West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1899-06-08

the mountaineers will Atrip off some
tan bark, and carry IL on his shoulders
to the nearest mountain road; or he
Will go down into the low land, work
all day for some farmer, buy some
groceries and take them home on his
shoulder the same day. But he does
no more OF this than he can help His
church and school advantages are very
scanty, especially the latter lie
rarely goes into the lands to make n
homo there, aud the lowland people
see no reason to make homes in the
mountains. So these highlauders
abide by their hills and multiply until
the woods are full OF them"
Why these people form such dis
tinct class is because they are deGcende
from the white slaves brought over
from England in colonial times. These
servants bore no deep love for their
tNskmasters aud as they earned their
! freedom, they drifted into the noun.
tains where they thought the landhold.
ing class would not care to bother
them.
l met n young man on horse back on
the pike who told me IL was near
eight miles" TO the summit But l
knew he had as little idea OF what a
mile really is as he had of the geoRra-
phy OF the moon. The ascent of the
Ridge is about six miles by the pike.
The mountain slopes seemed quite
sharp. Once observed an oat-deld
containing some girdled trees. II
seemed to be above my head aud after
a while l found myself passing it,
Not far beyond was the Cave settle
ment, a small cluster OF cabins near
the summit. JohnCaye used To be hard
character, and his wife was "A con-
genial spirit. In fact, the women are
more bold than the men. The latter
are inclined To seek an advantage IN
some sneaking manner Some years
! before, n man was travelling tho pike
near Caves when the wife came out
and seized the horse by the bride.
Cave crept up on the other side, but
| using ms pistol as an argu ment, the
man induced the Caves TO let him 90
his way. Since then, John Cave be-
came n Methodist preacher and the
road is much safer than il was
Near Caves and in an angle of the
pike is Dark Hollow Falls, hand
some cascade. One would hardly ex.
pect To see so large stream OF water
near the top OF the mountain Al
length reached the summit. The
west side OF the RdPe.was here much
sleeper than the cast side. Below me
the Luray Valley, with its six miles
breadth OF nearly level land. was spread
out like a map. Roads. belts OF wood.
land and cultivated fields varied the
view, while here and there tin roof
affected the suns rays II was a beau
tiful sight, the Luray Basin being one
OF the garden spots OF Virginia.
The valley iG bounded on the other
side by the solid, unbrokon wall OF
Massanutton Mountain. It's top I,
very uniform and not saw-toothed like
the Blue Ridge. There are no field.
on It's slopes, they being too steep and
rocky for cultivation. The MassanuL
ton stands up out of ths Shenandoah
like an island. II Is some forty miles
long and its examinations are very alb
rupt One singular thing about IL IL
that 1t enclosos a valley so completely
walled in from the outer world that Il
is known as Powell's Fort. The Fort
IL the homo of thousand people and
IS a valley within a valley. The creek
which drains the Fort leaves the VALLEY
through a canyon 10 narrow that the
wagon road entering the valley h ad "a
have path made for it along the SIDE
of the cliff.
While | was looking, small shower
took form on the side OF the Massaput.
ton, and ] could sec IL from above a,
IL crept across the valley The poipt
where ! stood is moro than 5000 feet
above sea level, and more than 2. OOC
feet above Luray Valley.
Along the mountain top was a strir
OF level ground, and / passed a feId
wherein was a plain frame house used
70 entertain summer visitors. The
man living there said the weather had
been hot even up there on the top oi
the Ridge. lie added that the winter
storms are severe.
1t did not take long 20 reach the foot
of the mountain. ] generally took th,
bride path this time but 10 was like
goingdowu stairway more thana mile
long walked nearly two miles
further and noticed that the farmer,
of the ncighhorhOod wero wales
Dutch, and it, did net take second
look TO see marked contrast between
them and the people on the mountain.
The valley folks are less noted 10,
hospitality than tho 'Luckahocs brt
as one Of them kept ''sort of hope.e-sl +.
found shelter from an evening rain
and "a bed for ~ - cents. The writer
slept that night like n polar bear AID
next morning he felt as sore from hi,
mountain walk ss though he had been
pounded from head 90 foot a pro
found respect for my veracltv forbid,
me TO add anything about the yoracif,
displayed that day at breakfast
WANDrHFR
The one Day Cold euro.
/ For colds ord sore throat use Ec-rott',
NtI"nIntrH ItIFHfIff fnuIr.rr f..f