The evening times., 1898-10-12

and has bought a couple of mountains
which he used to contemplate from the
doorstep of his fathers farmhouse as
ideals of the majestic of nature, and he
has built a beautiful macadam roadway
to the tops of these mountains, so that he
can drive up there whenever he pleases
and renew his acquaintance with the pine
forest and the sky and the sea.
The natives look upon the transaction
as the queer freak of a rich man, and
they call Mr.. Moore the king of Schoo-
die Mountain" The Summer boarders
from the city suspect him of indulging in
some great land speculation and are talk
ing of the piles of money he is going to
make by cutting his 2Q000 acres of pine
forest and rocks into villa sites
When / asked Mr.. Moore his plan and
purpose, he said: e.
Il bought these mountains for num-
ber of good reasons. Just as other people
buy pictures or pieces of china or dia-
monds or fancy horses, l bought them
because l used TO admire them when |
was a barefooted farmers boy. and it is
a great pleasure TO feel that they are
mine They didn't cost as much many
pictures and many horses. and they can't
be stolen or burned-up or die This is the
only place on the Atlantic coast where
the mountains come down TO the sea,
and therefore | own something that no.
body else has or can have, and | believe
that I enjoy the possession of that pro-
montory as much as Mr.. Marquand en-
joys his pictures or Mr. Bonner his
horses. There Is nothing | admire more
than a mountain, especially when an
ocean goes with it.
In the second place" continued Mr.
Moore. II have had three years of solid
enjoyment buying up that land. 1t was
mostly in small tracts. belonging TO the
old families in this section, who seldom
sell anything, but love to trade. I'm a
Yankee myself, and was brought up
among them: thus. in buying this noun
tain 1 have sharpened my wits against
theirs. and 1t has been a most interest
ing and amusing experience. 1t has
taken my nina off my business cares, and
the diversion has been worth all the
money l have paid out.
Then it is good investment I don't
expect TO make any pecuniary profit out
of it, but the land will grow more valua-
! BILE every day. 1t is the finest Summer
climate in the world. and some time there
will be large community on that island.
| You know that the land on which Bar
| Harbor now stands was once sold for so
cents and now a villa site costs $10000
! l built a road to the top of that mount
| ain first for my own pleasure and con-
venience. SO that I could enjoy my king
| terprise. The result is already apparent.
| The effect has been to inspire the au-
thorities to improve the public roads all
| over the country l showed them how it
| could be done with economy, and they at
! once saw the advantages. AS an object
| lesson in road building it was worth all
| it cost. Furthermore, / never enjoyed
anything more in my HE than the con-
struction of that road. 1t is nine miles
| long, and l enjoyed every foot of it. 1t
was an entirely new experience. 1t did
me and my family as much good as
| trip to Europe, and didn't cost any more
| Besides, it gave employment to a large
number of people who needed the
money
l relate this story of an unusual in
diligence with the hope that other rich
men may see its moral and do likewise
l never heard before of any man who
| bought mountain to look at and beau
| titled it because he loved it, but it is a
J habit that ought to be cultivated.