The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-11-05

81 FOR LITTLE FOLKS !.
5Y MARY JOLLY VAN HOOK.

were ever arranged by the hand of an
artist.
Under the Last Rose of Summer
formation like a full blown rose where
Jenny Lind stood and sang the song with
that title, we built a pyramid or monu-
ment which we marked as the Jubilee,
Cincinnati 99''
After luncheon a number had become
tired and turned back and away back at
Jacobs Ladder our big man had called to
Ella and, with several others of the party,
had turned to retrace their steps. BY the
time we had passed Charlottes grotto
there were only ten, including the guide, to
finish the long tour. We were of that
lasting quality, however, and determined
to scale the Rocky mountains, on to the
last point of interest in the longest known
route of this wondrous cavern.
The Rocky Mountains is a miniature edi-
ton of the Rockies. After the laborious
ascent We reach perhaps the largest hall
IN the cavern, unless 1t Is the Chief City
on the main cave route. This is Calls RQ-
tunda. From 1t we enter Croghans Hall,
a room sixty feet long and thirty feet wide
There are several wonderful stalactltes In
this ROOM The material Of which these
are formed is a yellowish white, translu-
cent substance, and very hard. 1t is a car
Donate of lime, sometimes called Oriental
alabaster to distinguish 1t from the sui
phate of lime alabaster.
Inc last ana most interesting spectacle
Is the maelstrom. It is estimated to be
from 175 to 200 feet in depth, but it is prob
ably not so deep. We were told that down
this well or abyss, SO far beneath the
earth In the midst of awful rocks an ad-
venturous person once descended. Aston
ishing stories are told of this feat perform
ed my W. G. Prentiss, the son of George
ID. Prentiss the poet editor As we gazed
down into the mysterious chasm lit up with
lights thrown in by the guide, and watched
the water falling from crevices, we could
not see, saw the jagged rock on the sides
and peered to the bottom of the hole we
could well believe him who would under
take such descent to be courageous In
dividual.
After spending short time examining
Cleopatra's needle and a peculiar cascade
of stalaclite on the end wall which the guide
called the Blarney Stone. we realized at
last that we felt a little fatigued but we
had to retrace our steps and had no time
to waste IL we were to catch the night
train for Birmingham.
To shorten the distance some. we re-
turned by way of the Corkscrew-a short
way perhaps, In the number of steps, but
a terrible winding stair way it seemed to
us. Huge rocks piled upon one another
that we climbed over and through holes
between them up, up. till we are bewildered
with Its windings and height.
Tn large room from this ascent we
pause but moment for breath, then Leave
the destinations of this subterranean world
for the one above
We are astonished ON leaving it's forever
open mouth to experience a suffocating
sensation We wonder what has happened
that the air is so humid and that the doors
of weeds and trees are so inervating We
had been so greatly stimulated by the pure
exhilarating atmosphere below that we
could scarcely endure the oppressive air
outside. q
To the hotel for a splendid supper to
which we did full justice, and soon we take
our train for Birmingham, which, after an
is the greatest place in the world.