The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1896-09-19

Author of Down in Coal Nine" Jerrys
Week or etc.
Maryland. puzzled what she should display
OF true homemade on her centennial day.
Asked brother Jonathan. he shook his head,
Whitfield refectively awhile. and said:
Gilpin's Rocks.
Ever been to Gilpin's rocks? What? Never
been
To this fascinating spot to which might
Justly be applied the favorite lines of Scott?
So wondrous wild the whole might seem
The scenery of Il fairy dream.
But to my mind, even a fairy dream
could not suggest such a beautifully roman
tic scene as this. So, dear reader, presum-
ing you to be a lover of all things beautiful
and natural scenery in particular, | would
advise you, especially that autumn is ap-
preaching when the trees and shubbery
will assume their gayest attire, to make
up your mind and visit this truly wonder
full "Glen of the Rocks Take your wife,
your cousin, or your sister, or in case you
are alone in the world, do that which is
perhaps more becoming man of your age.
Be brave, however, and face your difficult
ties like man, and finally, having decided
on a plan of action take some one else's
cousin or sister and HE thee away to the
Glen of Gilpin's Rocks. And when once
there if your companion is the least bit
romantic you will have no trouble in exact
ing the coveted promise.
Still. reader unknown, l do not speak
from actual experience, as there's three
other fellows to be refused by the girl |
admire before my turn comes but when it
does come, mean to learn my fate in this
beautiful glen. And so much dependence
have | in its fairylike surroundings that
once | have her under the influence of its
magic spell, | have no fear but that her
answer will he yes And even should be
doomed to disappointment, | don't think
it would be half as hard to bear when one
is first made aware OF the fact in such a
bewitching place as the aforementioned
glen of the rocks. In fact know several
youths who are so Economically inclined
that they always hail a refusal with Joy,
Just for the pleasure of running the same
risk over again with some other fair one in
this same romantic spot.
Accompanied by a fellow who was an old
school fellow of mine, and few fellows OF
the gender who were not old school fellows,
but who were capital wonder-hunteIs in
their way, was driving out toward ebay
View" a few Sundays ago, and when just
at the covered bridge between Bay View
and Nolan's Corner they requested me to
stop as they were sure they were about to
discover a place of rare interest. We
crossed the bridge and headed our team for
the grove near the roadside and were soon
made aware of the fact that we were not
alone, for we no sooner left the roadside
than we could see other teams htched here
and there in the woods. Well, it took us
but a few moments to alight and after tie
ing a tree to the end of our hitching strap,
we started on our voyage of discovery.
And on we went-onward and upward
onward at every succeeding step and up
ward for the ascent is continuous for a time
and frequent and picturesque turns have to
be made in order to make it less precipitous
But nature has not overlooked the comfort
of the traveller, for in the many shady
hooks, she has placed rustic seats for the
accommodation of such as honor her with a
visit to this beautiful spot, which she so
narrowly escaped making her masterpiece.
After attaining the summit or topmost
rock, we began the descent and from one
rock to another we went, over this one,
under that, between these two, and so on
down to the bottom of the glen. Then
what scene greeted cur eyes on all sides
How well were we rewarded for our task of
climbing the rocks, here and there from be-
tween the veritable mountains OF rocks,
the pure, sparkling, God-given cold water
springs forth as if seeking the sunlight in
which it shimmers and glistens throwing
its slvery spray in all directions. Add to
this the stream from the mill dam, which
comes tumbling and tossing itself down
over the rocks-not in torrents as the
novelists say-but in soft musical ripple
which soon becomes sweet lullaby, and
aids in ushering into dreamland the weary
tourist who has spent the day in seeking
the abiding places of the great, the grand
and the beautiful.
After viewing the scene as it presented
itself to us in this position for several min
utes, we went on further till we came to
large fiat rock from which we had mag
niiicent view of the whole surround
iugs. Here we had paused but a few
seconds when shouts of merry laughter,
mingled with the loud splashing of water
was heard re-echoing through the rocks.
We turned suddenly around and behold
what? Well, as l never heard of he-mer-