The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1903-08-26
appeals to be ":.ck in"

held in tobacco barn. The noun
taineers gathered in and gave the
strictest attention to the discourse
and other parts Of thc service. This
place is only few miles from Laurel,
formerly the most notorious place in
the South on account of moonshincrs'
operations. A change has come. 4
cultured young lady gave an account
OF the adventures of her father, long
since dead, whose life was spent in u
series of struggles with the officers of
the law. She regretted the parent 8
perversity, which had prevented him
from seeing his own true interests aud
being law-abidirg citizen.
The river at this point rolls through
a tremendous chssm, and the ascent
from the valley to the plateau seems
nearly quarter Of mile and almost
as steep as stairway. On the preci
pitous slopes grows the yellow leaf
tobacco, corn and other products and
the grating sound of plow can be
heard as it leaps from stone to stone.
New river, tributary Of the French
Broad, rolling down from the hills Of
Transylvania, is an excellent stream
for angling for the beautiful speckled
trout. On the banks grow thick
mass OF vegetation, and the ardent
sportsman takes the middle of the
shallow stream, unmindful of the al
most 10y GOODNESS of the waters. On
the banks we picked up number of
specimens Of magnetic iron, the weight
of which surprised US.
Penetrating into the fastness Of the
county, which is aptly named Trauyyl-
vania, we come upon the wonderful
"pink beds" Standing on the rock
rim Of tremendous basin, we are dag
zled by tho vista that spreads below.
Whole square miles Of luxuriant mea.
dows adorned with flowers of every
hue in incredible profusion, greet the
view. There are no human habita.
tions, but it is the paradise of the
hunter and the herdsman.
After long ride over mountain
aud valley, during which we observe
here and there white and SCARED cliffs
of kaolin, mica deposits and corrun-
dunn mines, we come in view of Web
ster, dreamy old town, on high hill
top, the sides Of tho hills strewed
here and there with q greenish look
ing substance which we were told was
nickel.
The mountains are noted for excess
Of moisture, and the winter foods con-
fined US long time st Bryson, where
we found among the more cultive' sd
part of the people as good society as
one could ask for. Here is the old
home Of that noted war correspondent,
George Eugene Bryson. whose influence
has been at times so important in
Venezuela and other southern coun-
tries. On Christmas eve q goodly
number gathered in tho court room,
where, with holly and cedar, the dingy
apartment was beautifed and all was
merry and pleasant. Many uncouth
dwellers of the mountains were pres
ent and seemed completely absorbed
by the sight aud the proceedings.
In the mountain homestead" some
times some amusing things happened.
The visitor generally sleeps in the
same room with the family ard must
not be too modest, for the mountain
eers have great curiosity aud desire to
observe without restraint the habits
and customs of the 'furriner," as they
call the visitor from another Part of
the country. Rising in the morning,
he is expected to 60 out on the mouu-
tain side and perform his ablusiops at
the Spout. Then vita dripping
face he makes his way back to the
house, where he is provided with q
towel. Seated at the table for break
fast, perhaps he is disturbed by the
chickens which have gained access
from the porch and are hopping about
on the joists above table.
The country is productive and there
might be an abundance and great vario
ty for the table, especially of differ
and salt pork form the usual bill Of
fare. There is an astonishing num-
ber Of medicinal herbs in the noun
tains, and the one old country Doctor
took great delight In pointing out to
us tho different varieties as we rode
along over the mountain paths.
The dwellings are always in the
"coves" near spring Of cool water.