The Portland daily press., 1900-08-24
TO THE MOUNTAINS.
Attractions offered by the Maine
Central.

Cars for the crowd, seats for everybody,
abundant room for every man, woman
and child on~the Maine Central mountain
excursions. No jostle, no hurry, no jam,
THAT is the principle and purpose OF the
company who plan and fulfil these
popular trips.
A fair morning dawned on the Wednes-
DAY, and the hundreds who responded to
the invitation to go up through the Craw.
ford Notch were comfortably seated in
the comfortable cars in mood of general
satisfaction and delight.
From the time when the long train
rolled from Union Station to the halting
at the PRETTY little Crawford, everything G
was pleasure. Strangers and town resi-
dents alike were captivated with the
beauty of the scenery lying out in the
clear morning sunshine, the changing
WO DDS (for they, alas, are already chang
ing , the spreading cornfelds, sthe lilies
like stars upon the wayside waters, and
the Infinite mystery of the shadows on
the hills.
Hiram Falls, tumbling in fine contrast
to the wide spread calm OF SebagO lake,
path-haunted woods, old roads starting
body knows where, sugges ting Whittier's S
"Old roads winding, as old roads win,
Here to ferry, there to mill"
All along the woodland ways are nod
ding the golden rod, and the sweet fern
blessing the air with its fragrance And
everywhere Is seen the apple-tree. 1t is
perfectly cosmopolitan, Bohemian, any
thing and everything that means one
who ism t particular about his place of
residence, who isn't fastidious, lin other
words, "fussy." Not twenty rods were
passed, at guess, In the whole eighty
i've miles but an apple-tree good natured
ly bent to greet the train, generally well
laden with fruit. They sprang from the
thicket, they leaned from the hedge, they
stood s1ngly, and they clustered in
clumps But they were there.
Above Hiram the landscape rOughens.
Hills are higher bluffs are bOlder, and
the blue increasing peaks more personal
" aggressive against the sky. Outlines of
mountains become interesting, and at
Intervale the "Indian Head is studied.
When that well-knoWn spot is reached,
where sleep the sunny Conway wales, and
the long belt OF pines is passed, the MEM
ory again recalls the beloved poet whose
last summer there cOmmemOrated his
Last Day OF Summer" those same
"columnar pines.'
At BARTLETT the observation car is at
Gacneu ana lnnedaJoly uIl6u Dy Gn0 Gin
der-daring. The view through the Notch
is enjoyed by all who, having eyes to see,
can see. But really, perhaps, the most
satisfactory thing Is to remain in the
closed car, avoid clnders in the eyes, and
take ones chance of seeing there, which
is very good after all.
At Crawford s, that Gem of the Notch,
there awaited the amplitude Of the hotel,
the extreme courtesy of attendants, the
finest cuisine, and after dinner the quiet
dream of the picture viewed from the
veranda, M t. Webster, Mt. Willard and
the miniature lake, and the cool of the
woods and Beecher's Falls, and 1.-THE
House that Jack Built" for those who
would wander.
A sudden cloud came over he noun
tain and deluged the valley-a purely
mountain caprice-for few moments,
causing the wanderers to flee back like
chickens to the mothers wing.
One feature of the Crawford House
service must not be unnoticed It is
the fine livery, the beautiful horses, the
perfect grooming and carriage appoint
ments for the pleasure ana comfort OF
every patron,
A charming sunset broke through the
clouds, and rendered the journey home at
night fascinating panorama of dazzling
rainbow light and color.
AN EX-EXCURSIONIST