The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1893-03-02

around that home where the hearth
stone is bright and warm-Madam
Browning informed me that the
carriage, which was to convey me
to Deep Greek, was at the door. /
was sorry to hear this announce
ment, for | had become so enam-
ored in the short space of an hour
with my surroundings that | would
have readily consented to have re-
manned over day had circumstan-
ces permitted.
Whilst standing on the front
porch receiving some messages in
tended for Mr.. Browning and
awaiting further supply of pro-
visions to be taken in our convey
ance to the encampment, which
Madam Browning had ordered after
she had come out to see me off, /
had a full and commanding view of
Oakland. | could hardly realize
the change that had taken place be-
tween the first date of my visit, in
1857, and the present time.
When | first visited Oakland it
was little village of about dozen
small frame houses, among which,
as far as | am now able to recall,
was but one country store, where
the settlers for miles back in the
g AIDES and through the forest would
come with their butter, eggs and
such little home produce as they
might have, and obtain in exchange
groceries and such plain home fab
RIGS as the necessities of their
strictly ruralistic life required. !
would not have it inferred that this
was the extent or size of trade to
this point at that time. Even at
the early day, in this very thinly-
settled country; there were many
productive little farms. Men of
even limited means were turning
their attention to grazing, and the
great numbering trade, since so
largely developed, had opened up.
Such of the return of these indus
tries as did not go to Oakland
found a market at the headquarters
Of the several near coal fields and
at Cumberland.
To this store, also, would come
the hunters from the woods with
their Dear and venison meat, their
wild cat scalps, bear, deer and
panther skins. After disposing of
these trophies of their skill in the
mountains they would usually ad-
journ to little primitive place Of
refreshment, where, after copious
and oft-repeated draughts of the
original mountain dew" they
would narrate their marvellous ad-
ventures until broad daylight.
The most conspicuous house at
the time of my first visit was the
"Glades" Hotel. 1t was large,
airy, and comfortably and neatly
but plainly furnished. 1t was in
this hotel that enjoyed my first
meal of mountain mutton, now so
much sought for, and the fresh and
excellent milk and butter from the
neighboring glades, through which
the waters of the Youghiogheny
flowed, and which was then filled
with trout. For several years prior
to this time Oakland had gained
much of notoriety because of its Sc
clusion and its health-giving prop
critics. The summer tourist, not
so many as now, and the press had
proclaimed that the air Of this re-
gion was always pure and loaded
with the freshness and the pleasant
odors of the forest in the summer,
and that the nights were cool and
refreshing. That it gave elasticity
and buoyancy to the mind depressed
by continual toll or the cares and
anxieties of business, and made the
blood course through the veins with
renewed vlgor and recuperated vi
tally. That a month here was
vastly more efficacious in restoring
strength and tone to the WORKOUT
system than all the remedial agen-
cies of the most skillful physicians.
That to the sportsman, whether of
the forest or stream, who had a
taste for nature as God threw it
from His hand, who loves the old
woods, the tall, grassy meadows,
the wild forest streams, this region
was peculiarly inviting. No won
der, with such inducements her
aided abroad, that Oakland should
so soon acquire such noted reputa-
ton as a summer resort in the ear
Hest days of its infancy.
Having alluded to the great
change that had taken place in and
around Oakland between the inter
val of my visits, let me say a few
words concerning the same before
proceeding with my journey to Deep
Greek.
The territory in which Oakland