254 THROUGH LIBRARY WINDOWS 



ground and there is inbreathed without inter- 

 vention of person or symbolism the very atmos- 

 phere of heaven and God ! 



O mountains, great and grand, lofty and 

 rugged, beautiful and sublime, dreamy and 

 vigorous, "builded with the very masonry of 

 God," watched by the everlasting stars, steeped 

 in the sunshine of ages, wrapped with clouds as 

 a mantle, swept with fierce tornadoes, washed 

 with incessant storms, standing forth as great 

 sentinels and landmarks for nations, ever send- 

 ing down rich gifts to river and valley and man 

 and beast — O lift our souls in gladness up into 

 and beyond your heights that we may sense 

 Him Who made us and gave us such inherit- 

 ance! 



The need of mountain climbing in order to 

 lift one up out of the dull monotony of daily 

 life for the renewal of nerve energy grows im- 

 perative, a closer touch with something great 

 that life's little things may not worry and weary 

 us. This climbing process is hard and harden- 

 ing; it toughens fibre and knits muscles and yet 

 is full of inspiration. If one wants new worlds 

 for vision and conquest, let him climb moun- 

 tains, up into the very treasure house of the 

 skies, for Nature oft does her best work when 

 nearest the stars. 



