The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-08-31

peerless orator ana rneIoflCidn, IanuOn
C. Haynes, who FIRST saw the light OF
day at their bfse, says. '"rhere stands
these mountains as beautiful and ex-
quisite as any It Italy or Switzerland
on whose submits The clouds gather of
their own accord, even in the brightest
day. ThereI have seen the great spirit
of the storm, after noontide,, go and take
his evening nap in the pavilion OF dark
ness and of clouds. I have seen him
aroused at midnight, as a giant refreshed
by slumber. and cover the heavens with
awake the tempest, let loose the red
lightnings that run along the mountain
tops for a thousand miles swifter than
an eagles flight In heaven. Then / have
seen them stand up and dance like an
gels of light in the clouds, to the music
of that grand organ Of nature. whose
keys seem to have been touched by the
fingers OF divinity IN the hall Of eternity,
that responds In notes Of thunder which
resound throughout the universe. Then
I have seen the darkness drirt away be-
yond the horizon and the morn get up
from her saffron bed like a queen, put
on her robes of light, come forth from
her palace In the sun, and stand tiptoe
on the misty mountain-top, and while
night fled from before her glorious face
to his bedchamber at the pole. She
lighted the green vale where I was born
and played in childhood, with a smile OF
sunshine"
Oh. beautiful, majestic land OF these
mountains, with their sun-painted cliffs,
and their iridiscent charms In their
FLASHING waters. riva1lng the gorgeous
tints Of the rainbow, how can one ever
forget thee.
And these hills are peopled by that
strange race Of hardy, honest though un-
lettered whites. who form such attract
i've sociolc gical problems as we see them
stalking among the loveliest of natures
vagaries. only found in THE Land of the
Sky" This southern mountaineer is as
distinctive IN all respects and character
istics as the festive Georgia Cracker"
Back from the railroads. 'nve mile this
side Of Craggy,' hidden In his mountain
clearing, he lives near to nature and
simple unconventionality His cabin, his
gals and boys" and THE ole oman"
and his queer, unccut hseif are much In
evidence-side by side with the mountain
laurel, the glorious rhododendron, tho
laughing silver cascade. azure skies, ,..e
hay submits Of the Blue Ridge fading
away, the tonic, life-giving air filling one
with vitality and assuming a soft blue
hare into which the mountaineer. after
his own fashion, lives and loves and
drinks his monntain-dew.
AMT iAOth - bdiQ ny lil6 udIlN6B u
have beer decorated by the early abor-
iginees, and this prehistoric mural paint
ing Is seen by the tourist from the car
window IS he Journeys out OF the lovely
Asheville plateau through the gateway
cut by the resistless waters of tho Rae
ing River Black Mountain extends in
one long serrated ridge twenty miles,
forming the NEST majestic Of the cross
ranges, among which are Balsam, Piz-
gah, Cowee and Nantahala. The Black
Mountain has eighteen peaks above COCO
feet high-includihg the Monarch of the
crest Of the Alleghanies, Gill feet above
the sea. Mount Mitchell commentaries
the name of Professor Elisha Mitchell,
of the University OF North Carolina. who
lost his life in 1857 while engaged in
measuring the altitude Of the kingly
peak. Wandering In the darkness on
the mountain, he fell into a deep pool of
water, which, like the mountain, perpet-
yates his name, and was drowned. The
Southern Railway passenger service has
taken great pains to present the attract
i've featui es of this beautiful mountain
country to travellers, end am indebt ed
to the agents of this great railroad sys-
tenn for much valuable information. big
Tom Wilson, the guide of Black Noun
tain. found and recovered the body,
which has since rested with the giant
mountain for tombstone, albeit an al
minimum mot a bronze as has been
stated monument was erected over the
grave in 1888. big Tom recites mar
velous stories of the Black Mountain and
its dark legends, and Tom usually fig
ures as the hero, but I am deeply in
debted to the cid guide. and will send
the Age-Herald his picture, and tell its
readers some of his daring exploits.
.
It is five miles below Hot Springs
(about forty miles from here) where the
train passes upon the opposite bank OF
the French Bread, beneath the bold pre-
cipice of the Painted Rocks-a titanic
mass above 200 feet high, whose face is
strongly marked with red. credited with
being the work of the red men. Pc that
as 1t may, there is mystery In these
mountains: relics as well as legends of
prehistoric people; mound-builders as
well as the later Cherokees Miss Muir
ply speaks of Legends OF the old Cher
okee settlement, Chota-the beloved
town'-a city OF refuge wnere even the
shedder of blood was safe from ven
geance; the mysterious ark, before which
sacrifices were offered; Hebraic words In
the Indian ritual Of worship; the great
chieftain, Oconstota, and his wonderful
visit 10 King George In London; the
bravery Ct -Culla-Cu the Indian
sibyl known as Evening Cloud, and the