Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1889-05-01
For THE SPECTATOR.
A Mountain Trip in Nelson.

With an admonitory creakipg of wheels
the dayton drew up beside tumbling rail
fence, seen nowhere in such perfection as
in Virginia, the horses painting from their
long, upward pull. a trio of feminine
heads were poked outwards, three pairs OF
feminine eyes gazed upwards, Joined by
another pair whose owner sat serenely
perched upon a horse, and quartette OF
feminine tongues Intercepted, Must we
walk from here? Can't the horses get any
further?'' Beyond the dilapidated fence, a
few hundred yards of old field, partly
ploughed and sloping easily down to
branch, on the other side of which was
quite distance of cornfield SO perpendicu.
larly inclined, that had it been planted
with any vegetable whose yield is from the
root, it would have fully verified the story
of the Irishman's potato patch which
hourished upon hillside 80 very steep ne
found it necessary to climb to the top o.
the hill for every mess of the vegeba9ie'
for, said he, "Faith, an if be afther oig.
GIN 'em from the bottom, the ln1ire
blissed patch will be running out through
the hole.' s'BeyoDd the Alps lies Italy,
but the query right then, was the ieas'
field ere reaching the "Alps." We were
not disturbed about the Italy side of the
question, for our valcr was quite equal te
ascending the mountain which was to be oul
ultimate destination; but at the sight oil
those steep, dusty corn rows we shuddered
TO the very toes of our nicely-polished
feminine boots. Four women, several
children, and only one gentleman, and
there that terrible corn-field defiantly
waved its glistening green swords between
us and the foot of Sugar Loaf. We gazeo
dolefully at each other, then balancing her
self upon the top rail of the low shaky
fence. Annie exclaimed with great theatri
cal effect
Friends, country (wo)men, Romans,
lend me your ears We started on this
Journey with the avowed intention of as
cending yon mountains frowning height
and shall our purpose be thwarted by a
plebeian corn-feld? Forbid it, ., ye gods.
| will thus crush every stalk
her dramatic gestures were suddenly ended
by peais of laughter, and an indistinci
view of white skirts tumbled into an oppo.
site fence corner. kir. NJ, in spite of his
fifteen years of matrimonial bonds, gal
lantly scaled the fence to assist her: but
Annie was again on her feet, and with one
wrathful glance in our direction, said
shortly and determinedly, "pm going te
climb that mountain" and started off
while we in suppressed litter meeklJ
followed after.''
After some very tiresome climbing up al
most perpendicular places, We reached The
top, and, truly, we found a varied scene
| full worthy of our lahorious efforts tt
reach. East and West, North and South
"The increasing prospect tires the wandering
Hills peep DER hills and Alps on Alp
arise"
An August sun and sky borrowing sono
what from Septembar's near approach
| married slightly the effect of an otherwise
clear view, but gave greater beauty to thu
hazy curves OF dim blue mountains pressin;
up to softeued blue sky which was dashet
here and there by rolls of floating whit
clouds the last touches of the morning
cool shower. To my mind there is some
| thing utterly incongruous in ones standin:
upon some mountain height and feeling
aught of the cares and vexations of life
| Instinctively there rushes before the mini
numerous scenes in the worlds history
framed in the towering background o
mountains, chief among which stand 9Th
olige-girdled hills of Judea" holding al
| many peaks sacred in tho annals O
scriptuial record-Ararat's ark-covere'
height, Sinai's consuming glory, Tabor
transferring beauty and as picture sue
cseds picture in the imagination, solemn
deep stiffness falls upon the soul; on
seems lifted to infinite heights, above TIL
| little things of earth, and around, above
| beneath, feels only the Great Power.
AS in the distance all roughness and i'm
perfection fade from the landscape, even e
| from the soul.