Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-09-07
ON TOP OF THE ALLEGHANIEs.
A Grand Outlook From the Summit
Of the Backbone.

A Grand Outlook From the Summit
OF the Backbone.
TIE VIEW TOWARD AND OVER DEER PARK AND
oAKLAxD-A LOOK FAR INTO PENNSYLVANIA
AND WEST vIRaINIA-A MOUNTAIN sANcTuARY-
Az HOSTILITY OF sTAGE-coAcH DAYS, ETC.
Correspondents of THE EVENING STAR.
FoRr PENDLEroN, September 5.
Above Bayard, on the Maryland side Of the
Potomac, among the carefully-selected native
trees, as nature planted them, is the beautiful
| seat of the Browns. A lovelier or q more soli-
tary abode cannot be imagined The benefac-
tions Of Mr.. Brown to this neighborhood,
though modestly conferred, so far mark him
from the mass Of private citizens that he may
be mentioned without improperly as, trust,
without offense. As may be supposed, this
sparsely-populated region, its people dwelling
on their mountain-side farms, each with his
trail out to post Office or to the old pike, does
not enjoy great facilities for schools and, save
slender congregation Of widely-scattered Dunk
| ards, the places and seasons of public worship
| are rare indeed. Three-fourths of q mile south
| OF our main road, by q rugged way which
| crosses ours, two furtongs west Of the hotel, on
| high swell, stands o new and picturesque little
chapel, designed by a real architect minia-
ture minster-with stained-glass windows and
| surrounded and shaded by grand old Druid
| oaks. Its approaches on its solitary eminence
are primitive and simple. 1t stands on the
Brown estate and is the exclusive work Of his
thoughtful charity. Not this alone. A chapel,
however attractive to the wondering eyes OF
| the inhabitants, empty and silent, is not very
| elevating or instructive. By the exercise Of
constant care and diligence and much pelf Mr..
Brown is enabled to secure very constant sup
ply to the desk of this mountain sanctuary.
a ah frx1l ftnrn Frpo
Sabbath school in the morning, in the care of
which Mr.. Brown has the efficient aid Of his
daughter.
A CITY CLERGYMAN AND RURAL CONGREGATION.
We found Rev. DR.. Stewart of Georgetown
here, temporarily performing the duties of the
desk. A very pleasant gentleman, but was
at first rather attracted to see the natives who
might assemble to hear him, but am frank to adj
init that my later attendance was on the doctors
own account / have seldom heard q tenderer
and more attractive presentation Of the divine
doctrines of the wonderful Galilean, peasant
born, than his givings out in these remote
mountains. His next sermon was of real
power. He proved to be a capital extempor-
izer. 1t was with general regret we took leave
of him.
was pleasantly impressed by the thoughtful
and attentive faces of the people who gathered
to the worship with their children for the
earlier lessons. One custom of the young mar
ried men was really beautiful to see. Many
| came on foot, some on horseback, but always
the husband carried the baby-as he should.
Last Sunday a well-dressed young pair walked
up the pike, the husband carrying the baby.
They came into the grounds, the handsomely
dressed girlish wife walking about with the in
dependent air OF a woman assured of her posi-
ton, the man alone caring for the child as if he
1t took me back to the primitive days of
northern Ohio. All honor to these true young
husbands.
AN EXCURSION TO THE BACKBONE.
You will find marked on the good maps of
this region a short mountain range, from the
northeast to the southwest, called the Back
bone, of an average height of 5000 feet. An
excursion to this, and picnic dinner near its
westernmost stony knob, is one of the attractive
recreations for q single day of Fort Pendleton.
A three-seated carriage, good driver-Miss
Leanie, the bright,eyed willowy slip Of the
house, of-dfteen, who knows all about horses
and mountain roads, bright and hardy, does
this part admirably-a coffee pot, tin bucket,
roasted or broiled chickens and the ''fxins,"
and get of lazily after breakfast, with four or
five city matrons-if one is a widow it is no
drawback-all robust with weeks of mountain
air and mutton. We rattle off west down the
stony old pike, the narrow way walled in both
sides by the interminable old woods, the air
bracing, the shade continuous, the eyes fash
ing, the musical tongues exclaiming-all the
way the road winding and turning and hiding
itself behind wooded hills Is there anything
80 exquisite as a road winding up or down a
hill and suddenly getting lost-turning out of
sight and setting ones fancy to work? Then
there are several old grass-grown roads. start
ing from our track, near narrow lanes, hedged
in with thick forest growths, overhung with
the long arms OF the old trees. In the world is
there anything 30 alluring to the feet and eve
as one Of these aisy-bordered golden-rod
besprayed solitary old roads, leading nobody
knows where, into the
DEPTHS OF THE SILENT sUNLIT WOODS
Three miles and half westerly, the last
with climb, we reach the irregular ridge, and
along this a half mile. We are going down
into a narrow valley the other side to a white
house we can see almost under our feet from
the margin of the beetling cliff of the north
side. 1t is /, 800 feet down to it, seemingly not
quarter of a mile away, yet how small and re-
mote it looks in even this clear atmosphere.
Our horses tread sharply north on the road to
Oakland by the Red House." We are to pass
along the northern declivity of the Backbone.
so steep that few men could make their way
directly up or downit. The top bends around a
quarter circle to the north, circling within
and down. On the inside of this all the way
wooded steep, our way is the bed Of the old
and quarter of this fourth Of circle. brought
us to the narrow valley. In all this grandly
wooded region there is no nobler illustration of
the American forest, Of the temperate zone
than can be found standing untouched by ak or
wind on this mountain side. know of no drive or
walk of this limited extent so exquisitely salts
Tying as this. We continue the circle at the
narrow valleys margin, amid scattered chest
nuts and sugar naples, cross the little creek,
turn to the left, are lifted up rise and halt in
front of the neat new two-story farm house,
our point of quest.
This is the residence of Mrs Grimes an aoad
widow. Miss Thayer ifty-five or sixty years
ago. OF good New England blood and culture.
With her widowed daughter and an educated
grandson or two. We had called there before,
cherished friends of Gen. and Mrs. Paine.
drawing sustenance from this large well-cared
for but stony, rocky farm. Cultured and
secluded we carried them basket full Of later
literature, among them the last STARS. can
not see a hill without wanting to climb it. I
soon rushed up the open field, orchard and
meadow-the trees scattering, gnarled and very
old; the stones numerous, obtrusive and
older. Heavens and earth! how does a man
NOW over these stones; and yet the rains made
the grass good crop over all these cleared
hills. The valleys are everywhere very mar
row. Up and up clumb for an outlook Alas!
as went
"Hills peep DER hills and Alps on Alps ARISE"
There was no outlook. Everywhere trimmed
in by the everlasting mountains. How soil
larry remote, and 80 still the intense silence
seemed to have a voice. Following the sink
through which lay the road toward Oakland. a
little opening showed fair hillside and a
house. which ona had 10 climb Enn faat