Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-08-21

u thls store zlInost everything from
a thrashing machine % the little nam
moth pil fer tired feeling may be OBJ
tanned As We started gayly away We
learned that We had fourteen miles YET
ahead II rs of mountain road with
which Ne were NOT familiar Soon after
this We began ~ inquire about the route
and distance. We got a great deal OF
Information, such as II was The psalm
ist said N has haste that all men were
liars. II ne would travel IN the noun
tains here he could take al Summer for
the statement and make typewriter
copy OF It also.
The road from Calhoun il said TO be
very wild and beautiful We Grayersed
the most OF u after dark and ia the
midst u a terrific mountain storm. 80 II
struck me az the time as rather m0noto-
nous aud "hit a-raining. Half the time
one would have 70 pause and say, Mr..
Speaker, where was / at"
Those who have never travelled by dill
gence up the Jones Gap road III the
darkness and terror incident 10 noun
tain tempest and with no knowledge OF
the road. while on the left bottOmless
eanyon sends up = never ending thunder
from a white and angry torrent con
eealed somewhere IN It's bosom, VIII
agree with me that, clothed IN outing
hannels which have caught the golden
sunset cOloring OF the red clay and been
soaked with the gummiest or mud,
searching for the right way, yet prone
70 wander mo by and forbidden paths
or fall over a brink or chasm, il is a sol
emn moment.
We were told that in two miles we
would encounter a signboard which
would tell u the way, and there We must
turn 10 the right. We were also told
that the signboard was eight miles away
and that we must turn 10 the left. One
kind friend said IL was eleven miles and
that the main bridge was washed away.
He would keep US, however. ii We could
put up with his humble fare and rather
pronounced views regarding the exis-
tence OF literary hell" Literal hell
was doubtless the term he desired to use.
We afterward learned that he was not a
man Of his word. The bridge was not
in bad repair. Also, there is no bridge.
The Jones Gap road is marvel of en-
gineering 1t was laid out by Solomon
Jones, who is still living His method
of laying out a mountain road was 10
employ a large sew in winter time
which. by driving gently down the hill.
would naturally select through the snow
the gentlest descent and the easiest
grade. As result of this method, the
Jones Gap road is well planned and the
descent from Caesars Head as gradual
as it is from Queen Victoria to the Prince
of Wales
As the thunder doomed louder and
the torrents of rain beat III upon US and
injured our costly and beautiful cloth
ing, a signboard of some kind glim-
mered in the uncertain flash of light
ming that split the drenched and inky
world. Ii was then that l duplicated
the experience of Mr.. Burdette years
ago. got out into the peltinS storm,
and with the icy torrent running down
my trapped spine climbed the post and
waited for another fash. | had tried to
light match, but the place where L
generally strike match was all wet. SO
gave 1t up.
The lightning did not make any re-
marks for a long time, but remained
where it was, looking roguishly down
ON me as | chung trembling to the guide
post, wiping my spectacles on the tail
of my coat. Finally glare of intense
light tore open the somber robes of
night and lighted up the silent guide
post. II went on to say: Facial blem-
ishes, warts, eczema and superfuous
hair removed without publicity at your
own homes. Also, cash paid for hides,
pelts and furs."
We have now travelled some thirty
odd miles over two or three still odder
roads and "hit a-raining." Ny spirits
we're greatly depressed and my outing