Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1913-07-17
\ Ne Of the most interesting re-
gions in the United States Is
the southern Appalachians. II
is a land Of giants and patri-

gions in the United States Is
the southern Appalachians. II
~ is a land Of giants and patri-
archal families and Of isolated
simplicities in life which have deep
human interest. One can explore on
horseback this fascinating region,
travelling through the western part Of
Virginia and North Carolina and the
eastern districts Of Tennessee and
Kentucky. You can stop OF any
where you happen to get tired and
board, indefinitely and s%umptuously,
for $40 a week. These mountain
folk are rich in the material things II
poor in the. gimcrack luxuries the out
er world esteems needful. They are
still shut in their Businesses; but con-
ditions are changing now from the alb
solute isolation that existed before the
civil val.
In following one Of the mountain
trails the traveller Is we'll paid.
Throughout these ranges are bride
paths, where notches are cut In the
rock on the steep mountainside for
the horse or mule to secure good foot
ing. A traveller can find nowhere such
a variety of scenery. He starts at
the foothills, along the banks Of some
stream. The cliffs are completely
covered with moss and ferns, watered
by innumerable springs. which in sum-
mer form a hanging garden Of fol-
iage.
Following one OF these cataracts be-
tween mountains, one discovers all Of
a sudden that the trail he Is In comes
to an end. Looking to the left he dis
covers a path leading of up the noun
tain. BY a modified climb, placing
one foot above the other. one a
reach a high cliff and stop for a rest.
Only a few feet below Is the trail, q
switchback, and to gain one-fourth Of
a mile you climb a whole one.
In the E%vergreens.
Rarely could one find so fascinating
a picture of mountain grandeur, all In
contrast with the enticing charms Of
the valley below, where hundreds Of
cattle are peacefully grazing on vast
fields Of blue grass. You are on the
edge. of the evergreen timber. called
the hemlock belt.
Once in the evergreen timber. the
view Is entirely shut of, except now
and then where the trail leads over
some cliff; then the glimpse is Just for
an instant. There are forests Of laurel
SO thick in places that one cannot see
two feet away. The laurel trees are
from IS to rs feet high, some measur
ing eight inches in diameter.
You rest again and hear sounds that
tell Of some habitation. Listen! Yes.
you can hear dogs bark. You resume
the journey, and through open places
in the timber you can now see fields.
Soon you come to a log fence. and
afterward the trail leads off into a
cove.
A cabin appears, built Of logs, fire.
place on the outside and split-oak
roof. A short distance away is the
spring. Just back Of the cabin lies
the peach orchard, and alongside the
path leading to the barn r the
grape vines and ounces and other
fruits. such as apples. pears and paw.
paw.
This Is the land OF milk and honey.
You can count over 60 hives of bees,
or "gums"-a hollow tree sawed In
two. then set on end on hewn timber
and covered with a slab split from a
log. Away In the distant woodland
one hears the ting, ting" Of the cow.
bell.
A man about six fet four inches in
hight energies from the door.
How d'you do, stranger" is his
greeting.
You give him the usuad %handshake,
which Is the custom Of the country,
and commence to tell your story. But
before It is finished he says. step In.
sab, brother"
You enter the door before your host,
which Ia customary among mountain
folk. and are told to have a seat. In
one end Of the room is a fireplace
with the old-fashioned mantel shelf.
After supper the fiddle comes down
and the whole cabin thrills to the old.
time airs--My Old Kentucky Home,
Nellie Gray and Barbara Allen and all
the tunes that make home of a vii.
derness.
Close to Nature.
The head Of the house asks II you
would like to lie down. You are ready
enough. and you are shown a ladder
in one corner Of the room. It leads
to a hole in the floor above. where