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J tepk4 f * : r-r u k 1 fymEmmri if -v 1 Q j J F C Wil & iams w VOL. XV. *r i ? h i E CAVE SEEKERS. A TRIP TO MOUNTAIN HILL IN SEARCH OF WONDER CAVE. IKarvela of the Imagination A Search for the rnVnown.- Is the Cave a Myth. j«VUio Knows I The Columbus Enquirer of last Sunday contained a piece of inform ation that produced a sensation wherever read in Harris county, save perhaps at the place of its birth— Mountain Hill. The article was signed “Lum D.,” a name familiar to ike readers of the Journal, and it stated that a wonderful cave had been discovered by the writer and two other well known young men of Mountain Hill. A graphic descript ion was given of their lucky find, de tailing minutely the sights under ground so as to arouse the interest of every reader, at the same time leav ing his curiosity unsatisfied. In Hamilton the cave was the sub ject of conversation whenever two or more people met. Tn all its bearings and in every possible shape it was discussed. Some of our townsmen were familiar with the German peak and some knew where the stream at the mouth of the cave issues from the mountain’ *.. ,j * A. Some believed ev c-ry word of the account, others be SSiHfxSSS in lived west of town who came was questioned for information, but no body b ° y from the neighborhood of the cave came m. The cave mountain is; as the ciow fiici, only seven or eight miles distant from Hamilton and by Wednesday morning the pent up curiosity of the town could stand it no longer. Doubt could be dis¬ solved only by an investigation, and ten men, brave and true, decided to brave the fear of derision and inves tigate. When the cavalcade left town three of the truth seekers were confi¬ dent, three were hopeful at best and four had no faith at all. The repor¬ ter of the Journal confesses to a place among the first class enumerat¬ ed—he had faith strong enough to move mountains or to find caves in them. The day was balmy and the ride enjoyable. The upper road to Moun¬ tain Hill runs parallel to Pine moun tain as far as Blue Spring, where it bears north-west for a short distance until it crosses the mountains, run rung thence west through a wild country that only at long intervals suggests anything akin to civilization, a together the ride was full of inter At and pleasure and the persen finds who njakes it for the first time and not emotions of pleasure at every change vVm in the grand panorama sensibilities must to all the finer u nature ij h e 'l P e he^e ,mnn the road, bu L. t nnneof M fMLed vere anowed Sour to pass questioned to their mission or as knowHdffe fr^ve of the cave. Nobody net us any information and when-e Wz.en drove up i to Squire A Smith’s ..w store, m the town of Mountain Hm, not . o.ie • ^ Oi r ,. c ‘ „q qAr on caves T. lvit 1 nom e . \y e had mountain _ which ,. . the German OO SlV'HT estively upon our left, but - r o it about it suggested not g upon or ’ z.h or the ::T f J IT of ie cave JOSEPH L-DENNIS, PROPRIETOR. article. The German peak was tirely non committal. Sc were the citizens of Hill or so they seemed to the score truth seekers. All except Lum Duke, whom we found after our arrival. His was open and his replies to plied the tions with which the party were frank and clear. He and two friends with him had the cave Friday. Its entrance about half a mile east of where stood. It was entered with and the exploration was not full, though they had remained in it hours. The temperature on seemed slightly cooler than it was the outside, but further in the it was warmer. The lake was yards across they thought and its they could not ascertain for sloping banks. The chamber the m the gun was found was on side. He had brought the gun rel out with hira. Only the iron parts of the gun remained. It a flint and steel rifle. It was down at his father’s, two miles south Mountain Hill. He would go with us to the cave at once—he and one of his friends who had explored the cave with him. They were ready goat once. So Mr. Duke talked, the questions chatechisedfor ten minutes and the close cf his examination a count of noses developed eight and two doubters. One doubter had his doubts' and one of the original believers ° changed his faith ’changed The cavalcade its front an d proceeded back in the of the German mountain. Mr. Duke would not accept of seat in the first buggy, nor in q ie second, h e third, the fourth or the fifth. Neither would Mr. Smith. A neighbor was directed to pilot us to a certain spot, where Mr. Duke and Mr. Smith would meet us when had procured a rope ladder from the mill. The neighbor guided the ten truth seekers to the spot designated ; a spot at the base of German moun tain. Here, by the purling mountain brook, that goes merrily by on its way to the sea, we spread our dinner upon the green sward, ’neath the umbrageous trees, and sated the ap petite that our long ride had whetted keen. Then we waited. The _ shaft the of . er, crops, mineral state the republic, the Woolfolk murder, the Horne homicide, anything, every thing was discussed Twenty min