The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-08-29
In tho AnnnlachIan Rangc.

The scenery Is the same from the mid
die OK Pennsylvania to georgia the same
rounded wooded mountains, the same
green. often fertile valleys checkerboard-
cd with farms: the same stone streWn
water courses brawling down the hillsides;
the same frequent. almost general. for
ests. the same few roads and many
trails: the same log cabins, the same
clearinys. Everywhere the same deep
blue hangs overhead. and the mountains
turn from nearby green 70 distant pur
pie. The wood fires everywhere send
up thin blue wells of smoke above the
cabins. and the scenes In which humanity
figures are played by characters that
are everywhere very much alike. Per
hapS in the North there are more covered
bridges but the rule. over the entire
mountain system, IS for the horses and
wagons TO cross the streams by means
of fords over branches and creeks that
are hoored with great thicknesses Of
Shaly, Hat. smooth stones. The pedes-
TRANS get over the streams by means of
fOOt-brldgcs. some OF which are mere
tree trunks resting on cross-bucks. ana
some of which are quite ornamental,
though simple suspension bridges. with
certainly one haud-raU. If not two. be-
side the planking.
It's q horseback country There are
main roads and there are wagons 10 use
upon them. but they are both valley i'm
provements.' the products of the greater
fertility Of the lOWiands, where the quail
ty lived az planters before the war and
worked large tracts with slaves. or where
the small farms OF the poor whites beSdt
a prosperous middle class between the
quality folk and the mountalneers But
a great population lives on the mountain
sides and mountain tops, along bride
paths that are mere trails, and these are
not ut all III for wagoneerinG.
II has never occurred 10 any one 10
clear most Of these trails. They run up
and down the stecpest inclincs that 4
horse can climb, and they wind through
forests and, (ungles of low growth so
dense that | had 10 buy canvas chaps
or leggings TO ward off the thOrns Never
theless. | met men, and even women, on
these trails who were dressed just as they
would oe at home and who got through
without tatters-how. / don't know Often
the vegetation was SO thick that II my
companions or | halted for even less than
a minute, those who kept on we're totally
lost TO view. This wildness is on the
steep hnl sides. Wherever there Is a
bench or a plateau one comes upon
clearing here and there. with fields sovn
in oats potatoes and buckwheat and per
haps a. little tobacco, 10 be rolled INTO
twists for home consumption and for bar
ter with the "neighborhood men"
1t IS on the wagon roads that one meets
the greater number of people but the
roads are not exactly Partisan boulevards
Those roads that cross the mountains have
a queer way of going into partnership
with the streams. Sometimes they run
up the streams, so that at high-water u
farmer JOrding his way looks Ike hu-
man Neptune floating in his wagon, while
his horses, up to their bellies in the crys-
tai water. show neither legs nor HiDpeFs.
Sometimes the stream abdndOnS us beu
and takes TO the roadway for piece
each such interchange by the one or the
other being made TO get clear right OF
way through the tree-cluttered. bowider-
strewn region. Down I'm the valleys the
roads are latticed in by the very tallest
fences that are anywhere used by farm
ers they are called anake-and-rider
fences. and the snake part is made OF
from seven TO eleven rails laid ziGZaE.
one pile Of bars set this way and the
next pile set the other way with Mt
least one rider" and sometimes two,
perched on tan crossed poles above the
snake-work. Thus does West Nlrelila
uay generous tribute TO the agility OF her
mountain-bred cattle. poor and thin 70
look at or get milk or beef from, yet able
TO bound about like self -propelIlng rup-
Der balls.-l'rom Where Time Has sum
bered. by Julian Ralph. in Harper's Mag
aZiue for September.