Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-01-28
Mount Marshall The Highest Point In
Northern Virginia.
GORGE OF pLUTOEIAH GLOON.
Visit Of a Happy Party to the Devils Cabin
and kitchen--AnEic Washington
Spring Leila Heights.
Correspondence of the Dispatch.)

genius. who made the whole OF Europe |
TO tremble." have given the Alps and IT'S
passes a renown which will continue to
be printed upon the pages OF ancient and
modern literature, as long as ltelia'H skies
shall remain blue. IL should be renem-
bered however. that these mountains
achieved their glory not In day. but
that more than two decades OF centuries
have been required to form the folios OF
their history.
yirginIa's mountains have been known
to the literary world scarcely three CEN
turies. and yet we. have already learned
TO love their peaks whose rugged and
towering forms present barrier OF deep
blue along the distant horizon. Five miles
northwest OF Washington. R1ppahannoek
county, Virginia, between that place and
Browntown in Warren county. is Mount
Marshall, which Is the highest point In
the northern part OF the State. Its south
ern ascent Is three miles. and ages ago
the lower half OF this slope was rent IN
twain by some mighty CONFUSION OF ma
ture This produced n chasm about 100
feet wide, from 100 to 200 feet deep, and a
mile and a half long.
THE PLUTONIAN WAY.
The granddames who live within the
shadow Of Mount Marshall often take
their grandchildren by the hand while
the snow lies deep upon the ground. and
/ the cold winds whistle among the Shostly
pines and tell them of how Satan and
his bat-winged angels climb over the
great steppng-stones Of the gorge up To
the mountain-top. where at a glance they
can see what mea are doing In the valleys
that lie below. This way of plutonian
/ gloom into some parts OF which the sun
I never shines is well called THE Devil
/ Stairs"
/ In the early May-time my first visit
I was paid TO this mountain-wonder. Ere
/ the morning dew was gone our party had
/ mounted their prancing steeds. the village
/ OF Washington was soon left behind, and
; our horses fetlocks were being wet by
[ the rippling waters OF Rush river, which
winds I'm and out among the surrounding
/ hills The party consisted Of DR.. q. H.
Miller now taking postgraduate course
/ In medicine at Johns Hopkins; Miss Lena
Keyser OF Glen Eyrie.' kappahannock.
Mr. g. H. kcyser. OF Richmond college;
Miss Annie W. Jones. OF Washington
who Is now southern bride. and the
writer, who sometimes pitches his wig
| wan" upon the Yerdaut banks of thc sil-
very Shenandoah. and again, as the sea-
sons come and go. may be seen smoking
his pipe of peace" where roll the head
waters OF the historic Rappahannock.
A SEASON OF JOY
The leaves were just budding into
being. the modest violet was thinking OF
peeping out from its hiding place ana
! the whole OF Northern Virginia mad taken
Il new lease on life. As We rode on the
~. 4. a h .rrsf.tr ray
clouds which hung about the peaks, and
| after an hours ride up the River road
we turned through "A rocky field over
grown with dwarf oaks aud pines and
tied our steeds to swinging limbs near the
foot of the glen.
A magnificent lunch provided from the
larder of "A typical virginia home Was
suspended from strong branch OF Il
neighboring tree. In order that II should
. be secure from the hounds, wnich oiten
chase the fox and tmId hare near the
gorge. This being done, only a box OF
sandwiches, a pitcher. lemons. and sugar
were taken by the party up into the
rocky glen.
THE ASCENT BEGINS.
The gallant lads had TO be especially
attentive to the fair ones at their sides.
for the way was extremely rough and In
some places dangerous; but right nobly
did they guide those dainty feet up the
giant stairway, which was uncarpeted,
save by the moss OF time. The southern
end OF the gorge Is almost on level with
the surrounding ground, but the sides
with their hinty spires. become higher
and higher for about three quarters OF n
mile up the glen. from which point they
gradually grow less abrupt and nnaily
/ taper off into the regular slope OF the
mountain.
About four furlongs from the mouth OF
the glen the Devils -'abh ~ reached.
This IL a small cave formed apparently by
a mighty boulder resting over a hssure In
one of the eastern cliffs. Here the party
| halted. and the lads With their jack
! knives carved upon the walls OF stones
the names Of their annie Laurie" Not
far distant Is a similar but smaller open
ing In the rock, which is known ~ the
Devils Kitchen. Not seeing anything or
the oaok or the lady Of the house We
concluded that It would not be the polite
thing TO remain, as the hour for dinner
was approaching. and ''she might return
and be put to much trouble by the "en-
ticing spread" which her husband tells
her she must always prepare for the sons
/ and daughters OF men.
A SUBLIME PICTURE.
| As on up the faVlne We went az INC
rock ribbed and ancient preclDices hung
| above us, up their rugged Sides wherever
a foothold could be obtained. were seen
! full-groWn trees OF warrior oak. gray
birch, weeping aspen, towering pine. and
sweet-smelling cedar. From every nook
and crevice sprang the hawthorn and the
hazel, the eglantine and the fern, the
, primrose. and the violet-in fact, the sides
| of the cliffs were everywhere hung with
festoons OF living green. To complete the
| picture, adown the glen -"n a stream OK
/ silver. ripping and murmuring as sweetly
as sound the words OF one lover To an
other. and as It's water rolled over the
giant pebbles and dashed Itself into spray
we looked at the scene SO wild and
weird and amost felt that we could linger
there forever. My fair companion. who
had travelled from the Potomac 10 the
Rio Grande could but exciaim. '"The
sublimity OF IL overpowerS me- IL Is be-
yond description!
In a short while we stopped at a point
where the water OF the ages has worn
a deep basin in the rock. This IL known
as the annie Washington Spring" named
In honor OF one OF the most cultured and
charming daughters OF Piedmont Virginia.
There we sat lown. AMI after having re-
freshed ourselves with lemonade. sand
Il
which had 10 be made slowly and eau
| ,iously. Now. we have reached the high
est cliff In the whole ravine; IL towers 20
feet haavenward; and In honor OF another
daughter OF the Old Dominion Y member
OF the party christened II THE Leila
Heights"
THE SUSIE FALLS"
After many weary steps the top Of the
glen Is reached. and there are seen the
Susie Falls" which In five distinct leaps
go bounding into the gloom below. As
the stream goes rushing on II Joyfully
sings the words Of Tennyson:
| come from haunts OF coot and hern,
make a sudden sally
| And sparkle out among the fern
To bicker down valley.
/ chatter over stony ways
In little sharps and trebles;
bubble into eddying bays.
babble DER the pebbles.
The ascent was completed. and we
could but say; What II grander than
| the scenes OF nature. And where in ma
| ture can we ind u more soul-inspirfnE
picture than the gorge Of tho Devifs
| Stairsr'
THE DEVILS WEDGE.
| tsTYxyerssng the gorge 10 its central
point" says Mrs. Win GAsewood iAnk-
/! ford. OF Texas. who visited the glen ~
| sweet uiss In 1871. "the eye = met By
| one Of the wikiest. grarjssf vkws ever
-.-n ..----. .f<~IxI| usaMH<