The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-08-25
Up AuoNG THE cLOCDS.
4 Richmond Girls Description ola Trip to
the Peaks of otter.

the itikN OF tiitis
BEDFORD CITY, VA. Aug. 2.-Spe-
cial.-We are at the Hotel B=lfori ten
miles from the Peaks of otter. fhe seer
cry around here is surpas lngly p,au.
fut ard the view of the Peaks from the
corridor of the hotel Is simply maRnh-
cent. The hotel stands on An em'n.hce
overlooking Bedford city. IL is splen-
DID brown stone structure, and IN style
much resembles the Princess Anne az
VIRGINIA Beach. II Is beautifully htted
mp. and is conceded 70 be one OF the
finest hotels in the state 5000.
Iast Wednesday, gay party OF boys
and girls started on trip TO the feahs
There were seven wagons and carriages,
huge mountain wagons, with horses "'nl
ing bells, which rang with a SOFT, hu-
steal tinkle as we went a.ons. 800.
/ was iu the last wagon. Ihefe Mda
little delay before starting, ana Hv-
ticed, as l took my place IN the ~aEo.,,
that our driver was chaiing ana IuHllHH
with impatiencc. Little did ! tnlnk Ni.dl
this forebodcd. AT last We were rcduy I,
and the long line OF vehisi,,is "@ra,',,d
their way slowly and gracefully aroDll
the mountains. Suddenly, ! saw oul
driver straightcn himself up. take a hihl
hold on the reins. and the occuian'S "a
his WAGON were startled by loud anu So
uorous cali TO the horses, and before We
well knew what had happened, we were
going at such a terrific rate or speed oN,I
those rough, narrow mountain iv@uS'
that IL took my breath away. on anu
ON we went. amid screams ana .cIl'7,
laughter and tears; surely 'he Hi"" 90
mad. can no one stop him. .r
And now we have passed the Wdsol
ahead of MS, there was a narrow '9l"i
from q collision. ] heard the drlNtT "l
the other wagon uller no. .-o,,, e. "a
we passed. and our driver gave vent 20 d
Cherokee Indian yell. l found ail'I "' ~ ~. pr
thar he was an Indian. And so, on anu
On. past all the other wagons ana S srl
riagcs until we are anead on an -, Hr
race is wOni We draw long nfeath' loon
~ each other and simultaneously JON iii
the frantic cries of triumph our req man
is indulging in. We reachcd ne i'f"9
without any serious aceldehI 49,. ....
Seven IN ndred yards from the Top W
left the wagons. and climbed the rest or
the way, 2loJ feet! We climbed hlfrleu-
~, too our object being 10 see lhe sun
set. Well We reached the lop OF INC
highest peak Who can describe the gran
denr Of the scene spread out before us
IL was truly Iast description. But We dli
not sec the sCn set, after all a hisv
bank OF clouds in the Nest opscuIti sile
King OF Day from our sight, ana lis-
appoir ted. we turned our gaze from tiie
hesvens above to the earth beheath-to
fhe lovely. rolling country below us.
We'll we're we repaid for that peillous
mountain ascent. for even Ihoubn fc
missed a view Of the setlnf sun We VIZ
messed another spectacle almost as SUD
lire. This was a rainbow.
When we were about half way UP the
mountain. and before we had leit inc
wagons. sudden. summer shower over
took us-a perfect deluge. We maze Il
half hastily lowered the curtains 10 our
wagon. and suffered very little incon-
venience from the down-pOur. AFTER about
ten or fifteen minutes, the ram ctas'u.
Like NOak IN his ark, we sent loill d
eve don't ask, Mr.. Editor, HOW viu
YOU happen 10 have a dove! ,, ana ne
Ouicxlv returned with an olive rear. "a
looked out, and behold nat Is tn.S
which meets our admlring ana WIN.
ing gaze? A rainbow. The most D edu.
tiful rainbow / ever beheld \ perez
arch Of glowing and gorgeous eoioi a.
a Uttle farther of, second IaiiiDow
fainter-a reflection OF the mrs. anu sum
another, very, very FAINT ,.,1 +be
When We were ready 70 descehu NV
ucuntain we found that all but lys W.
gone ] can't imagine how II couId nav .' :
hatUeuec that we were lett, ui.cs9 J. ~.
that we were so overcome py lIc 49,
OF the scene that we were un.oiisclous ~ 81
what was going on arouhu Us 10
must account for II. . ..,as ,oucn
found that the descent We -.
more difHcLlt ana perilous thdh the a.
oent The loose stones nurt my rect tie
ern,,nd was slippery from the ram anu
there was great danger or iaiili,s' "a
last darkness overlook us, ana al
O'Clock we were still hurrylnS down the
roour tain side The young men VINO W.T..
~ 10 .alIed loudly 70 those ahead OF
ms hut only an echo came back IN rtpiN.
ri,an,, Ne heard a faint hallOo and IN
n f.,y minutes we met the rest OF tie
Dortv heaGed by Mr.. Davis. one of the
ag~risi nroprietors Of the hotel. coming 70
iook fcr us. Mr.. Davis said he was very
nnch alarmed when he found We were
missing. and he turned back at once 10
hi Mt Us up. ,, -.
hotel about midnight. ! vent TO my
rcem. but was too tired 10 sleep. so l sat
al my window ana watched the moon
rise An! what a glorious sight II was
as il slowly rose from behind the tall
mountain peaks, surrounded by banks
of black. angry clouds. visible at nFsi
only between the riffs i'm the clouds. IL
was not a full moon, nor yet young
and tender moon. but weak ana feeoie'
in ner last quarter
Thus n was that the clouds had such
power over her. Eut yaliantly she foughl
10 break their bonds, and at times she
would almost succeed; then would qulFei
and tremble with the weight or old age
and the strength Of her mighty oppo-
nent-wOulc faint and fall back behind
the strong bonds with which they stroVe
TO fett.r and bind her, and hide hei
from sight of all the world. But look
there she is sgain, almost free. making
gigantic efforts to conquer her nerce enc
my And now one more struggle and
ste is free. she Is free. and is riding, a
yeritable queen Of night, triumphantly
across tie skies, smiling back derisively
AT tie sullen clouds, which retire. con-
ouered and bafiied, behind the mountains
can ANYTHING be more wonderful than
the mani, stations of nature-can any
thing be more beautiful Is Heavcn7 Can
the streets OF gold and the pearly gates
outriyal this scene which witnessed, Oh