The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1889-08-31


nine University students started from
the "Athens' of West Virginia with
the intention of taking short pleas
ure stroll.
The birds were singing in the
trees whose tender branches waved
to and fro keeping time with the
pleasant breezes playing among
them.
The hilltops had shed their shaggy
coat of winter, and assumed nature
most beautiful color, more congen.
ial robe All was joy and gladness
as our little band picked it way
around the promontories and up the
sloping hills.
So much occupied was each on,
enjoying the beauties of spring, view
ing the mountains in the distance
gathering rare flowers for the Herb.
arium and examining the different
strata of rocks, which jutted out
over his head that no thought was
given as TO what place he was drift
ing. TO our surprise we found that
we were within few miles of Cheat
Mountains, between whose highest
ridges foams the crystal waters OF
the Cheat. No one dissenting, we
began to walk rapidly that we might
soon reach the noted point called
"Cheat View
The party animated with the
thought Of viewing the river and
mountain from this elevation rapidly
pressed toward. Onward and up
ward we went, now and then start
ling the wild rodents along the path,
or flushing the ilocks of pheasants
from their laurel coverts. Often II
shrek from hawk, the lord Of the
air, would reach our ears, or the Wis
ion of black racer basking in the
sunlight meet our gaze.
1t was yet morning when we reach
ed the summit, Il place where the
mountain dipped so precipitously
as to interpose no obstacle TO the
vision
All was grandeur and beauty. The
mists were rolling away from be-
meath us in great wreaths, and grad
ually becoming thinner, transmitted
the rays of the morning sun, which
lighted them with a gold and Grim
son radiance glorious to behold.
This superb curtain was parted
before us as if by cords that went
up to heaven and rolled voluminous-
~ aside. We looked over the pima
cles of those peaks that thronged
the top of the mountains beneath,
and saw, stretching away like pic
ture touched by the hands Of angels,
the beautiful Cheat River, embosom-
ed among romantic cliffs whose shad-
ows were slowly stealing away from
their western slopes leaving the
lighted portion dyed with the tints
of sunrise.
The river cleaning like Il band of
molten silver stretched away in the
sunshine until it vanished in the
distance, again to gladden. the hearts
of the pleasure seekers, who frequent
its banks.
We gazed in an ecstasy of admira-
tion ON this wonderful scenery so
picturesquely wrought by the Di-
vine One, who, in his infinite suprem-
acy has combined the beauties of ma
ture in such infinite forms that one
seeing the scene is deeply impressed
of the goodness of our Omnipotent
Architect We stood for some time
watching the flowing water unbrok
emily bend its polished surface over
arching rocks, which ages before
loosened from the cliffs had tumbled
precipitously to their resting place.
So swift was the water that its mo-
tion was unseen except when mass
Of foam darted along its bosom like
an arrow, until coming in contact
with the rounded surface Of an ex-
posed boulder, would leap upward
like rocket, and bursting in the
wind be driven away in mist filling
the air with its atoms.
In these moments of awe and adj
miration we turned to view more
closely the mountain peaks of the
borpered horizon. Who among us
could describe the forms and preci-
pieces of the chain of tall blue capped
peaks which girded the eastern hori-
zon? Who could, after the apatheti-
cal feeling had unconsciously left
him, paint in words that beautiful
scene?
While the noblest scenes of earth
be described impressingly by but
few, still there is not a moment when
nature is not producing scene after
scene, picture after picture, and
working constant and perfect beauty.
In our hourly walks, whether on
business or for pleasure, we tread
with needless step upon the appar-
entity uninteresting objects which are
ever present. Strolling off leisurely
and alone to cliff, | could see in the
distance immense columns of rocks
rising in their majesty above their
neighboring spires as guardian SEN
tinels over a sleeping camp. These
stately pillars rising in their magnif-
cence are the first to catch the rays
of the rising sun, and the last to be
kissed by his departing shafts.
The day was drawing to close as
our band of pleasure seekers began
its homeward way. The scarcely
whispering breezes through the leafy
trees heightened in beauty all the
wondrous magnificence of light and.
shade caused by the sun which was
slowly setting into pure and trans
parent twilight. The mountain was
vocal with the notes of thousands of
warblers plumed for fight to their
nocturnal shade. AS we descend the
summit and approached the valley
we were greeted by one of the bands
of natures orchestra the green
coated frogs which sent forth their
croaking sounds from the neighbor
ing marshes.
Spring had opened the doors of
vast theater, which had long beentheir
bolted with icicles and the scenery
festooned with wreaths of snow and
frost of the hihnrnal season Re-