The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1901-10-17
CROOK CREST
OAKLAND, MD. Oct. / 1901,

OAKLAND, Nd, Oct. 1, 1901.
DEAR READER Il write you from
the top of creation-well, almost. 1t
is nearly three thousand feet above
the sea; the sun has come up and
cleared off the light fog which had
enveloped the valley, in the bosom of
which is snuggled the pretty little
village of Oakland, some hundreds
feet below the Crest" where we are
entertained by Captain and Mrs.
MARYLAND.
To us-''my wife and I'-who are
used to the level lands of the Western
Reserve, this country is a revelation.
From our front window, which opens
outward on hinges like the sash in a
Swiss cottage ION the stage,) we look
out over the valley to hills on every
hand, so diversified and beautiful in
form, one almost believes they are
looking thro' magnifying glass at
miniature landscape gardening. The
fields in the valley are still green,
with trees dotted all over them, while
on the rounded hills are large fields,
here and there a red one which says:
this is buekwheat. Very little wheat
is raised here; meadows, oats and
corn are the crops.
Mixed with the livid green of the
fields are the darker green of the for
ests, and the gorgeous red and Grim
son of the naples and sumachs and
vines which show the coming of au-
tumn.
High on the hills the miser, Autumn, sits
Hoarding his wondrous wealth of treasured
gold,r'
while the bright October sun floods
all with its warmth. 1t is very quiet
if We except the homely announce
ment of hen that fresh egg may
be had for the seeking, or a muffled
sound from the village and passing
train that roars through the hills.
Away off twenty miles we see the
backbone of the Allegheny noun
ta!ns, as straight almost as the ridge
of a house; distance has meliowed
outline and smoothed the sides SO
that it looks as though you might
caress it with your hand as you
would the back of a cat.
| have just returned from a stroll
through the woods with the Captain.
The ferns haYe turned to a rich brown
and the leaves of the young oaks to a
{ bronze while the sassafras has all the
colors from yellow to deep red, and
the naples are faming in yellow and
crimson; the air is so pure one wishes
they had lungs large enough to in
fate an air ship, in their greediness
to breathe in all the air that sur
rounds them.
We left Jefferson Saturday after
noon in a heavy rain, but Solson's
team carried us to the Eagleville de-
pot, in a steady down pour, in about
forty minutes, and about as dry as
we would have been at home. 1t
rained almost all the way to Pitts
burg, but ceased before our arrival,
where we were warmly greeted by
friends.
At 8 a. IN. Monday we took the train
for Cumberland. 1t was a surprise
to us, for we expected only the best
half of as to go beyond Pittsburg,
but circumstances took such a turn
that we Joined the party, and in the
language of Mr.. Mieawber, conf
dence was restored, and we were re-
united family"
The usual motley crowd filled the
depot-the b. g. O.-and we had 45
minutes wait for belated western
train. Among the hundreds of trav-
elers were dozen or fifteen boys from
3 to is years old, with all manner of
bags and bundles, none large, of
clothes. They were going to Wheel
ing to work in a glass house. They
were dirty little fellows, and a tall,
bare-headed, anxious mother of one
of the lot was there to see him off.
They were used to work and were
possible the second or third genera
ton of glass workers; and one of them
may yet be in the whirlegig of Amer
lean development, he rich manager
and manipulation in the glass business
of the country.
The morning was rather gloomy,
and the valley of the Monongahelia
was full of smoke from the furnaces,
mills, coke ovens and the thousands
of smoke-producing industries which
fill the valley. 1t was 10 o'clock and
we were we'll up in the mountains be-
fore the sun came out and dispelled
the gloom; and by the time we reach
ed Cumberland it was delightfully."-
bright and warm.
Cumberland is a wonderful busy
city of 10000 people most of whom
seem to be employed on the railroads
which center there. We had to wait
for almost two hours for the Wheel
ing train which brought us to this
place. When we did start we were
soon on a branch of the Potomac
Il u