Year: 1871

America and OF depicting IN glowing
terms the beauties Of the natural seen
ery of New England. They speak en-
Enthusiastically of Mount Tom and Mount
Holyoke, and sometimes lead the school
boy whose own home is surrounded by
scenery quite as grand as any in New
England and who climbs every day on
his way to "the schoolhouse on the hilI


a mountain as imposing as Mount Tom,
to believe that nature has been prodlgal
of her gifts to New England and that
he must make pilgrimage thither if he
would admire the grand. But, if |
have any correct idea Of what Switzer'
land is, would say that West Virginia
M ay fairly compete with New HamP-
shire or any other Of the New England
States for the title OF "the Switzerland
OF America" 1t is true that our
mountains are not capped with eternal
snow, but for all that, for boldneSs and
ruggedness OF outline, for precipitous
and craggy raviues, they have no supe-
riors on this continent, east OF the Rocky
Mountains. | have seen some portions
of the White Mountains OF New Hamp.
shire, but never witnessed any natural
scenery that surpassed the Cheat river
and the New river regions in this State.


EXCURSION TO LAUREL RIDGE.


was fortunate last Friday in being
one Of a party OF gentlemen who went
out twelve miles from Morgantown to
spur Of the Laurel Ridge Of the ALE
gheny mountains overlooking the Val
lev of Cheat river Our road up the
mountain was bordered by laurel bushes
in full bloom and their red and white
blossoms shone to good advantage
, against the back ground Of dark green


furnished by the luxuriant foliage OF the
chestnut and oak trees whose dense
growth covered the slope. Here aud
there fields had been cleared and cult


waited, and evea on the top Of the noun
tain gave promise OF remunerallve crops
OF wheat and corn The last half mile
of the way we travelled on loot. turning
at every few rods to admire the broad


landscape spread out before us, But
when we passed the summit, struggled
through the underground OF laurel and
scrubbv oak and stood upon the rock
overlooking Cheat river, such a scene Of
mingled beauty and grandeur burst
upon us as few Of us who saw 1t the first
time hai ever witnessed before. The
rock we stood upon had smooth per.


pendicular surface Of about one hun
dred feet. Huge chestnut trees grow
ing at its base waved their topmost


tassels about ten feet below the edge.
From the base Of the rock 10 the edge
Of the river was a steep slope of three
iourths OF mile covered with huge
mossy rocks, completely concealed by the
| foliage OF the trees over whose tops we
looked, but which seemed like carpet
Of green velvet fitted closely over the
curving mountain sides. To the right,
looking little South of East, we could
trace up the valley OF the river which
showed itself here and there at the
angles OF its course for distance Of ten
miles. Four projecting points Of the
mountain on each side oi the narrow
valley interlocked their bases, and the
stream wound its zig-zag course between.
Beyond the. gorge, looking still to the


East and South, we saw on the horizon
peak which rises near Oakland,
Maryland, fifty miles distant, and oae dis
tant ridge, family discernible in the dim
blue, which Judge Berkshire assured us
was in Tucker county, fully sixty miles
away, Preston county lying in the fore
ground.


From another point, about one hun.
dred yards to the left Of this rock OF
observation, the view extended down
the Valley OF the Cheat, where it leaves
the mountain and flows between broad
meadows to its junction with the Mon.
ongahela, about eight miles away, and,
looking over the hills, we could see
nearly all OF Monongalia county and
large portion Of Greene county, Pa.


sUBLMITY OF THE SCENE.


The most glowing words OF descrip-
ton from a more facile pen than mine
would fail to convey an adequate idea
OF this magnificent scene. The sublime
and the grand in nature cannot be de-
scribed. They speak a language OF
their own that cannot be translated into
words The impressions they produce
upon the soul Of the beholder cannot be
conveyed so as TO produce a similar
effect upon him who reads. And 50 II
is that the lovers of nature never tire Of
looking upon her face and feeling that
expansion OF soul that her grandeur in
spires. There were in our party num-
Der Of gentlemen, citizens OF Morgan
town, who have witnessed this scene
many times, and yet they return and
gaze upon it with new rapture as often
as opportunity occurs. Judge Berk-
shire, Senator Wiley, George u. Ha-
gans and others who were reared among
these mountains, seemed to linger low
ingly over the scene and, when ready to
start for home. would 90 again and
again to the brow of the mountain and
take final view for memory.


Picnic WITHOUT LADIEs
. The party consisted OF Governor
Jacob, Judge Berkshire, Senator Will
lev, President Martin, Colonel Exams
John J. Brown, Esq, Dr.. Brock, Pro
fessor Solomon, DR.. Logan, of Wheel
ing. and eight or ten other gentlemen Of
scarcely less note 1t was q first class
picnic in all respects, save the absence
of ladies, and this reservation made it
Of course somewhat like the play Of
Hamlet with Hamlet left ont, though
before some Of US got home we were
fha n lf,l that the ladiea hal al