Smyrna times., 1892-09-14

our party, having dwindled down to
about sixty left Boston on the steamer
fremont for Portland, Maine, en- route
for the White Mountains. We were
on the broad Atlantic all night, skip
ping the crest of the turbulent waves.
Many of our party were affected with
that feeling which Mark Twain so
aptly describes in his "InnOcents
Abroad" 1t was beautiful moon
light night, happy greeting to those
who could enjoy it. Early the next
morning we took the Maine Central
Railroad and were soon flying through
a country of gorgeous scenery, through
rugged passes, along the sides of some
mountains, where we beheld hundreds
of feet below a verdant valley, now
along some placid lake, until we
reached North Conway.
COACH PARADE.
Here by special privilege of the
superintendent of the road, we were
allowed to stop over to see a mountain
coach parade, which attracted more
attention than we had surmised.
Each coach represented some noun
tain house and bore its respective
cOlOrs. 1t was their annual contest for
prizes, and a gala day among the
mountain sOjOurners. After about an
hours tarry here, we continued our
journey through this magnificent
country, over the noted Frankenstein
Trestle, through Crawford Notch, by
the Wiley House, where occurred that
terrible land slide, so graphically des-
cribed in Parley's First Book of His
tory, until we came in sight of the
high walled and majestic group, called
the Presidential Range A short
distance further and the train drew
into Fabyan's, where we expected to
make our rendezvous. But by the
tact of Mr.. Carpenter we obtained re-
duCed rates to the summit of that tre-
mendOus mountain which cuts its out
line into the azure sky-Mt. Washing
ton.
THE ASCENT OF MT. WASHINGTON.
A few minutes had lapsed when the
train for the base of the mountain had
pulled in. At first, the sight of the
road up which we were about to travel
was awe inspiring by its steep ascent,
and many began to shudder with fear,
but after we had changed cars at the
base to the regular mountain cars,
(which were run by steam with cog
arrangement underneath) our fear was
dispelied and grandeur was impressed
upon us. 1t was perfect
evening, the sun was about an hour
and half high. AS we slowly as
cended this mountain the scenery
passed from beautiful to sublime.
Here and there was mass of thick
foliage of trees and all varieties of
growth. We noticed vegetation, as
we crept up, disappearing and giving
its place to newer but simpler forms !;
now we would pass some deep cut,
now up the noted Jacobs Ladder"
and now over some stream. The gran
deur couldn't be surpassed as we
looked below us, and saw the receed-
ing beauties. Finally we passed the
vegetation line, with its stumpy cedars
and everything was devoid of life, and
gave way to rocky surface. We
kept winding our way up, and nearing
the summit, until the tall mountains on
the opposite side were presented to our
view. 1t was getting cold and those
who had not brought their overcoats
were sorely in the need of them.
THE SUMMIT.
Finally the summit nearly a mile
and quarter high was reached. Such a
cyclorama as met my eyes had never
conceived. | felt drawn into another
world of amazing beauty. The gor-
geous scenery, the little townships
nestled among the verdant valleys, the
corrugated outline of the mountains as
far as the human eye could reach ::
the boundless vision of snowy white
clouds below us, seemingly stirred into
a sea of foam, and lastly of all that
glorious sunset as seen from the top of
this mountain, firing the clouds below
to reddened line, is beyond all posi-
bic description. Writers and narra-
tors have tried to magnify it, poets
have tried to sing it and artists have
tried to paint it, but they have all
failed. 1t is sight which you see
yourself in all its beauty and grandeur,
but which the tongue can never ex-
press. For miles upon miles the coun-
try seems but vast expanse and
lifted upon this high pinnacle as | was.
l felt isolated. What a wonderful
world of natural beauty this is What
sagaciOus skill was used by the divine
Architect of our nature
After the glorious sunset had faded
away, the moon began to send its mel
low rays to add to the sublimity, and
tinted the clouds with a golden line.
The proprietor of the Summit House
said that so long as he had been there,
he had never seen so complete an
evening. At one time the clouds were
as far below us as they are usually
above the base of the mountains. An
interesting feature before we retired,
was the search light, thrown from U.
5. Signal station. 1t is very powerful,
and its light, reflected through the
sky, was like long tailed comet. 1t
claims to be the largest in the world.
We could distinctly see objects miles
below US in the valley. On this noun.
tain is also printing Office, in which
is published a paper entitled Among
the Clouds. The spacious hotel is
chained down by immense cables to
keep it from being blown away by the
high winds. We watched the scenery
as long as we could and then retired
early so as to view the sunrise the next
morning. 1t was superb, although a
cloud which had enVOlOped us, some.
what obstructed the view. The sun
appeared like circular disk sur.
rounded with rings. 1t was very cold
on the mountain and layer Of blan.
kets was cherished highly the night
before, as also the big old fireplace
fire.
At $50 we descended through the
clouds that girded the mountains and
shut off the view of the preceding
evening, to Mt. Pleasant House. and
after short ramble among the noun.
tains we retraced our journey home.
ward by the same route by which we
came. TT