The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1916-10-05
A TRIP TO THE MOUNTAIN TOP
BY Harlan Franklin

on the morning Of July 10th, my
brother and I harnessed our team
hooked them To- the rig. and started
for our drive to the Grandfather
Mountain which lay about thirteen
miles northeast Of our home.
The rain had fallen in abundance
during the preceding week, so we
found the roads very muddy and in
some places almost impossible, but
regardless of his we made good time
and by half-past nine we had passed
Linville City. which is a summer re-
sort near the foot Of the mountain
The town was the last sign Of civil
iyation we were to see, except the
road and one dwelling house near
the summit Of the mountain.
Two miles above the city, or rather
two miles beyond, we came to what
is known as the View Rock. Here
we stopped and tied our team for
security. Then we went out on the
rock, which is ledge in the noun
tain, about one hundred feet high.
From this rock we got magnifl-
cent view of the little village we had
passed through only one-half hour
before. We could see the beautiful
lawns, the houses, and the streets.
with a few struggling pedestrians
here and there, making their way to
one of the two churches that were
in the town.
This rock is visited by hundreds
of people each year who never go on
a few miles farther. and few hun
dred feet higher to the larger and
better viewpoint. The thought
came TO me in time that IL is the
same way in life; many Of us are
satisfied when we have climbed the
road of success merely to the first
viewpoint Of life. Here we stop
and look back-we are tired-and as
We see the thousands below who
have never started yet-the thous-
ands who are below US in character
in wealth and in honor, we forget
ourselves, and fail TO look on higher,
10 the ones above us, those who
look down from a higher place on
us. We should keep gazing on up
ward, never looking back, except to
help some poor fellow who has be-
gun to fall behind.
But we had not planned TO spend
the day in reflection. From the rock
we drove on as near the top Of the
mountain as possible. Hitching our
team, we started on our climb to
the summit.
After about forty minutes Of hard
walking and clambering over rocks
and thru bushes we were standing
on the top of the mountain, 1858 feet
above sea level.
Back to the west, stretching for
miles out before my eyes. lay great
forest of pine, oak, hemlock and pop
lar. broken at intervals by golden
fields of grain. To the southwest.
we could see pasture lands dotted
with cattle and sheep, and orchards
which sheltered from my view many
a coy little farm house.
Each OF the many valleys were
marked their entire length by bab-
bling streams, which at first were
hardly visible, but as they combined
with one another, soon became rush
ing torrents furnishing power for
many factories.
Standing there on the summit. en-
chanted by the beauty and grandeur
Of the scene, thOt Of the many
thousands Of people who had never
beheld a beautiful landscape or
breathed fresh mountain air. We
rejoiced in our privileges. SO must
the pioneers have felt as they stood
upon similar mauntain-peaks, strong
in their determination to conquer
and achieve in the new country
which was 10 be their home.
We were made mindful Of our
homes at this point, for a thick fog
appeared over the valleys, warning
us of an approaching storm. SO we
returned TO our horses and drove
home, we'll satisfied that our day
had been profitable both in pleasure
and thought.