The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1894-06-07

By Kate Browgatee SkertUood.
Nv mother was a Pennanite, carried off to
an Ohio home in the eventful Harrison cam
paign Of 1870 and when we children were little
tots we returned each year to the old home
stead i'm Bedford County, Pa, crossing the Ale
ghenies in orr higb-wheeled baroGche, or going
by canal and stage coach.
It took US four days to go 160 miles when we
went in the barouche, travelling by day over
the picturesque and historic plains ahd hills ana
yerdant mountains Of the old Keystone State.
When we pieced out 10y canal and coach our
trim was shortened up to two. Those were the
DAYS when timid passengers were allowed TO
get cut and walk up and down sideiong
bills, and when the canal men caught ball
frogs and cooked them as our boat horses went
creeping along.
Those were lovely DAYS, when September and
October Of each year were spent among the
Alleghenies. And what charming way 1t was
to learn geography and history, and become IN
touch with the Western spirit, through the
tides of Western travel 1t was little late for the
moving wagons, though they were still on the
road; and the old turnpike was lined with
rumbling stage coaches, with their baigfng
backs of baggage and mail. And there were
long dusty droves of cattle and sheep and hogs,
the drovers riding at the head. and the hands !"
bringing up the rear. And there were the
long high backed wagons drawn by four and
their great broad backs, the driver swaying and
singing in his seat and cracking his long black
snake whip.
THE BRITIsH-FRENcH STRUGGLE.
Then, as we went on, our father would tell
MS of century before; of the French and
British conflict for possession; how the British
claimed western Pennsylvania by right of a
crown charter and the 1roquois treaty, and the
French by right Of possession; how valiantly
81 np1a aud
defeated Braddock and his men on tie spot
where the fine manufacturing town of Brad
dock now stands; how the British were victors
at last and built and named Fort Pitt in honor
Of the British Minister. Fort Pitt, pivot upon
which the proud city of Pittsburg turns.
How we came to know and love every foot of
the ground which the pioneers of progress had
beaten with their bare and bleeding feet, and
how we strained our eyes for the first glimpse
of the blue mountains over which lay the
sweet Juniata wales, where all our best hopes
conferred.
And after long days travel, and our eyes
we're weary with the fresh young joy OF sight
seeing, how sweet it was to whirl up to the door
of wayside stone or log tavern, rafting over
the cobble-stones and alighting on the I'M
painted porch, with the iron pump at the side,
and the watering troughs running over with
sweet water piped from the mountain springs,
where the drOYes of cattle stopped TO water at
=
inside, and full tables groaning under their
weights Of meats and sweets.
Aud after all this fresh, free, open-air travel,
how irksome and uncomfortable our first ex-
perIence IN railroadingi This was iii 1916.
the old Portage Railroad, running from Johns
town 10 Hollidsysbnrg, built in 1881. when We
had TO go up to the summit by pulleys-near
where the dam burst that swept away Johns
tOwn-apd go down cogs. How the women
all screamed and held to the seats, and the
children were terror-stricken, aud the men
laughed and said there was 20 danger, though
they knew all the time there was.
RIDE AFTER THE "oLD BOY"
Ii was early in the ffties-in 1852, think
when the great Pennsylvania Central was
built; and Row well ! remember when, a year
or two later, our horses were frightened, near
Pittsburg, by one Of those queer old putting
locomotives we saw at the Worlds Fair, and
my mother said it looked like the "0id Boy";
and well did we think it correspondent to our
ideas of the orthodox DEVIL
A few years later-in 1855 ] thnk-I was
put on the train at Pfttsturg to make my trip
70 JOhnstown alone. Never shall forget that
trip ia the little. low, stuffy car, with all the
windows open, and the "Old Boy" pouring
cut his wrath in streams of SCOT and cinders
that made the passengers look like a lot of
Pennsylvania GOLFERS.
Oh. how uncomfortable ! was, lest / should
be carried past my station and how. beginning
st Braddock, clear through to my place of des-
tiBation, i kept asking the conductor IL we
were at Johnstown yet! Ali the passengers
did the same, and by-and-by the Pennsylvania
Company were obliged to issue printed time
cards, giving the names Of all the stopping
places. And what sight was when got off
that car, and how ashamed was to meet my
uncle! CiBfers were la my eyes, and cinders
II my ears, and cinders in my mouth, and coal
SCOT all over me. And how thankful / was
hat Id ~ a. "a
wished that the man who had invented rail-
roads was 10000 leagues under the sea- and the
"Old Boy" with him.
HISTORIC PENNSYLVANIA.
And what a delight railroad travel is,
especially when one goes on the route Of routes
the PeDnsy lyania, with its ample, luxurious
vestisoie cars, where one has parlor and re-
tiriDgroOm, dining hall and bath. and every
comfort and convenience of the frst-class home
and the mem of DeimOnicos or New Wal
dor, or Holland. Other lines have their fine
railroad facilities 10 be sure; but other lines
do not run through the picturesque and his
toFlc country OF America: over the wonderful
Aileghenies; around Horseshoe Bend the
greatest marvel of railroad engineering next
10 the climbing burTo-road in The Georgetown
Canyon, or the Chalk Cliff rise to the tunnel
both in Colorado. Through the country i'm
rnortaliZed by Washington and Penn; through
the country Of the Palztinstes with their 4 600
splendid years Of history in Asia and Holland
behind them; through the lovely valley Of the
9uniata and the yerdant Sgsq johanna country,
beautiful as a dream Of pastoral teauty, with
Its lands kept like garden and its homes like
the suburban palaces OF a great city.
The history Of the Pennsy lvania Railroad is
tbe history OF the Nation. II opened up the
tide Of traffic between the East and the West ;
IT has transported millions of immigrants TO
open up aud beautify the yiTginal wastes of
the great West.
And over its lines in orr great war for the
Union, what countless thousands Of boys in
blue went shouting and singing to the front,
TO come home broken and crushed by the
wheels OF war, which set our conquering arms
nearer to the goal OF victory over their bleed
Ing and PROSTATE forms.
InITnR,S CHAT