The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1910-10-02
In U1,frequented Ways
Notes OF Delightful Vacation Trip Three Beautiful
Rivers, Along the Shores Of Six Great States

DO better than quote in this connec
tlon the words of Miss Mildred S. Nc
Faden, who wrote as follows from per
sonal experience under the heading
ON Three Beautiful Rivers Along the
Shores of Six Great States:'
Every deck chair las an occupant
and passengers are gathered in friend
~ groups about the steamers rail, en-
Joylng the soft south wind that floats
SO caressingly over the water. The
view is surprisingly beautiful. The
sun slips down behind verdure-clad
hills, leaving the heavens crowned
with sheen of subtle coloring; the
twilight deepens and darkens into pur.
pie shadows and the stars come out
and look down with twinkling eyes
into the ripping river. AS night
spreads tenderly her brooding wings
over all the earth, seductive strains OF
waltz too sweet to be resisted, come
drifting out from the cabin, and youth
ful feet and graceful forms glide away
to the charm and rhythm of the music.
The evenings pleasure over,
snowy berths invite each weary rover
to rest and repose. Rocked by the
gentle swaying of the boat. soothed by
the lullaby Of the river, sleep comes
with noiseless tread and touches with
her .poppy-wand each drowsy eye"
The same eloquent writer has en-
balmed some facts concerning Jour-
ney on the picturesque stream in
verse. the first five stanzas of which
are reproduced below. The poem is
entitled
"A Song Of the Tennessee"
Know you a stream where the whis-
pering breeze
Nestles, cool-winged, in the emerald
trees,
And gathers the odor Of verdure and
flowers
That Nature distils in her mystical
bowers?
A beautiful river that glistens and
CLEANS
A river Of pleasure, a river OF
Where Fancy unfettered scars blithely
and free
AS we drift DER its bosom-the fair
Tennessee.
On its magical waters are palaces
white,
Afioat all the day, af1oat all the night;
Aye, palaces throbbing with music and
song
And glad with the mirth of rollicking
throng
0, world-weary hearts, how they toss
away care
And yield. willing captives. to pleas
ure's sweet snare,
AS staidest feet twinkle in rhythmical
glee
A-tune with the tide OF the bright
Tennessee.
0, feet-footed hours, how quickly they
glide
AS dreams, rosy-hued, rise up from the
tide;
And bright from the margin spring
castles divine
AS ever looked down from cliffs of the
Rhine
The sunlight so golden, the moonlight
SO fair,
For witchery turks, unseen tho it be,
In dream-haunted waves of the sweet
Tennessee.
o, lettering river as you TRANQUILITY
run
You dimple and sparkle and dance in
the sun,
The work-a-day world away seems to
slip
Behind leafy shores where the willow
boughs dip
And sailing, still sailing, the murmur-
ing waves
Low whisper the message the longing
soul Graves
Thus cheered and heart-strengthened
each mortal shall be
Who lists to the grooming of dear
Tennessee.
Q musical river, soft ripping along,
Tho pleasure seems ever the theme of
your song,
With sorrowful mem ies your water
is fraught
And history record of pathos has
wrought.
You sacredly treasure the story today,
How struggled for mastery the Blue
and the Gray.
You loved them, alike-and now peace
fully
They bivouac beside you-their own
Tennessee.
Points of interest almost without
number abound along the Tennessee
shores. Fine mineral springs and
quiet health resorts at various places
tempt the traveller to loiter by the
way. The best known Of these are
near Clifton, Tenn, and Pickwick
Landing, in the same state At John
sonville on high hills near the town
one sees the remains of forts con-
structed by the union troops. Heavy
artillery was dragged up the steep
slopes and from the point of vantage
thus gained a rain of iron hall was
poured upon twenty-five Confederate
gun boats which blockaded the river
at that place. So effective was the
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