utes, thirty, forty, fifty, an hour pass ed and stfil no rope ladder was p-c duced. I hen we went in searen oi the German cave. Our leader could n’t find it, but he found an nitv to lose himself from us. Then another Mountain Hiilier failed to answer to roll call Another still was avowed to go tc*- he “ to J " nao happened to tne and DO) S. A “ iS truth iei[ only two neighbors showed ten seekers and our watches us mat , ior £ uiuic ore q uiau ian two t hours we had been waiting for the ladder. “Boys, if you don’t go home pretty soon Tp we will will, ” remarked remarked a a mena > neighbor. So v.e hooze- -P ojr horses and “Silently, silently stole away.” HAMILTON, GA., AUGUST In the weirdest point of the road beyond the Blue . Spring the writer and his companion, the advance guard, met two barefooted' urchins whom we interrogated: “Boys, have you heard of the cave found over here in the mountain?” “Yes, sir.” “Is it on the German peak?” “Yes, sir.” “Is there any lake in it ?” “In what?” “The cave.” “What cave ?” “The German cave.” “No, sir, 1 havn’t heard of no cave.” EDITORIAL NOTES. Pay your money and take your choice. A Savannah man advertises photographs-* $3 per dozen and another Savannah man advertises, a complete photographic outfit for only $2.50. President Williamson, of the Chattanooga, Rome & Columbus railroad, in an interview with the Rome Courier says that just as soon as arrangements for terminal facilities can be completed at Chattanooga work will be actively begun in t! ing dirt. £ government treasuiy and the amount 13 or. ^ twelve Cln 3 increased millions at a monlb. the rate 1 of 10 ten **c- Merited,.ttac vaT treasure out of the 3 of.an x , pressed people, has enriched a select class manufacturers, whose vast wealth now threatens the liberty of people. A tariff for revenue would reduce the cost of living, while it would afford ample means I for conducting the affairs of state. ! The contractors are throwing dirt at a rapid rate on the Birmingham & Atlantic railroad near Savannah and will have, they now think, iro miles ready by the first of October. This road runs by Macon, Thomaston, Greenville, and LaGrange and has fur its terminal points Savannah and Birmingham. Between these two points it will be nearly an air line, much shorter than any other line run ning from Birmingham to the sea board, a fact probably which enabled ’ the placing of $6,000,000 of bonds a few days since upon the English market. -- 409 =—- .Shiloh Short Stops. Mrs. Alice Gorham has a flourishing school of aboul 40 pupils at Middle ltidge one of the suburbs of Bliilch. j a. Grant, fir., & Co., are building a iai-ge and commodiona store room. It is about ready for the shingles. T. J. Neal, Jr., is receiving some of his fall goods. Expects to open a large .ad attractive stock of goods early. We will *on have in operation a milli j | repaired styles. and rigged out in all the latest : We have a neat and nico drug store, ! presided over by Dr. Crawford, who e the sic* and af.Lcted will receive prompt v lit attent ion. ; G. W. Cook is preparing lumber to build a large business house, i his old one being entire!y too 8malI to eet the de mauds of his increasing trade, Dixie Harris is doing wonders in selling goods; has already outgrown the dime-n- ONE DOLLAR A YEAR, STRICTLY IN ADVANCE. 2 $W ions o? his Lon; ;e< Mr. 8. ,11. Morph ay Son & Bray Julia are out looking up mo.o commo<3ioU3 quarters. Tho road hands are patting this end of tho Hamilton road in apple pie ord^r. Why can’t the Hamilton end bo put in tho fame condition, i e., if yon wish the Valley folks to vi it you, for some places on tho road are almost impassable. Oapi. Jeokina in king at tlie depot, ar l by tho way the Captain is t .kicg a largo interest lu beautifying our town. IIo i bnildiag a largo carp pond a fow feet south oi' tho depot. II3 haa a good quails tity of tho water on baud now, and when Lis sail boats arrive wo think it will be a great attraction and pleasant summer re sort for mosquitoes, tadpoles and bull frogs. Judge A. I). Anderson is building a large and palatial residence, and when completed will have all the modern im provemonts and conveniences, and soon as ho completes his residence will com menc0 ootion of a mammoth gin d looms IZ? Ra to work tho fleecy staple, Nothing like enterprise. G. \ Bcst'vveil Conipliiiuut. Tbe Jountun takes special pleasure n publishing tho following complimentary notice of onr correspondent, Lum D., which wo clip from the Griffin Nows of raoeut date : Tho “Bhro John" negro dialect sketoh " just published in < ha Hamilton Jour* nat. are superior to many of those printed in more pretentions day periodicals, make and the author may some a mark in literature if ho continues to cultivate his talent. Not only is tho dialect natural, but tho ingeniousness of the negro char¬ acter, with its nmnsing peccadilloes, and the true ring of nature in tho courtship of tho school teaohe? and Miss Cora uro admirable. Wo regret that tho first part rf. s ME£n *»** escaped our notice. 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