The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1892-10-05

A VISIT TO NATURAL BRIDGE.

A VISIT TO NATURAL BRIDGE.
Correspondent Tells The herald and
News Of This Wonderful Natural For
nation.
2 Having occasion to visit the little
town of Glasgow, Va, on my way to
Newport News, Va, (the great Virginia
seaport) and learning that that wonder
full formation of nature, the Natural
Bridge of Virginia, wasonly few miles
away, I determined to go and see the
bridge, and so, in company with Col.
Martin, of Natural Bridge, and one or
two others, ! went from Glasgow, in
the Coloneps buggy to Natural bridge.
I supposed that the bridge was very
near the station. But we passed Natural
Bridge station, on the G. & O. Railroad,
and we then drove about three miles
further before reaching the hotels at,
Natural Bridge. There are two or three
of these already there and very large
one building. The Natural Bridge
Company own about everything
around there. They have their stables
and. meet every train. They are not
particular as to whether they notice
how you get to the hotel, but when
you go to Ieayo hey charge you for
hack fare both ways. I suppose they
think if you didn't come in their con-
veyance you should have done so. They
cqarged me both ways when ] should
nave only paid one way, having Col.
Martins carriage. But I did not
.'catch on'' until later, and supposed
they were just sticking it to us as it
was at the bridge and they had Us. I
was there three hours and ate one
meal, when I called for my bill it was
Sl.75, and it cost me besides that Scots
to 90 under the bridge. I thought that
pretty steep, but did not regret it, as I
had got to see the wonderful arch.
It being pretty late when I arrived at
the hotel, and I having to go to New
port on the next train, Host no time in
getting under the bridge to see what /
could see. was told at the gate that I
could get ticket for one admission, or
good for all day for Scots or could get
one good for the whole season for$l. I
always IKE to take bargain when I
see it, and felt tempted to take a season
ticket, just because it was so much
cheaper than the other. But, as I did
not know that would ever have an
other opportunity Of visiting the bridge,
and as I only bad shout two hours /
concluded to take the Scots business. i
was told by the clerk to look up when
I got under the arch and there would
see the American eagle. I Of course
thought this was hallucination, or q
great draw on the imaginative powers.
[ was told that I would not need a
guide, bat to go straight ahead and fol-
low the walk. I started down the path
and went down first one fight of steps
and then another, until I began to
think might be on my way to the
lower regions. But finally, upon turn
ing short bend the grandest sight I
had ever beheld burst upon my view.
There to my right, and not fifty yards
away were the solid rock walls which
were spanned by the wonderful bridge.
The sight was awe-inspiring, and ]
stopped in my tracks, and looked up at
the bridge 2l5 feet above my head, feel
ing quite a hesitancy about advancing
under the dangerous looking thing.
But when I remembered that the
bridge had been there ever since the
recollection of man, and that thousands
upon thousands had been under it,
who had possibly had the same feeling
of fear upon first beholding it, I ad-
vanced and walked under under it.
When I got underneath the centre OF it
I again looked up, and there, sure
enough beheld, without any trouble
the American eagle, with tolerably
welcomed head, wings and tail. It
has its wings spread AID its tail spread
and its bead neck, and bill turned to
the left-a very good representation Of
the American eagle-I did not notice
any arrows in its feet however.
While I was there looking at the
eagle and gazing in wonder at every
thing around me, the awful looking
lodges of rock that looked like they
would fall down any minute, and those
that had already fallen, was accosted
by an Israelite from Cincinnati. One
of the best originals of the clothing
store -Israelite, so often seen represented
in the almanacs and pictorial papers,
that 7 had never seen. It was 50 real
that I almost expected him to ask me
i'll would like to buy ''some clodings
to-day" It was so intent in contem-
plating the bridge that I had not not
ice6 any one else under it until this Is
raelite with his little boy came up. The
Israelite began talking to me just as If
he had known me all his life and was
perfectly well aware that T was nearly
deaf, and that there was no sick folks
in the neighborhood. He yelled out
that this bridge was wonderful thing.
I was very glad that he was so thought
full as to call my attention to so impor-
tant a fact, as might have gone away
and overlooked it. He proved to be a
regular bloodhound on a red hot scent
of discovery, of the different figures,
images, etc, which are to be found in
the rock walls and the arch. These
are formed by the different colored
places or patches on the rock. He had
not gazed up the wall more than a few
seconds before he squalled out There's