Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1886-06-05
DOWN TURNER'S POINT.

"If you will look out of the window
on your right, when the train gets
though the cut, you viii have a fine view
Of the grand chasm, says the polite con-
ductor, lifting his gilt lettered cap.
''Ihank you very much" returns the
quiet little lady in dark blue, quickly
raising her eyes from the page of her
guide book.
.'Oh, Aunt Tina" says a shrill excited
voice at her elbow, 'let me go out on
the platform, dol Pu be Just as careful
and hold on to the breaks as tight"
Don't think of such a thing for a
momentr' in quick, decided tones, while
her alert eyes are upon each movement
Of the restless bit of humanity at her
side.
She is a quiet looking little lady no
longer.
The train is approaching Tallulah,
TaIlulah the Terrible, GeOrgia's greatest
and most famous wonder, and the pas
sengers are in a fever of impotence to
catch the first glimpse Of the tremendous
canyon along the dizzy edge Of which
the railroad makes its way. None more
SO than the wideawake bit of humanity
referred to, who boy like, cannot under
stand why It is that his twelve years Of
life do not entitle him to a greater show
Of privileges-like that for instance, Of
standing on the platform as the others
are doing.
He thinks his auntie unnecessarily
cautious and particular, yet he dosen't
get ugly about it at all. He has never
been very headstrOng, nor a very disobe-
dent boy, only a somewhat wilful one at
times, with strange ideas OF his own, the
expression of which, after a fashion
peculiar to himself has gained for him
among his mates tine title Of ''the queer
fellow"
There is nothing in the bare sides OF
Of the cut through which tbey were pass
ing, nor in the mountainous stretches OF
pine barrens left behind to give even a
hint Of the grandeur Of the scene that
now bursts upon their vision.
Down through a gorge ], 300 feet in
depth and over 1000 feet in width at its
narrowest point, dashes the Tallulah
river, over ruggedly massed bOulders, in
foam tossed cascades that throw their
spray in air nearly a hundred feet.
On either side rise sheer walls OF solid
granite, worn smooth as polished silver
in many places by the floods OF centuries
and like silver glittering in the SUMS
rays.
s'That is Turner'S Point" says the
conductor, pointing just to the right Of
them to a stupendOus mass OF rugged
granite shelves, soil covered in many
places that juts out more prominently
than the others into the dizzy gorge.
'fWith but one exception" continues the
conductor, sit is the highest point on
the chasm, and is full 800 feet above the
bed Of the river"
"a tremendous fall thatP' exclaims a
nervous little gentleman behind him,
provided anyone wanted to try II"
shouldn't think they'd particularly
want to try it, returns the conductor
drylv, yet some of them do"
''GoOd graciousr' cries the nervous
little gentleman again, 'syou don't mean
to say that some one has fallen down
thereY'
90, no, not that only that some Of
the more adventurous have tried to climb
down by means of the clumps Of stunted
verdure You see"
'And did they succeeds"
"Only as far as a partial decent;
lDOug QlE-llilLL u inc way \ A'l--ShN-
Arrived at Youug's hotel about the
first person whose acquaintance is sought
by our restless bit Of humanity, other
wise Aunt Tina's nephew, Swain Con
nor, is Monk, the veteran guide.
81 say, Mr., Monk" Swain broke forth
Immediately that he has that worthy Sc
curely penned In an out of the way cor
ner OF the verandah. II want you to
take me down to Turner'S Point.
''Phew p whistles Monk, thinking this
the queerest one he had had to deal with
yet Then apparently determining to
treat it all as a huge joke.
''Yes, certainly, and isn't there some
thing else on the same order that you
would ike, pleasant ride, for instance,
over the HurricanaY'
ayes, if you please"
''But, good gracious 1 don't please r
or es the excitable little guide, losing
co ntrol Of himself at once. 'sThe thing
cit her way is not to be thought OF for
mo ment, unless you are extremely
anxious to quit this world for anOther."
But the conductor said some Of 'em
went down Turner'S Point"
a'Some one or two fool-hardy ones
have, to a certain distance, but they were