The Big Stone post. (Big Stone Gap, Va.) 1890-1892, 1890-10-17
DANIEL BooNE's DREAM.
A vision Prophetic OF a Century's Prog
ress at the Gap.
For the BIO sroxE Posi-

(For the Bio STONE Posi-.
History beareth no certain record OF the
first European to penetrate through the
primeval forests and Businesses to Big
Stone Gap With littlc doubt, it was one
of those dauntlcss venturers, pressing
with stcrn-set face on to the perilous'
alluring "Bloody Hunting Grounds
Among the first of these must needs
have been the foremost of Kentucky
pioneers-that heroic figure, so clear-cut
and mastcrful against the dark back
ground of der-life-Daniel Boone.
Between 1869 and 1871 he made several
JOURNEYS, usually alone, through the
mountain passes to Kentucky. 1t was on
one of these trips that he seems to have
cut the letters "D. B." into tree near
the meeting of the two forks Of Powelis
river, just below the Gap. These letters
NAV still be seen, though, probably, more
than century old.
Be that as it mav, it requires no tense
strain of the Imagination to see the oid
pioneer, toward sunset some day about
century ago, turning the crest of "alien's
ridge, and looking off down the valley as
it stretches away in its immaculate beauty
rounded in By the dccp-woodcd slopes and
gently majestic curves of the unchanging
hills.
He takes one OF those long. earnest
surveys in which he himself bears witness
he delighted His eyes linger, ponder
ingly, upon the abrupt, chasm-like rift in
the hils-thc grace and mystery OF the
rcceding Gap. Then he descends slowly
wrapt in thought; for this man who spent
wears alone in the forest, was not without a
strong touch of fancy, and dim, though
dim indeed, foreshadowng conceptions OF
some great destiny in store for the vast,
unpeopled tracts he traversed and loved
so we'll
He reaches the steep river bank, then
MS now, skirted by the evergreen laureIs.
There he clears away Il little space tor the
transient bivouac-hi evening tabernacle.
He prepares his Spartan meal, listening
with finer cars than ours, to the yet UNI
translated music of the mountain stream.
The stars come out, and gazing up through
the trees, he draws the drapery Of his
green couch about him and lies down 80
quiet dreams.
Gray msts spread down from the hill
side, over the valley, like Il great canopy
with its frctted edges touching the trees
along the river. But they are breaking
rapidly The sun, just glancing over
Powell's mountain, pierces and skaters
them into thousand scrricd streamcrs,
and rolls them up under the caves of the
hills Then Il March wind, rushing down
from the Gap, drives the last tattered
fragments over the verge.
Before the drcamcr's eyes the whole
valley lies bare and cleaning in the clear
morning light, an unbrokcn stretch Of
forest land-unbroken save just at the
point where the two forks of the river
meet Here a little clearing stands out
among the trees, for all the world rs
though it were the entering point OF IL
wedgc-human life just beginning to make
ali impression on the wilderness.
Even now, from the center Of this clear
ing, tho curling smoke of II morning
campfire floats up. About the fire some
half-dozen rude tents. Near by score
OF pack and saddle horses are corallcd.
Suddenly from the river bank comes the
crack of the hunters rifle. a herd of
deer dash across the border of the clear
ing, one staggering. The woods ring with
the shouts Of the pursucrs. who soon re-
turn heavily laden. Womanly forms and
little children moving among the tents |
lend touch of pathos to 4 scene other
wise entirely wild and rudcly romantic.
Swiftly the morning meal is prepared
and eaten, as they stand, like the Isra-
elites Of old, ready for departure With
quiet speed the tents arc folded up, the
crude utensils gathered and the packs |
adjusted. While the grass is still wet and
sparkling, the little cavalcade draws down !
to the ford. There is Gathering on the |
stones, n rush of hoot-bcats up the fur
thcr bank and away. The murmur Of wan
ing voices floats back through the trees |
IL, ,bolo 10, IL, i
Yet the little clearing at the river forks
stands out sharply dcfned-a mute witness
to the presence Of some new and fateful
influence. And the sun, nearly above,
seems TO shine lovingly upon it,
The picture fades: the lonely wanderer,
raising his head for moment, listens to
the drcar night winds rustling and moan
ing through the sleeping leaves. a shade
of sadness passes over this man Of stern
est resolution, but quickly throwing it off.
he sinks back again into the realm of
brighter shadows.
Full noon and a cloudless sky. A soft
haze seems to rest over the silent hills,
where the shadows just begin to lengthcn
toward the east. Turning in thought from
the river the dreamer wandcrs on through |
the forest. All ut once sharp sound
picrces him. Chop, chop, chop, steadily
fall the iron strokes, and he seems him
self to feel them, as they sever the heart
strings of his most familiar friends. But
he forgets the momentnrv pang, When
presto! az it were by the waving of some
PrOspero's wand, scene of busting and !
varied activity opens up before him.
Where before stood the little clearing.
now long vistas radiate off, and the forest |