The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1890-04-16

Breezes Of Various Kinds that Blow
over the Hills of Somerset.
Quies Observer in Pittsburgh Commercial
Gazette.
Have You ever been over the hills Of
Somerset?
James Whitcomb Riley did them up in
bis charming style not long ago. He clothed
them with beautiful sentiments, rounds d
them up in flowing meter, and made them
vocal with rhymes that jingled like bells in
tune.
The Somerseters were lucky in having
such master hand to do them up. and it
may have been fortunate for them that the
artist who did the job had not been there
before he turned ort the verses.
There Is a little bit Of history connected
with this poem that has never been pub
lished. which may prove interesting to some
who have read It.
About two years ago Mr.. Riley spent q
few days in this city. and as il his wont he
! fingered more or less around newspaper OF.
fees. One day while warming the soles OF
his feet in front Of the Bulletin sreaector
something was said about old fashioned
stage coaches, whereupon John Black began
dilating on the romantic features Of ride
over the hills of Somerset
The hills Of Somerset repeated Mr..
/ Riley. THAT has musical jingle. and
wouldn't be surprised if it didn grow into
poem"
How's that poem ?" asked Black when
next he saw him.
It's growing he replied. They grow,
you know, like potatoes and other vege-
tables. but some Of them ripen more slowly
than Others. and some get specs in em and
decay before they are ready TO pull"
Il was not long. however, until this one
had grown TO full size and ripened into a
mellow. luscious bit of verse thai has pleas
Ell the taste OF thoa sands OF people who
hal never heard OF these hills before.
The bills are there but if yoa are the
least bit incredulons just take passage on
the picturesque Baltimore q Ohio with
ticket for Somerset, aud you will he satisfied
( that Riley was right. even if it was guess
on his part,
Somerset is on top of the mountains. or
( nearly so, and boasts of full assortment OF
{ hreezes, all of which are guaranteed to be
/ fresh and pure They were quite fresh yes
ter,lay and more or less heavily laden with
snow and cold water, but the people stood
ready to make oath or affirmation that they
were strictly pure and entirely harmless
I They point with pride TO their cemetery and
cite il as one of the stro lgest evidences OF
the absence from their atmosphere OF all
deleterious animalcnle. from micro-organ-
isms up to mosquitoes.
/ There were none of the latter around yes
terday however, it would have been very
silly 'skeetern that would have ventured out
Of its nest behind the curtains in warm
bedroom to sing in such wind, even if it
did blow over the hills of old Somerset.
The town Of Somerset presents quite a
modern appearance. Ii was an ancient town
once. but it received baptism of fire about
twenty years ago. that purified more than
half of il. Scarcely had it completed the
great Phoenix act when it got another hap
tism which removed almost every remaining
veslige of antiquity from the corporation.
Fortunately the charter and a plot OF the
town was saved else it might have been
added to the list of lost cities.
Again it rose from its ashes, looking fresh
and clean. and so it remains TO this day
Some of those who most loudly and bitterly
bewailed these visitalions are now loudesl
and most joyful over the results. There Is
at present burned ruin on one corner o
the square. but it is OF recent origin, and
will not likely be allowed to become antique
or moss grown.
While the hills of Somerset are high they
are not too high to be prolific in handsome
cultured ladies, and brainy, enterprising men
The soil is rich and productive, while thu
demands of business do not over-tax eithel
the mental or physical energies, but aiforC
Just about enough exercise to insure line
healthy developments.
There are the usual number OF lawyer
and doctors, but owing TO the richness o
the atmosphere in ozone, or oxygen, o
whatever it is that keeps people alive, thel
all get along very well. Some of the doctor
look little thin, which may be taken as al
evidence of the healthfulness of the place
Lawyers are always tat and sleek, whethe
tbo climate he GOOD or had
Trout fishing is one of the attractions OF
fered by Somerset county. The fishinl
hasn't been particularly good since the pas
sage of the Brooks law, but it will probabl,
be better hereafter, as the Court has granse'
fourteen licenses. At present it is abou
fifty-seven miles between drinks. There
no i. .ensed house in Somerset, but the Cour
} granted one 10 the Commercial Hotel tn
other day.
+ No complaint of speak easies was hear
a nor we're there any signs Of great thirst visi
4 bic to a casual observer.
/, A railroad man says he was up there som
! time since, and feeling unwell he prevaile
] on a friend to send out for something. Til
J messenger brought back an empty cantee
e with note attached, which read somethin
2 like this:
i Can't do it, bin out of coal days all
: rodes to mudy TO bawl emmy"
0 Preachers. lecturers, and book agents al
y treated well at Somerset. which goes to sho
d that the people are moral. intelligent, an
Up to date generally. There are numb
q of fine churches in the central part of Il
|. town, and they are said to be well patror
h ized The opera house has seating capa'
ity equal to the drawing capacity OF the mo
e ambitious lecturer IL he has anything
> say that is worth hearing he will have
:, attentive audience Nearly every dwellir
! has covered stoop or porch for the accom-
:. modation of the book agent These al
h particularly convenient in wet weather i
can exhibit his wares to better advantag
- ard argue with more comfort than if stan'
II ing in the wet
4 All this speaks well for the people wi
i inhabit the sun kissed plateau on top of Il
70 hills OF old Somerset.
The borough public schools will ho
? their commencement exercises in the Ope
!, House Thursday evening. Following is Il
:. program arranged by the graduating clas