Puget Sound From Capital Hill

Dear Argtjs:- Once again do I avail "mvself ot' the opportunity at hand of letting vou hear from this far away western clime. Weeks have elapsed sineemy lastto you. Tliis long interval of silence on my part is perhaps due to the faet that of late I -have been exceedingly busy in my general office duties. ïo-dav, being somewnat at leisure I decided to take a half day off from the usual routine, accordingly I concluded to visit Capítol Ilill. The day is warm, (70 desrrees in the shade) as have been most of the days dnring the past flve weeks, l'he sky is perfeetly clear,not a breath of air stirring, the foliage huns; silent as though basking in the bright warm sunlíiílit, while out on the sound tiny ripples told us that it was all but a dead calm, the slanting rays of the afternoon sun seemed to come down the near way, and the dust distnbuted by passing vehicles raised a moment theu sank back again to rest. Capital 11U1 lies within rifle shot of this thriving lïttle city of now 16,000 inbabitants, and justtothe nortli at an elevation of about27öfeet abovethesea leve!, l'robably aboutnine-tenthsof the hOHses in Seattle are visible from the topof thishill, andasl was following the trail, which would (if I continued) bring me to the surnmit, the thoughc suggested itself to me, sliall I feel repaid for my trouble in making the ascent? Was I. do you ask? Wait and judge for yourself ; if you are not a lover of nature, lay this aside, it is not for you, if you are, then follow me. Another turn and here we are on the summit, wherethousands have been before us; here is the old log hearing the names of inany who have preceded us in the past. Except for the f act that a few remaining dandelions teil us it is spring, it would be difflcult to determine by the surroundings, the exact time of ihe season it is that flnds us here. It might beall the way from April to August. But as this does not concern or interest us now, we will see what we can see. We are here to see 'siehts and nature as it is. First, I will ask you to look to the westward out on the waters of the sound; note hovv brightly the light of the sun falls on the little npples, how those long rows of piers look like companies of soldiers drawn up in line, how the sunlight as it flashes on the ripples bevond almost leads us to fancy it the refiecting light of a bayonet on his gun. Now look farther and a little tnore northward, that dark' irregular line towering high above the wooded hills, is the snow lined crest of the Olympic range, 40 miles from here, just; note how close to the waters edge seems to be the base of those mountains on that opposite shore. One scarce would believe that a county and also an arm of the sound lies directly between that range and this body of water, yet such is the fact. Now gaze about you, look where you will and I will do likewise, on three sides of me north, east and south is the city IIow it has grown in the past six months, what great changes have taken place in that lèngth of tune. I eau see perhaps fifty new houses being built but, hold, that is not what I have come here to see, my interest is centered ii cature only, so now I look away to the north and east. Beautitul is the picturi before me, I say beautiful because ] can think of no more fitting term fo describing the sight I now behold. Le me see how near I can come to giving a descriptiou of what I have calied beau tiful. Below me, scarce half a mile distaut ñ'inged vviih gigantic firs on every sid with not a ripple to disturb its broac surtace, lies that httle beauty, Lake Union, like a huge mirror framed amic its surrounding foliage, its opposit shore only four miles distant so plainl rellected that every object is discernabl to the unaided eye with startling dis tinctness, the tall firs on that distan shore toweiing not only into the blu heavens but apparently also piercin the crystalized depths below. Would yo not cali this a scène of beauty unsur passable? Yet hold, the picture is no ünished, the figure is incomplete. There high above those lofty forest monarch like a crown of glory on that emeral range, rises in all its stately splendo and regal beauty the snowcapped pea of Alt. Baker, though of itselt, on an ai line distant ninety miles its, image i reflectad and clearly deflned on the sur face of this clear, calm lake. Instind ively I raise my lass, turn it to its ut most capacity resolved to see more o: this great maas of rock, ice and snow But, alas, the power of my glass is no' equal to that great distance not an inch closer do I seem to bring the object, but those trees, oh those trees, with tbeir reverse image on the stil 1 waters below have drawn nearer, so near that I ñnd myself searching nmong the heavy foliage and ii'iilerlyintï, tangled masses as though seekin!? tor sotnething lost amid that vast wilderness. I am loath to turn aside I could study the picture for hours, yet Imust. Otlier points of interest are continually coming within range of mv visión on this, that, and eveiy hand, to the south and east away over the central portion of the city below stands a still grander mountain peak, Old Rainier, 75 miles distant. Who would suppose ït was more than flve' miles, I look, how I long to be. if but a moment, on its surnmit, here the air is sultry. There I can see the snow cloud as driven by the wind, it sweeps apross the summit and in flying clouds glisteus in the light of a setting sun. Oh, that it were mine to gaze for hours on that scène, to drink in every detail of the sublimity about me, how the blood goes thrilling through my. veins as I note the changes oï the ever shifting scènes. Again [ turn and once more look across the waters oE the bay. The light of day is tast fading. VVhat a change since last I looked in this direction .The sun is no w lovvdown in the west,and in a little while it will have hidden behind the snowy crest of Olympic range, but while it is yet in sight as though loath to mar the effect of its golden rays by cutting off the light of da and seeking as it were repose. There, on the calm waters of the bay is seen in all its shining rays of wondrous beauty, its own reflection just touching the border of the reversed image of ihat f ar off mountain range. The beauty of such an effect both above and below can scarcely be imagined much less described. Slowly that lined ball of f i re sinks behind the gilt edge of that rugged line, an awe profound and sacred falls upon me, as I note the ever changing effect ot that painted sky reilected on the silent waters. Darkness comes on apace, twilipclit shadows softly stealing over the land already cast a gloom on the city below. Much as I disli'ked the thougUt ot leavitig but a moment since. I am ready even anxious'now to commence the descent quite satisüed with what I have witnesaed from the top of Capítol IIU1. More anon. RasDectfullv.