The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1891-04-02
THE STORY OF THE MOUNTAIN.
1t Tells of the Wonderful Awe-Inspiring
Power of Nature.

1t Tells of the Wonderful Awe-InspirinR
Power of Nature.
Beginning at the base of the noun
tain and running back for mile-dark
grim, silent and making a score of
twists and turns as it goes, is what they
call canyon.
1t is the grave of ages-the tomb of
silence-the trail over which man,
maddened by loneliness, hunger and
despair, would go to his death.
If you peer into the awful darkness
you may see the fiery orbs of the grizzly
or the panther. If you walk a little way
you may rouse rattlesnake. Nothing
else seeks this retreats no other living
thing could endure the monotonous mid
night and the terrible silence.
One day-no man znoweth when-the
people of the past ages who dwelt be-
side this mountain arose to find the
morning sky blood-red and angry.
| There was no stir in the air. The sun
was long in showing its face, and it
seemed to mock and jeer the people as
it looked down upon them. The birds
cried out as they flew wildly about.
The wild hares came to crouch at the
feet of the awe-struck people. The wild
horses stood and shifted the air and
paved the earth and trembled.
''What is it?''
White lips framed the query, but nont
could answer. The atmosphere grew
leaden; dust arose from the earth TO OBJ
scure the sun; men and women clutehed
at something to keep their feet. Then
earth and sky suddenly crashed to-
gether, and such was the rending, grind
ing, tearing that the walls of ten thou
sand terror-stricl1en people could not
rise above it. 1t was hours before the
ground grew firm and solid-before the
dust settled down-before the blue sky
appeared to cheer the hearts ready to
burst with terror and despair.
All eyes turned toward the mountain.
A great chasm appeared. 1t was as il
nature had placed her fingers in a crew
ice and with one mighty effort opened a
wide dark pathway into the bowels OF
the earth. The united strength of all
the people of the earth could not have
done that. and no wonder that man fell
down and hid his face - ashamed
abashed, realizing his nothingness.
y \ =
Look up there.
We have made half the circuit of the
mountain, and are now on the nortf
side. There is a rocky, steep-faced elf
before us, extending out for 200 feet
on either side of the center. You SEE
a great seam extending from top to bot
| ca re
On this side dwelt thousands of othe,
strange people-people stranger to u
than the Aztecs whose bones we find IL
} the cliff caves. There came to then
; just such an angry sunrise-just sucl
a menacing sky-the same warning
and forebodings of some awful disaster
, ''What is it?" they asked of eacl
l other, but none answered. They wer
! almost helpless with terror, when SOM
t one was seen seeking the shelter of tn
e canyon whose. mouth yawned befor
( them. 1t broke the spell, and with vii,
l shouts and hurrying feet a grea
/ throng passed into the rift. They wer
{ crowded further and further-they wer
} packed closer and closer as the It'd
. flowed in.
: Then they spoke to each other i
, whispers and waited.
crash
a Crash!
Y On one side the mountain Nature tor
0 a pathway through tree and rock an
e dirt deep into the bowels of the eartl
On the other side she seized the sides {
: the grim ravine and brought them tx
: gether as you might the sides of pape
g boat. One cry in chorus, one long-draw
Il shrek of horror from the Thousand
! packed in the cruel trap, and then all wa
( still.-Detroit Free Press.