The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1892-05-28
DELLSOF THE WISCONSIN
THE MEMORY OF A SUMNER
TRIP. Il GA E
Fright Description OF Drowsy Land
OF Pleasure Where Nature u
econ at Her Very
ss.ae .asoss "a Ua~f. - -.

with sunbeam. u ongfellow.
"Kilbourn City?" That was all the
brakeman said as our train drew near
tie station midway of the afternoo,,
one sumner day. tf7 .8ygNpiSf
He said the words just in that same
sing-song, prosaic fashion that he had
announced many another station
passed by; IL anything the words fell
upon our ear with an additional mo-
notony,y f9r I'VE weresbecoming tired
dusty, andtrareA stained, and although
this was iSuh 1op9etl-for destination,
we Looked from tie window, all OF us
n u trifiel disappointed If the truth were
known. / at least, must have con-
fessed such was the state of my own
feelings had any one CHANGED to have
asked me just then,what was my first
impression of Kilbourn City. Q9FTfTi
The place Looked just as ordinary
and unattractive as the words had
sounded-common place in deed.
Our little party left the train and
indifferently turned our faces toward
the town and, although, we did not
in words give utterance to , our
thoughts we were mentally asking if
we were not sorry VIC came. .sfP s.A&
Then when was IL and how was II
that the spell came upon us? We found
ourselves ostohing glimpses of scenery
here and there in the distance that
suggested warm admiration upon
nearer acquaintance. iThats'.dista lance
lent enchantmcnt to the view, WAS
an old adage we remembered. but
twas false and it seemed discourtcous
to harbor that trite old saying in our
minds for an instant. Just h NV the
miracle was wrought we never knew.
but Kilbourn City seemed transformed
before our very eyes.
The narrow, winding streets, ri III in
their wealth of shape. became attrac-
tive and even fascinating, leading and
Turing us on, someti,nes turning cor
ncr to unfold river before our eyes
that was so sudden in its lovlincss. we
felt like apologizing for the thoughts
which had filtered through ouiT minds
such a.little time before, and we were,
oh, so glad we had not spoken them
aloud. That was our comfort. We
could make it right with the river and
hills and the sDells. before we said
'.good-bye' and cline away, for how
could they expect MS to- have inn
agined their exceeding great beauty?
1t was not possible and they would
be lenient and magnanimous with poor,
weak humanity, we knew they would.
Through the rambling streets we final
ly wendell our way to a very home
like appearing hotel, finding it just as
hospitable and home-lille as its ex-
terror had given promise and after
refreshing ourselves and resting while
the arrangements were being made for
our trip up through the Dells, we
sailed forth.
Right here would say pleasant
word for Mr.. BENNETT, our guide. lie
was man of innate courtesy of man
ner and thoroughly acquainted with
each bit OF scenery for miles around.
Having lived IN Kilbourn City for 10,
these many years, he was acquainted
with many historical facts connect
ed with the different points of interest,
and his manner of relating them made
the listeners pleasure double With
due respect to all other guides, we
were glad that 1t had been our good
fortune to have "Bennett" as he was
Familiarity called, for our pilot.
There is little steamer on the river
which makes two trips up and back
each day, but this is not the way to
make the trip most enjoyably. We
had wished to see the Dells of the Wis
coDsin river of which we seemed al
ways to have heard delightful accounts
and really to see them, how faint and
dim had been our imagination of
the reality. Isn't there certain
charm in the word itself? Yes, the
very word pictures something delight
full in ones mind, ever before we pause
to make definite the vague charm
which just the sound of the word sug-
gests. 49,
From the hotel to the rivers edge
was only short distance, and our
guide had waiting a rowboat of gen
erous dimensions and comfortably
cushioned. Twas about half-past four
o'clock as our oars first dipped the,
water and the row of five miles would
just about bring us up into the Witch's
guleh by supper time, and supper up
ut "Robinson's." who lived in the
Witch's gulch, was well worth going
five mileS to obtain, even leaving out
the scenery, 50 we had been told n
Imagine perfect Summer afternoon,
4 hazy, lazy, dreamy summer day and
You are entering the jaws of the Dells.
B, The jaws are immense rocks, high and
massive and forbidding, standing in
such close proximity that the passage
through seems hardly large enough for
our little boat, and you wonder cam the
steamer, though IL Is Of asmall spropor-
tions, ever squeeze through at all?
And once safely through these mighty
jaws, the wonder of the Dells lies be-
fore you. On each side of this mar
row, winding river, there is so much to
see you are perplexed, not knowing
which way to look, fearing to miss any
part
ITO have seen it, to have hung 1t up
in the halls of imaginative memory,
is to have become richer forevermore."
How can one give any idea Of what
the dells are really like to those 'who
have never beheld them? To say that
they consist of high precipitous rocks
and lodges on either side OF the river,
Of fantastic shape and outline, sounds
as II they were not very wonderful
after all, and indeed not half &C. beau
tiful as many other scenic points we
hear spoken Of daily. But let. US Porr
tray q picture by word-painting ~
nearly true as we are able and see IL 1t
does not please your fancy. One may
not make mention of all the points of
interest along the way, INIT ri 2Fne
we must speak.
A short distance up the river at our
- E1fm-If-1ar1.-- 4. II.