Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1886-11-25
THE GRASSY ROAD.
. Plea for Country Beauties Which Nod
ern Fashions Tend to Obliterate.


would say few earnest words 10
intercession for a patient, venerable
peiohbor of ours and yours, who mas
few champions, who suffers in silence,
who is fast becoming discouraged at the
treatment Of his thankless posterity,
and who thus year by year, is yielding
mn his hold among us. Country people
everywhere among the hills. let me in-
troduce 10 you the "old grassy road
the mountain turnpike" the old
.wood road" the ''lane' thus to be-
sneak the aid of the local vocabulary in
fixing the identity / would bring to your
mind-ior there is an ''old Marlborough
road in every town; if not, then more's
the pity.
These ancient highways spread like
net over our New England hills, net
whose meshes are fast being lost among
the growth which has sprung up around
them. These old roads are all akin
essentially the same everywhere. Pos
sessing in spirit u common origin, the
history of one is repeated in all. 1t is
the track of the pioneer who opened up
the privileges we now enjoy; it is the
scar of hard-fought battle; the mark
of courage, fortitude, and heroic self
sacrifice, the road our forefathers trod,
and now in many instances the last elo-
ouent visible link between the I'M
worthy present and noble ancestral
memories which should be kept green.
would turn the eyes of the Grant into
this forgotten path, and if possible keep
II worn by reverent footsteps, and
son-that ''improving" hand of pro
gress.
For it is manifest on every hand that
the acquisition of prosperity among
our country towns is fast crowding
out our rural lanes and ancient roads,
tearing up their venerable landmarks,
celebrating their footprints, smoothing
away their mounds, and plouo hing up
their ashes. This seems little less than
sacrilege-the deplorable fruit of that
rare for rural improvement" which is
now terror in the air, following in the
train of wealth and prosperity and
certain era in the history of every grow
ing town. Not but that in its proper
place, where it pertains and ministers
10 individual home comforts, it may De
highly proper and desirable; but when
it sweeps the country not unlike
scourge Of locusts, and at length drives
the Woud-be country" pilgrim OF
native inhabitant to the limits of the
township to find bit of nature ''un-
adorned, is it not time to cry halt?
Even the great metropolis hath
suu0rbs-a verdant rim which may be
reached by horse-cars.
In truth | wonder at the apathy with
which these ancient weed-grown foot
prints are viewed by the average village
mind Even though blind to natural
beauty, is there no other awakening
touch to which such might respond
amid surroundings where every visible
feature is eloquent with that spirit which
makes the whole world kinp
1t has been my fortune recently to
have become possessed of an ideal gras-
sy road or rather, | should say, more
properly, of companionable charge
which it carries tenderly and INSOFAR
ably in its bosom This is my
farm. 1t is way up there, the old road
circling along its edge and winding
away somewhere into the clouds. |
have never yet found It's end. and never
shall. Ere this have known certain
rcstleSsness, but now | am content Ito
breathe my native air in my own
ground" | shall live out my appoint
ed DAYS ere | exhaust this single path:
what need then of gulde-bools TO Eu-
rOpc-to see the world, the Continent,
the Orient? / could sit within this
realm and fill my portfolio with them
all. Here is my cross and crescent.
What is the roar Of Niagara compared
to this still small voice the AIpen
peaks, tho Mauerhorn? Indeed, my
grassy road has carried me much high
or ihan these.
Iha features of these old roads, as
have said, are alike in all How natur-
ally are the feet OF the saunterer drawn
tblHcr! and even when he would take
bis cave to seek some distant hunting
ground, or familiar wood or brook, now
iuesistibly is he induced to procrasti-
mattel
This free. unrestrained meandering
course of the grassy road possesses n
continuous Irresistible charm the ever
recurring vista with the invariable tam
tazing curve beyond. How does that
elusive reckoning curve coquettc with
your fancy! What will be the prospeatP
hill or valley, shimmering pond, rip
ping river, or billowng field. dusty
wood, or hazy tremuIous distance of
blue hills? There is all the mystery OF
\ tomorrow haunting that elusive
curve. Yes, a witching presence
hovers there; il is the spirit of the path,
mringyou on and on with eyer-enticing
promises, never disappointing you,
never satisfying you. Now we shall
catch her in yonder closed covert
among the jumpers; there is no escape;
but 10. she has sped hundred feet be-
yohb where in the ouse of juuing
leHee beam beneath the reckoning as
pen, She points YOU still onward; and
what Is chat! a well-known voice. now
strangely modulated to my fancy, cries
Plainly now. if never before, Come,
more YET Yes, "more yet, y this is the
very watchword of the grassy road.
d iAere is segment of eternity in that
beautiful curve beyond.
There are all sorts of lessons as we
UHu the leavpS loitprIno bV the way.