Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1886-07-08
COMMUNICATED.
A Strangers view Ol Mechanics
town.

like the place. Clean. prim, everything
IN agreeable, easy-g6ing order. Smooth;
macadamited streets, no mud however hard
it may rain. Shade trees along the ways,
through which the vigorous mountain dir
exhaies freshness ana fragrance, unknown
to the sundried and treeless city.
Many fruit trees, tame and wild flowers.
The Strawberries and laurel are gore but
good lack, the cherries and raspberrles are
ripe; the elder and chestnut are id BLOOM
and you can breathe the odor Of half ripe
walnuts, what scenting bottle for d ladies'
toilet. Now, did the stranger know Of the
thistle and milk weed unfolding, he would
come long distance just to get a smell at
them and to have view Of the chestnut
tasscl and to hear the cricket and grassh6p-
per at their dolorous ctirps.
Here goes noisy crystal brook capcfihs
along down its rocky channel through the
village, where Venus and Adonis and Apollo
and all the fairies hold jubilee and battle af-
ter dark All ta, the Muses. may be, who
knows? A stream too furnishing every day,
water enough to run twenty mills.
The mountain as background standing
in eternal assurance and paternal guardian
ship, lends its thousand advantages. To
bring the mountain down to you is easy
enough, but to carry the place up to the
mountain would battle the army of Hercules
With Wolf rock and Chimney rock, close
ut hand giving from their heights, views Of
all the land far as Christendom extends
With the forest neat enough to watch from
your back door the rpering berries and the
opening burs and shells of the rlut-trecs and
to hear the whpporwill a. night-fall.
Long live the hills and the woods, haunts
Of the birds we frequently hear robin, a
thrush or sun sparrow in spite Of the lozel
vacrant with gun on shoulder.
More really good, cool, Wholesome drink
ing water than any town have ever been
IN, whether large or small: This however
is suggestive of some neglect and likewise
of great prospective improvement; where
is your drinking fountain How easy and
what a light expense, With the elevated
springs on the spurs of your hills, within
few hundred feet, to have flowing fountain
of Ice water in its purity. Nothing but the
notorious wells whence to draw watef, with
what suspicion and horror, are they looked
upon rs Il vault of NTH ind disease by the
urban visitor A mistake in this case, new
erthclcss would they make, for these me.
thinks are the historical pumps Of tradition
an wholesome life giving drink.
What is a town without It's public foun-
tain Symbol of purity, social good fellow
ship health, prosperity, and that which brings
the traveller from Gh,t. 4 clear, cool flow
ing fountain and The road to temperance Is
comparatively easy, furthermore it would
furnish an abundant supply Of water in case
of fires This loss will be your regret one
of these days Have the fountain at once
and have it to spout from the side Of snow
White marble.
But say you it will not do to have too many
attractions, they will draw hithcr many
Strangers and the streets will hum with bust,
ness, and we will no longer have our bcauti-
full, quiet home7. Too much truth in this :
admit. No need to be over ambitious in
dulging in greed and scllishness to get rich
The cry often Of men boxing toward their
own wealth and ACKNOWLEDGEMENT at the cost
Of domestic peace and home content; how
ever few things must not be forgotten, a
certain amount of manufacturing and com,
mind from falling into narrow habits of sus-
picion and envy of every stranger who comes
among you. Above all forget not your
schools, your music, your teachers in educa-
ton, art, morals and religion nor your foun,
tain. BY the way in speaking of religion
it seems as though you have rather much of
good thing, were it possible to possess too
much of that commodity-six, seven, eight
churches in village Of one thousand is a
heavy support and still, here comes another
sect, demanding a hearing, They call
themselves "Salvationists," believe, a
kind of new tangled order" and claiming to
teach the christian doctrine in its original
purity and simplicity. If 80 they must
teach in parable and perform miracles for
otherwise they would be little better than
the rest OF us, showing no new thing nor
proving the old. As an impartial judge l
should decide that if seven or eight christian
churches and ministers cannot save your
town that there is no hope for it. If the
"new tangled Sect" thinks otherwise, you
should give them credit for an unusual
amount of perseverance and some faith.
Aside, would it not be somewhat prcsump-
tuous with the present number Of preachers
and places Of worship, to suppose there
could be an unconverted or unchristian be-
ing in the whole community. should not
dare venture to affirm it and would there.
fore be very 10th to undertake any CONVEX
sions, fearing might be leading some one
away from the true faith.
After all what would become of us with
out preaching. l am inclined to the belief,
the more churches the better for u.s. so long
rs there are strong civil laws to control and
prevent us quarre ling.
Now Mister Editor excuse so much talk
ing but want to say good word and 1t al
ways requires certain amount of dressing
out to make yourself heard and withal en-
deavoring to strike the truth with slight
touch of the fashion. I want YOU to keep