hills upon which it is
built. In our walks and drives about
the city while visiting there, we caught
frequent glimpses OF the surrounding
mountains In the distance their blue out
INES giving beauty to the picture, while
from one point the peaks of otter were
plainly visible towering in grandeur above
the other peaks of the range.
There are numerous TOBACCO factories in
Lynchburg, which. all together, give EN-
pioyment to about twenty-five hundred
hands, most Of whom are of the colored
population, and the cultivation and manu-
iacture OF this plant affords the principle
revenue toF this portion of the state. We
visited one OF these factories one morning,
and were much interested in the various
departments of the factory, and in learn.
Ing the process OF manufacture through
which the plant passes in preparation for
market, but the 0dor from the nauseous
weed assailing our oliactory nerves marred
the satisfaction of our visit to n consider
able extent, and we felt much relieved when
We were again in The open air.
One day during our stay i'll the city u
party OF seven of us decided upon II visit to
the great Natural Bridge, which is situated
IN Rockbrldge county, about thirty miles
from Lynchburg, by railroad. We accord
ingly went aboard the cars OF the Rich
mond q Alleghaney railroad, about
O'Clock in the afternoon, and were soon
speeding toward the place OF such interest
to the traveler--that wonderful structure,
the Natural Bridge. A we rode along,
with the historic James river upon one side
and the Blue ridge mountains towering in
beauty upon the other hand, our ewes
Toasted upon the enchanting scenery pre-
sented TO our view, and we felt desire that
| our ride might be prolonged for hours
through this charming country. Ii is said
that the scenery along Hudson river hardly
surpasses In beauty that of the views along
this route. When we reached Balcony
Falls, n lovely spot, where the branch road
leads of toward Lexington, we cast our
longing eyes toward that little city. only
twenty miles distant, where repose the re.
mains of General Robert II. Lee and Stone.
wall Jackson, and felt strong desire to
change our route and visit the spot SO
sacred to every southern heart. But cir
cumstances forbade at the time, and on
ward we went to Glendale station: here
We alighted from the cars and hack CON
veyed us TO the hotel Mt the Natural Bridge,
two miles distant. In the charming valley,
within two hundred yards of the bridge,
are four large hotels, provided with every
convenience and comfort for the guests who
visit this historic spot by the thousands
every year. We tarried but few mo-
ments IN our rooms at the hotel after our
arrival there, but soon started forth, nc.
companied by n guide from the hotel, TO
visit the Natural Bridge. The guides
pleasant, intelligent genteman-led us
through the large park surrounding the
hotel, down by lovely, sylvan path which
led under the bridge. We soon found our.
selves In the depths of the cool, green
forest, our pathway lying along the rocky
pass skirting the rushing, roaring stream
which flows between the high granite cliffs
We made our way along this rocky pass.
way Tor some little distance into the forest
then our guide suddenly paused and babe
us look up, and there we saw, spanning
from cliil TO cliil above MS, the magr ticent
arch OF the great Natural Bridge.
The arch is 80 feet above the water and
isasolid rocky structure, about fifty feet
Ill thickness.
As We stood beneath and looked up al
the grand, massive structure. placed ther,
by the almighty hand OF the Creator OF the
universe, our hearts Were filed with rever
ent awe-words failed us to give expression
TO our emotions, and we stood looking In
silence, with only the roar of the stream a.
II leared from rock tn rock along its Cours,
beneath the arch breaking upon the still
ness of the scene. After viewing the vast
structure from various points of obserya
ton, the guide led US father up the STREAM,
to cave IN the cliffs, then on through the
forest to the Whispering Wen, which is
an Underground water fall plainly seen
from the grot,o'like opening in the cliffs
rushing and toamng on TO destination AS
yet unknown. This cavernous well or
spring gets its name from the echoes which
AT times are heard issuing in whispered
sounds nom the watery depths, and II is
indeed weirdly romantic spot
The next morning our party, by our re,
quest, were aroused at I O'Clock, in order
10 visit Mount u ilerson, an elevated point
near the hotel, upon which brick obserya.
tory is built for the purpose uf viewing the
sunrise over the mountains. We started
ont and soon reached the desired spot, and
then u scene OF marvellous beauty burst
upon our gaze. The tops of the mountains
were covered with mantle of thick white
mist, which, as the sun rose and cast lis
beams athwsrt, the scene gradually melted
away. aud the peaks OF the mountains
| won AppCar at intervals throuyh thu NAL,