Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1885-07-26
n LIFE.
A Charm Once Experienced Never
to be FOgOtfen.

A Charm Once Experienced Never
to be FOgotten.
The Philadelphia Times published
In a recent number q description OF
what several young Philadelphians are
doing in the cattle business in Mesa
county, Colorado. These young men
are situated on Plateau Greek, which
flows along the northern slope OF
the Grand Mesa, and which Ia sur
rounded by one Of the loveliest mount
ain valleys in Colorado. Mr.. Henry
@. Townsend, of Philadelphia, the
father of one Of the young men referred
to, in speaking of what his son and his
companions have done, said that they
exhibited great self-denial in separating
themselves from home and friends to
lead an adventurous life on the Western
frontier, but he added: "And yet. If l
we're younger and not so welded to crea-
ture comforts, / would go out with the
boys and try Western ranch life for a
CHANGE"
The feeling which prompted the
Philadelphia to make this last remark
is the same which leads many men to
seek, not for a change, but for a perma-
nent abiding place, a home in the mount
aims OF the West. That there is indeed
Q " pleasure in the painless woods" they
know full we'll who have become used
to this life. Why it is or whence it
comes re will not attempt to say; but
surely there is a strange fascination
about the careless, independent mountain
life which woos one with a power often
as seductive as the songs Of the sirens Of
old.
To one who enters upon such a life there
IL at first an attraction which is born OF
the novelty Of the conditions which sur.
round him. Soon this wears of, and it is
succeeded by a sense of loneliness which
is hard to bear. Here is the crucial test.
the habits and the oonveniences Of city
the mountains. On the contrary, they
will probably rejoice as though they had
escaped some dire calamity. But over
him who remains long enough to forget
the loneliness, there ONE by slow de-
grees a strange influence which makes him
love his mountain life until it's charm
grows we'll nigh irresistible.
He who has once been caught by the
witchery of this spell will probably never
become entirely free from it. He may re-
turn to the East and give himself up to
the work Of IN arduous profession; he
may marry and see growing around him q
family of promising little ones, but there
will come to him ever and anon the
memory of the life left behind him in
his distant mountain home. Listen
ing, he will catch again the noise Of the
falling waters singing their song of regret
as they go from thei- home in the snow TO
where they will be buried and forgotten in
the sea. Again there falls upon his ear
the sound of that wierd, mournful sobbing
to which one who has heard it can never
refuse to listen. 1t is the sobbing and the
signing of the wind through the forests Of
pine.
To such an n there must surely come
seasons Of vain regret in which he will see
visions of the life that is gone and the
hope which ia dead. Better for him would
ii have been never to have come to the
mountains, never 10 have tasted of the
Joys OF the West, than having done 80 to
have returned to the dull and weary bur-
den bearing OF the East. To him, heaven
is a country of mountains and OF ~babbling
brooks, and it is in the land Of the hereafter
that he hopes to breathe again the pure air
and drink anew Of the life giving waters.