The Washington herald., 1911-07-02

o Ridge Mountains in Virginia ant
North Carolina. In the former State
especially there is a happy blending of rug
gedness and fertility.
The Peaks of Otter, which rise to a height
of upwards Of four thousand feet, have theii
SUBMITS crowned and their sides dotted with
rich and thick forests of ash, chestnut, oal
and maple.
On fertile fields corn and wheat wave
There are orchards laden with fruit, and bis
and comfortable farmhouses, in the gardens
around which hollyhocks and rhododendroni
bloom.
When I was boy, my mother used to take
me there often in the summer to spend q
holiday with her sister, Mrs. Nevelle, whose
husbands farm was about half way up the
Peak of Otter.
1t must be remembered, in order to under
stand how people live so delightfully."- on o
mountain side, that the >ascent is very easy
and gradual. The roads. it is true, in some
parts are rough, but the horses and mules
are sure footed
The road which led to the farm speak iof
was in some places wide enough for only one
wagon, but at intervals "turnouts" as they
are called, were cut into the banks on. the
road. In these places one wagon could wait
for another to pass, and teams going up the
mountain had the right of way.
The read in question wound for some dis
tance along the side of the mountain, and
the descent IRON the outer edge was unusual
ly steep and precipitous.
One day, IN summer Of twenty years ago.
my mother and / arrived at the little railroad
station in the valley nearest to my aunt's, on
our way to her house. She was there to meet
us, with a spring wagon drawn by a pair
of horses, my Cousin Robert, q boy Of fif-
teen, being the driver.
After hearty greetings, we all climbed into
the wagon and started off,. My aunt had
brought a big cotton umbrella, and wanted
my mother to spread it as a shelter from
the sun; but she declared that she would
rather look at the scenery, and so the UNI
brella was laid in the bottom of the wagon.
we had spin of some four miles across
the valley, and then the ascent began. We
went slowly, but we never tired OF the dc.
lightful air that blew around us, and of the
picturesque view that met our eyes.
When we had gone half way up the mar
now road of which have spoken, the horses
were halted for short rest. It was lust at
the place where the descent on the outer side
OF the road was most precipitous, and I
thought if we should tumble down there what
A sad fate ours would be.
A little way above US there was a sharp
turn in the road. Suddenly / heard The rat
tie OF Wheels, around the bend came mule
IDENTIFY running away
There was no room for it to pass. To iump
from the wagon would simply have been Ia
break our bones in falling down the steen
SIDE OF the mountain, and we felt as il we
were doomed.
More quickly, however, than IL takes ma
% tell 1t, Robert threw the reins to his mo-
her, crying out:
Keep the horses steady!"
Then he forced down the brake locking The
wheels, caught up something could not Ten
~hat-from the floor of the wagon, leaned ouk
Ind ran toward the mule and cart
He placed himself firmly in front Of the
lnlmal, and then, to my surprise, the big cot
mule. y 'no
The startled animal swerved to the side,
ne oh-wheei OF the cart went over the edgd'
u the road, and mule and cart crashed and
oiled down the declivity. The shoci sent
ny cousin backward, and he fell heavily. but
till pluckily holding on the umbrella
rant with fright. we got Of the wagon
nd hfted him up happily to find that he
vas only badly shaken. just then two men
anne running down the road from the farm.
The mule had taken fright al aonething
While the cart was being loaded and had ru1
way Ihey followed. but were unable to
You may be sure that Robert was IooI,ed
pom as hero for his presence Of mind and
ourage The offending mule, too. cot him-
elf talked about. Everybody supnosAd Ia
ad been killed by the fall. but. 81, the con-
rary, the cart was stopped little wav down
Inc stumps OF two trees, and there ID
Men went down and got the animal from
he shafts. BY the aid Of windlass and tackle
'as soon fit to work again.
---------- -
Z. / p. I q 20