Henderson gold leaf., 1911-08-10
WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA.
Beauties and 0iorles of the "Land of
the Sky''-Lenoir and Blowing Rock
fountain Roads That Challenge
Admiration-Editor Entertained In
HOspltable Style.
GContinued from Last Week I

and enjoy the pure invigorating at
mosphere and health-giving waters
of Western North Carolina-the
Switzerland of America
The person seeking an ideal place
for summer vacation can find both
comfort and pleasure in the delight
ful region OF which Lenoir Is the chief
town and centre of trade and at
traction. The climate of this section
is unsurpassed, the varied scenery of
mountain, hill and valley lending a
charm to the country that is particu-
larl y inviting and restful.
| left my readers last week as we
were about starting on the trip to
Blowing Rock. The drive was
through a fine country and was made
in good time We arrived at the
Green Park hotel for dinner with ap-
petites keenly y whetted. Nowhere on
the entire trip did we find finer
meal. The Green Park hotel is one
of the best resort hotels in all the
mountain country. 1t is situated
right near the famous "blowing
rock" from which the village derives
it's name, about two miles from the
village proper. | was surprised at
the number of persons who did not
visit the Rock and seemed to
know nothing about why the place is
so called. The distance from Blow
ing Rock hotel, Watauga Inn and
the numbers of excellent boarding
houses that accommodate the
thousands of visitors every season is
not too great for a morning consti-
tutiOnal or an afternoon stroll and
no visitor should go away without
seeing the blowing rock" "
This is a perpendicular rock wall
several hundred feet wide and as
many fet t deep at the head OF an i'm
mense gorge leading out into a val
ley. Up this gorge the wind sweeps
at Il great velocity, stronger at times
than others of course, striking the
rock wall and sending the air cur
rent rushing high above the surface
Ievel-hence the name "BIOwing
Rock" So strong is the current as
it strikes the face of the rock and
blows upward and over it that light
objects such as handkerchiefs, pieces
of newspaper, etc, will come back
when tossed out into the abyss
belOw-Or toward it rather. A light
hat will perform the same trick but
the gentleman who tried it with his
straw hat had to go back to the
hotel bareheaded and wear Il cap
until he could do better. The wind
was not very strong and he made
the mistake of throwing his hat too
/ far-and like the cat it never came
| back
Blowing Rock possesses many fea-
lures and attractions peculiar to
itself To quote the Charlotte OBJ
server, lone need not be lover OF
Wordsworth to delight himself with
the southwesward- gazing chasm here;
he need only have had the Lord God
who made these mountains breathe
into his body a living soul. Blowing
Rock 3 distinctive advantage is that
| the gazer has no mountain tops to
climb but looks downward from a
plateau over four thousand feet
above sea level and sees everything
below"
The editors were entertained at
Blowing Rock in characteristic style.
These mountain people (whose cul-
ture and hospitality is only equaled
by the lavish gifts of Nature with
which this wonderful mountain cOun-
try Is endowed) know how to do
things. In the afternoon after the
return from Boone on Thursday a
reception was given the ladies by
Mrs. Ransom widow OF the late Sena-
tor Ransom) at her elegant home,
which was greatly enjoyed by those
who were fortunate enough to be
present. Mrs. Ransom and her
charming daughter, Miss Esther,
we're gracious hostesses and this
function was voted one OF the most
delightful events of the trip to the
feminine portion OF the party.
At night the editors land the la
dies of course) were entertained at a
dinner by the citizens OF Blowing
Rock. Two long tables were erected
on the lawn in front of the Watauga
Inn where bountiful and appetizing
feast was spread. There was every
thing to eat and drink that one
could ask for, with lovely ladies and
attentive gentlemen to wait on you
and bid you "help yourself
Many enjoyed a drive over the
Moses Fl. Cone estate and view OF
the hn- 1s me mansion, crystal lakes,
deer and splendid driveways
that WI around the vast enclosure,
In this connection | am going to tel
little story of gracious act O
Mrs. Cone. At each entrance to the
grounds there is a sign which reads
that automobiles are not allowed In
2 side. The cause of this is thus ex
3 planned: Mrs. Cones carriage horses
D carrying herself or visiting friends
are liable to be frightened by auto
mobiles, and the heavy machines
8 break down the roads when driver
q too near the edge of the driveways
q In the editorial party there was {
young lady land her mother) who
had come over from Lenoir in thei
car to bring some of the party. Per
g mission was asked to drive the auto
r mobile in the grounds, no other con
\ veyance being available for the pur
pose. Mrs. Cone telephoned that sh
would gladly grant the request bu
s she could not be inconsistent. Lik
Q REQUESTS of friends and even relative
: had been denied-a rule had been es
:, tablished and it would not be rlgh
i to ignore it in one instance and Ell
l. force it in another. However, no
l. wishing to deprive the visitors OF an,
r pleasure that might be theirs, sh
would send her carriage down TO
them ard the drive could be taker
i A sweet and considerate act, WASH
ee It?
70 And that is ''how come" some {
= our party were riding in the privat
- carriage of the Lady OF the Manor
u when the rest of US were "hiking it
10 along in livery rigs.
O. Ala mt ro with tho marty +