Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1918-12-10
DOES 'THE USUAL DULL
OUR FINER SENsIBILrTIRs:
(By Bert II. Greer.)

to the finer sentiments and inspira
tions. Thus a person long contem
plating a rare picture at last become
insensible to its delicate charms. |
has become ordinary.
A little while ago, at evening OF /,
perfect autumn day, l stood at thu
window in the living room of oul
modest home on Granite and gazet
out at the landscape across Beal
creek on the hoary ribs of Mount
Grizzly. The sun was nearly set and
its beams of gold we're playing hide
and-seek with the shadows in ravlne
and on promontory. Higher up the
sleeps, the first snow OF the season
still fingered in the shadows. The
air was clear. Every canyon and ra-
vine was visible and alive with in
spiration. Now the mountain is gold
en- in a flood of light. Again, fleecy
cloud passes over the face of the sun
and the scene is a deep purple. Be-
yond the shadows the fields are green
from the early fall rains. The emer-
aid fir and pine stand sentinel along
the canyons and the numberless riyu-
lets from the freshly melted snow
follow sinuous path down the hill
side scintillating sunbeams like
myriads Of diamonds. And | said.
Where on this planet, called the
earth, is lovelier scene to be witness
ed?" Just then 1t grew more beau
tiful, for the aspect was changed by
the smoke OF a passing engine which
ascended in an almost perpendicular
line for a hundred feet and drifted
lazily toward the summit of the
mountain, settling along the crevices
in delicate. gray, obscuring the trees
in the canyon, bringing out more
prominent the orchards and houses
on the higher ground and revealing
the fences that stretch away up the
mountain sleeps like ribbons of
brown. Gorgeous is the word for
such scene. Viewing the aspect
from the valley toward the mountain
was wonderful. Then the sun de-
scended below the horizon and the
gold melted into brown, deeper and
deeper. 1t was night.
Did that end the view? Not SO.
No sooner had nature drawn the cur
ain on the first picture than anoth-
er, not less charming, sprang into
'iew as II by magic. Mans art was
low vieing with nature for first
'lace. The park lights were turned
IN casting a faint glimmer about the
rost-touched flower beds, festooned
With greensward and flanked by the
liant evergreens that line the banks
II Ashland creek, and with it all the
music of rushing water, laughing on
IS merry way to the sea. Matchless
1usic OF nature. Grander than the
ymphonies of Bethoven-sweete
han lyrics of love. And Just across
he creek the falls, flashing and
FLASHING and singing a
ghter song of romance and wooing.
nd the numberless lights twinkling
lru the green branches away I'D the
inyon toward the camp ground. All
this beauty, by night and by day,
mine. Fortunate mortal indeed in
lch environment where the inge-
lity and art of man blends with the
lightly works Of God in this glorious
lnorama, with its music and charm.
! for me. For, that hillside is mine.
one may obscure its dazzling glory
ON mine eyes. The park is mine,
r, am | not citizen and as such
ell my full proprietorship in It? And
cry shrub and flower and every
;ht In it are yours, ,neighbor, and
ne The fountains are ours. Mount n
Inland and its wonderful panorama v
ours. Ashland is ours and we love
r with a passionate affection. why ,
t? How big and how grand. Large Z
ough to please and glorify the
rid. Enough for you, and me, and
I'm.
Shall we wrap ourselves selfishly
our mantle of glory and exclude
world weary Of other climes?
all we allow ever the usual to dull
sensibility to these marvellous
arms? Shall we lose ourselves in
its and dollars and so bury our
e in the grind that this matchless
ne shall change in aspect and col
until its beauty fades from our
W, and the music of Lithia falls
omes to our ears only the monoto-
Is iteration of taxes and hard
es? Shall we do that, or will we
-lize this environment holds no
5 charm-even greater-for the
anger, who, inspired by the un-
al scenery, invigorated by the
e air and restored to health by
use of our pure domestic and
ative mineral waters and the sa-
rity of our climate, will gladly be-
le one Of us. adding to our num-
. onI Dnr