The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-09-05

charm 10 the picture, But, when the
sun rises, the Ice disappears,
The trees Of the valley, along the
edges Of the meadowA did not grow
thick together, like forest trees often do;
but stood like the trees in an orchard,
and the grass grew green and lux
uTiant all about them. The trees were
not tall, the climate in winter being too
severe for that; but they were vigorous
and symmetrical. II was all like a vast
park. The further we walked and the
more fully we explored II, the gTander
itBeemed, Sometimes we were at q loss
which TO admire most, the forest, all
carpeted with green grass, all shaded or
hecked with sheen and shadow; or the
open meadow where there was not Q
tree or rock to break the eyenness OF
the scene,
In the upper part Of one Of the mead
oWs we found pits full OF water, ike an-
Gent wells. The water fills them TO the
surface, aud WIS dark as wine, We had
no means Of sounding them, and could
not guess then depth, Some were tWen'
" feet In diameter, and some were not Q
fourth as large, | do not know their
origin, They may be the craters OF ex,
tinct VOLCANOES, but ] scarcely believe
they are, In the country round the.
borders Of the Valley there are signs oil
volcanic action; but within the valley
there are none, No commotion OF the
elements seem never to have disturbed
II, Yet the deep pits are open, and are
unexplained, We thrust our canes into
them, but could 6nd no bottom,
Further up the valley we came TO an
other large meadow, different from the
first one. II was covered with grass like
the first, but the first had no powders
strewn about over It, while this one had.
Large, unshaped rocks lay here and
there, thrown at random, aud about
them and between them the grass was
green. Some OF the rocks were merely
buried In the soil. Others were partly so,
and Others had disappeared 80 that only
the tops were TO be seen above the grass,
They seemed TO bssinkingi In t%heground.
There was something solemn In the pic
ture. 1t reminded me OF that German
romanCe-'The Iron Shroud"-which l
read when l was q boy, The rocks
seemed almost human In their dispair-
going down into the cold earth, from the
light and sunshine and summer, and no
power TO saVel
w walked through this strange
meadow, and talked ofthe sinking rocks,
and the fantastic associations which
they called up. II was In the afternoon
then, and the scene looked lonesome,
but still beautiful in Ito Loneliness.
AwEsT viReINiAN THE PIRsT TO ENTER,
epassed further up the valley among
the trees, and found u small lake about
q thousand feet In circumference. This
was near the edge OF the valley. The
water looked dark and deep, and was
shaded by pines that grew thick upon
the shore.
We climbed a high rock which doomed
hundreds Of feet above the tops OF the
trees, and from there looked out and
saw the country beyond. II was wild
and barren, and was cut up into deep
raVlnes and chasms. But we turned
back and entered the valley again. We
could not feel satisfied to leave 1t. II
was to US like the shore was to the
LA1tus'chteI5t ID We Eeau ~ 4cuuybOn-
1--WE will return no more"
That valley will never DO much differ,
emit from what 1t Is now. u can never
be made the permanent home Of men.
In the summer they can live there; but
in winter the snow falls thirty or forty
feet deep. Even In summer nothing
can be planted and cultivated success.
fully. Almost every night in summer
there is frost and ice. No grains or veg
etables can ever be made profitable.
Except as a summer resort, 1t will never
be Of much use to the world. The tin,
Der in the vicinity Is Of little value.
There are no discovered mines, There
10 nothing to tempt men to live there.
So, I think the valley must ever remain
about as II Is now.
l may state that the frst white man
who ever entered this valley was q West
virRinian, aad nephew Of one Of the
With him frequently, and know
him well. He came to this Coaat many
years sg0, adopted the life ofthe Indians,
married one oil that tribe, and now lives
them, having a dusky family
growing up about him. II. NJ.
fro nE CONTINUED