there was a grand great lift of grayish blue

His father and Uncle Ted spent a good deal of time in the smoking car, to smoke, and to make more room. It got hot and dull. But after quite a while his father came hurrying back down the aisle and told his mother to look out the window and she did and said, “Well what?” and he said, “No—up ahead,” and they all three looked up ahead and there on the sky above the scrubby hill, there was a grand great lift of grayish blue that looked as if you could see the light through it, and then the train took a long curve and these liftings of gray blue opened out like a fan and filled the whole country ahead, shouldering above each other high and calm and full of shadowy light, so that he heard his mother say, “Ohhh! How perfectly glorious!”, and his father say shyly, a little as if he owned them and was giving them to her, “That’s them. That’s the Smokies all right,” and sure enough they did look smoky, and as they came nearer, smoke and great shadows seemed to be sailing around on them, but he knew that must be clouds. After a while he could begin to see the shapes of them clearly, great bronzy bulges that looked as if they were blown up tight like balloons, and solemn deep scoops of shady blue that ran from the tops on down below the tops of the near hills, deeper than he could see. “They’re just like huge waves, Jay,” his mother said with awe. “That’s right,” he said; “you remember?” “Sure I do,” he said; “just like seeing sunlight striking through waves, just before they topple.” “Yeah,” his father said. “Kate mustn’t miss this,” his mother said; “Kate!” and she took Aunt Kate by the shoulder. “Sssh!” his father hissed, and he frowned. “Let her alone!” But Aunt Kate was already waked up, though she was still very sleepy, wondering what it was all about. “Just look, Kate,” his mother said. “Out there!” Aunt Kate looked. “See?” his mother said. “Yes,” Aunt Kate said. “That’s where we’re going,” his mother said. “Yes,” Aunt Kate said. “Aren’t they grand?” his mother said. “Yes,” Aunt Kate said. “Well I think they’re absolutely breathtaking,” his mother said. “So do I,” Aunt Kate said, and went back to sleep.