The Newtown bee., 1894-10-05
FRIDAY. OCT. 5. 1894,
Around the Preside.
A SUMMER OUTING.
MOUNT WILLARD.

from speaking of the restoring nights rest we enjoyed. For weeks sleep had been coy and disappointing illusion. The bed was perfect, the air, cool and delicious. All noises at "The Crawford" cease to annoy after 10 o'clock. We lrose with thrill of new life. One of 1he ladies of the party confided to us that she came expressly to overcome an insomnia, for she had always found a cure in a trip of this kind. Most of our friends had passed this way before, having journeyed extensive " over the United States, Canada and Europe. Much is hastily seen in travel. | Some places afford especial attractions, md, unsatisfed by a superficial visit, | there is an irresistible impulse to visit 5fe locality again.
 The sun arose in cloudless splendor. | A day of days was before us. Some of our party chose to visit Beecher Falls, | (where the great preacher is said to nave taken an involuntary bath in one of the basins) and the Cascades in the vicinity. At 9 o'clock a four-seated mountain wagon, drawn by four sturdy horses, awaited us. Our driver called attention to the fact that we were on a height of land. In front of Crawford House" is lakelet whose waters are the source of the Saco, while a stones throw to the east is spring where rises an arm of the Amonoosac, a beautiful tributary of the Connecticut.
 Most of the mountain roads are made by following the irregular courses of the little streams that force themselves down into the valleys. This is true on part of the road up Mt Willard. Soon we through that upward pull of two miles was there a break through which we could see aught but our forest environ ment. Ayoung lady, who with her love- ly mother accompanied us, chose to walk up the mountain, and as the road sides presented an Alpine Flora not seen before, we concluded to join her, for we could easily overtake the wagon during the halts required by the horses. Oul companion proved to be teacher in g far-famed woman's college. Biology being her speciality she eagerly selected lichens and sporadic plants for "gelatin ous cultures" This is the home of tht dwarf Cornel, the dainty white wood sorrel (Oxalls Acetoselia) which was a abundant and dainty as the Anemone of our hills. The tufted whitlow-wu (Paronychia Arggrocoma) the Clereto nia Borealis, Alpine varieties of Fals
 Solomon's Seal, Mountain harebells, In dian pipes, and the Heaths which ar the monarchs of the mountain, lavishl or adorn the rocky slopes. For an hou
 we climbed the wooded ascent. Sudden
 ly we
 IT EMERGED FROM OUT THE SHADOWS - and found ourselves upon cleared em l pence, owe rlooking scene which scene ~ too much to comprehend. At our fee
 yawned tremendous gulf. We steppe
 to the edge to catch glimpse of tn
 mouth of the "Devil's Den," dark col
 cave about 20 feet wide, accessible onI
 by means of ropes. We were pulle
 back, the descent is too steep and to dizzy to stand near the edge safely. Or 1' posite, Mt Webster. lifts it's majestic bul
 as if ever mindful of the dignity of ,e great name. Mt Wiley is on the righ + as imposing as it's companion. In tn
 valley between is shown the spot wher
 the whole Wiley family, nine in nun
 Der, were crushed in trying to escap
 from an avalance, August 26, 1S2t
 Magnificent mountains, some bold, rug D. ged and near, some mellow and blue - the distance, surround us. Grand is tn
 bounty of the earth, that even thes
 titanic masses of shape, proceedin
 from the depths of the earth can | \ spread out with liberal hand! "Whel \ is Mt Washington?" we asked the drive J in breath, who pointed out the gres Presidential range, Jefferson, Adam { Madison and Washington. From th moment of recognition, the most roy
 of them all claimed our closest attention |u The greater height was apparent for u reason that while the others were cle,
 not for one instant did the cloud Ii
 from the summit. The railway W, 0f easily discernible, and although u
 cloud would seem to dissolve away,
 only changed it's hue and shape. Fro
 this point are excellent views of M
 Jackson, Clay, Deception, Frankly m. Pleasant, Clinton, the Giants Stair
 Resolution, and, glorious in the f
 south, the pyramidal side Chocoru ,Y. Across, are two white faced courses ov which cascades fall after rains. At tt
 time they were smotionless torrents,
 lent cataracts.'' There is an encha RT. ment commingled with reverenti
 religious awe, which induces an absor
 tion so complete that time is not note
 It seemed out of place to be inform rest '.that times up, we must leave." 2 s.o % took farewell look of the great pant
 anna and saw the truth of Bayard Ta
 lor's statement, it cannot be surpassed
 We stopped about half way down t T mountain to go to the Plume and Sily VIE cascades It is rough walk of half
 mile but by means of the helpful trees ID descended the distance to be reward Ab with view of the finest cascades that side of the mountain. The desce } of is 800 feet, one-half of which is near
 perpendicular.
 - When we again reached the Crawfo House we turned our attention to t us. ssNotch' througs which we had pass and on the railway. This is
 plea
 our TREMENDOUS RIFT IN THE MoUNTAI
 which rise 2000 feet on either side.