The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-08-19
ABOVE THE CLOUDS.
MEMPHIANs on THE SUMMIT OF
WHITE TOP.
A Thunder Storm on the Mountain
Life Among the PeOple-De.
llghtful Sabbath.
LoonnraroNpENoE or rnr ArrrAL.l

TooRREsPoSDRSoE OF THE APPRAL.l
SALTvmLE, Va, August 1--we
were now among the people who have
been 20 charmingly introduced to the
outside world by The genius OF Charles
Egbert Oiaddock, and as / had re-
Gently read 1.-THE Prophet o. the Great
Smoky Mountain" i took liveier in.
terest in them. Mics Murfree is very
accurate in her portrayal OF their PEE
culiarities. The little house where we
spent the night at tho base OF White
top is exactly such as she describes.
Persons who expect TO visit these
mountain regions ought to read Grad.
docks books. Craddock sees beauties
In these mountain gleDs and hears
music in the sounds that murmur
through them that everyone will not
diecover. She Is the high prisstess OF
these sylvan haunts. Soon after our
arrival began TO cast about for sleep.
ing quarters for the night as the house
appeared too small for all our party.
Guided by blue eyed little boy in
spected the barn but found the chick
ems were in ahead OF me. The little
fellow told me Of another barn "fur-
der up the mounting" which found
would suit admirably-a good cover
and filed with new timothy hay. My
little guide eaid TO me, why don't
you'uns sleep in the hOuseP" ave
will ii the house is big enough"
''Well dad and we'uns can sleep in
the kitchen and you'uns is we come"
The little fellows hospitality struck
me, but II Ia characteristic OF these
pc )ne. | asked him, "Are there
many people living IN this valley p
"rhef's not many CIbine, but theirs
lots Of EN- in cabin"-a statement
which our own observation abundant
ly confirmed, If you ever saw raven
ousy hungry people, gentle reader,
you can perhaps imagine us at supper
that night. | must not tell on the
rest, but you may judge by my own
performance. ate four pones OF corn
bread, two slices Of ham, one slice OF
fat bacon, drank two cups OF coffee
and elk tin cups OF cod, sweet milk,
with other things thrown in for good
measure; and / did not have night.
mare, but slept as sweetly "as Adam
in his bower" Talk about our
Southern girls not knowing how to
work 1t is foul SANDER on their fair
fame. Better bread never tempted
hungry mouths than the dainty hands
OF our lady tourists prepared for
us in that mountain kitchen. The
Soushern girl Is equal to any emer-
geneva trip like this brings
OUT her sterling qualities. Somebody |
asked at supper bo w far we had come
I om Abingdon. "About thirty miles"
WIS the answer. ut seems like AGO." |
said DR.. Jones. Poor Corrine She |
had held her own over the rugged
way, displaying wonderful power of
endurance for child OF eleven cum
mers; but sleep overpowered her be.
fore supper was ready. Others fell
down anywhere and went souDdly to
slesp. Enough spirit was left to have
a good time singing by the blazing
fire, but we omitted the tales, aud
after evening devotion all und sleep.
ing room under the rooi--the ladies'
down stairs, the rest 10 the loft. Ash
retired scene Of matchlesg beauty
spread itself before me. There was
an open window In the loft which
commanded view across the valley,
The clouds were piled about in fleeCy
masses, drifting above the dark forests;
the roar OF distant waterfall smote
my ear, and over the crest of Pond
mountain the moon came sailing
through an azure sea. | remembered
dimly something which Oraddock has
said about the moon on the
mountains, GLADDEN. with on argosy of
uncanny Influences" but / was too
sleepy for poetry and romance, and
falling on the big bears robe was soon
indifferent to moon and stars and sub
lunary things. Saturday morning we
looked out on rainy sky, and Il was
IL o'clock before we could start. The
last Stage OF our journey was the
hardest. Every foot of the way now
was climbing. The road was very
rugged, and most OF the party pre-
ferred TO walk. -Four splendid horses
drew the wagon, and it taxed every
muscle in them. Four O'Clock found
us still some distance from the sum.
init and in wild dark forest. So
dense was the growth of the trees and
the foliage that we could hardly nee
the sky or the gathering clouds; but
we kept near the wagon in case OF
an emergency. A few big rain diops
battered around MS, then n sudden
flash OF lightning and terrific era, IA of
thunder that made the horses resrand
plunge, followed by n downfall of rain
that might have reminded one of
Noah's days. For few minutes there
was rapid work on that steep moan
tain side. The ladies put on their
wraps and were packed into the wagon,
the cover was stretched, the tent cloth
put over the cover, and every
thing done TO keep the ladies'
and baggage dry. Such Iainl How
1t poured Nothing was TO be gained
by standing still, however, and making
everything as secure az possible, the
order was given to drive on. Fred
Mellon, DR.. Jones and myself were
compelled to foot il. How Fred en-
joyed it perhaps nobody will ever I
know, for he trudged ON in discreet
silence. DIR. Jones did MT el ioy IL.
II was more than he had bsrgained
for. 81 thought | did my share Of this
thing during the war;" he said, and
Rugged the upper side Of the road. |
enjoyed it. Fact lie, l or joyed no
episode Of the tip more than that
Storm on Whitetop. ! started in to
have a good time. and / had il. l
laughed in spite of thunder and light.
ming, though / admit / deserved a
tbrsshing for IT, The ladies' behaved
They could not see wink
under that wagon cover, and were
pitched from side 10 side of the {
wTetched road, amid thunder, light.
ming and beating rain, and thousands
OF feet OF steep mountain slope below
them YET not one of them cried or
screamed or got up any kind Of Gen.
ss'ional scene. They have the nerve
of heroiues CoIrine kept her {
head, and showed herself plucky as Z
the bravest. II was 5 o'clock when we !
reached what is called the "Spring,"
where visitos stay. A few cabins az
iorded welcome shelter and blazing
fires TO our weary party. We were
now literally in cloudlan', though the
ton OF the mountain was still half a