News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1892-06-23
A visit To Mammoth cave


One course TO Glasgow Junction, KY, 70
Mammoth Cave lay through nine miles Of
wild, mountainous country, where the seem
cry was exceedingly picturesque and grand.
Fringing ferns and green mosses, maple and
grape vines lent their charm in overhanging
bowers and rustic arbors, while Flora We'd
with her green clad sister, in putting on her
most gorgeous robes. The old engine pulled
and snorted up the mountain side an II cha
grined nt having 20 draw such heavy load.
and, ns y IN resentment, twitched the train
around the short circuitoua curves, quite rp-
/ gordless that passengers had nerves.
Arriving at the Cave Hotel ia the evening.
we don our short suits and accompanied by
| plensnnt party from Chicago nnd the
guide, JOSH take our lamps. we'll "trttn-
med and burning" and descend the stony
pathway TO the cave. People often bavo
| misgivings about entering this mammoth
/ cavern 70 breathe In there, and what they
| should do and where they should be- ~ the
| lights went out. Occasionally people viii
| fuse TO enter and IL h said that "a Scotchmnn
who came TO America with view 60 visiting
the cave declared that he would not do -
when he found 10 was dark inside. The word
cave, in both Latin and Greek. signifies "a
breathing place, as II these places were the
mighty lungs OF Mother Earth through which
she inhales and exhales the vital air; so con-
trary 90 the fears OF many, the air In thecnvo
is even more life giving and eXhilerating than
il il outside, and one can walk n much long
or distance and experience less fatigue Az
current of cold air which ehils us through
and through. but continuing our way the
temperature softens and remains about 90
degrees. which we are told Is the uniform
temperature both summer and winter. We
next pass through a large iron gate, which
the guide carefully locks behind us, and there
we are held fast in the bowels Of the earth.
We do not stop to consider this point, how
ever, but listen to what the guide Is saying
about the Saltpetre Vats before us, which
To- ..lrtNtr kaNN IN
and about which remain the print Of oxen
hoofs, as perfectly as il they had been made
but yesterday.
Advancing to the main cave we pass over
hanging lodges and come TO place called
the Methodist church, where the miners used
TO hear the gospel preached by itinerant
ministers who sought their welfare. MepAss
many high monuments Of stone and upon IN
quiry find they represent different states.
societies, colleges, schools, &c, more than
500 having been erected by the passing
tourist Adding a generous contribution 60
the Green Mountain State. We pass on and
come TO one Of the most attractive places IN
the cave, the Gothic Chapel, the roof and pill
lars Of which seem TO be incrusted with stones,
but which prove to be stalagmite formations
instead of diamonds and rubes, as u almost
seems to the casual beholder. Three pillars
are so grouped as TO form two Gothic arches
and several romantic marriages have oeeh
celebrated here. 10 is said that runaway
bride, who had quieted an anxious mothers
fears by promising her solemnly she would
"never marry any man on the face OF the
earth, 4" kept her promise by having her we'd
ding ceremony performed IN this chapel. Ihe
wonderful pillars Of Hercules are In this room
also, and not far away Is the stone chair in
which the Swedish Nightingale Jenny Lind,
once sat and sang. We hnger at the entranc-
ing scene, but Josh wishes TO show us
other things, so OF we start. strange sa-
natarium is exhibited 60 us, and the guide
relates that in 1S43 fifteen consumptives
sought the mild and even temperature Of the
cave hoping to be restored to health. They
had small cottages erected ana even mhhe
efforts to grow trees and shrubbery about
their homes, but all efforts were unavailing
and the shrubbery with themselves faded and
died Several OF these wonderful cottages
remain. The Giants Coffin n Wonderiui
representation Of an ancient sarcophaguH.
IL is "A huge stone affair, 40 feet long, ~ ieet
wide aud about feet deep. In standing by
It's side one almost feels as though the old
fellows ghost might be peering at you from
behind the rocks, which support Il.
A wonderful transformation scene " given
In the Star Chamber hall from 200 TO 800
feet long The light gray walls are In strong
contrast 20 the lofty ceiling, coated with
white gypsum. and this again isstudded with
Thousands of white spots caused by efhore.
scence of salphnte of mhgneria. We are told
by the guide to be seated on a long bench ol
| the wall he then collects oil our lanterns and
| ness Profound silence prevails and one can
| almost hear their own heart beat, when-be-
/ holdl above US appears wonderiul starry
| armament with fitting clouds, and yonder y
/ "a real comet The effect is perfect and the H.
| lusion complete. Other singular effects are
produced by the devices OF guides: In certain
| nlnces shadow prohles are cast by the lro-
| iecting buttresses. one losg admired was
! gbat of George Washington, but y now
| eclinsed by what II styled the bust Of Martha
| washington, and il n magnificent Illusion.
Al Mi the special interesting points our
! guide burned rolls Of oiled paper which hin-
| inmates the scene about Us. Besideo our pain
| vowns a chasm called the Side Saddle, and
| Wonder is the Bottomless Pit. Did time and
| snace hermit l could go on almost an In hni-
| tnm and tell You of Echo River, whehe the
tourist enjoys boat ride and angles Tor
| blind fish, which are found there, also many
r-rottoes, domes, avenues, wales, chasms, and
/ ~ the cooling spring where we stopped 60 re-
fresh ourselves The Bacon room, which
| nppears TO be hung with huge joints Of bacon,
| deserves special mention as the mummies,
which was found in the cave In 1915 and
! sent TO the Museum in, Worcester, Mass Over
/ 100 miles OF the cave have been explored aud
IL il quite possible that still more wonderful
things lay beyond the unexplored region.
Retracing our steps we come again 60 the
| entrance, where we experienced practical
proof OF the purity ofthe exhilerating cave at
| mosphere by it, contrast with that ofthe out
side world which seems heavy and sufoeating.
IL is not uncommon for people 70 experience
dizziness and faintnesS here. We hnd our
selves full of wonder at this wide subterran-
can realm whose secrets we have been ex-
ploring and IL suggests Co Us the infinite
power and wisdom OF mighty creator.
l.. BrLDN0 FARwELL.