The New York herald., 1851-08-05
SHANNoNpALE SPRINGS, !

JEFFERSON Co., Va, July 81, 1851
TIE Scene and the Company at SlmsnoniaLs-ths EN-
atainmems-Preparat,onsf for the Reception Of the
President, &c,
And on the moonlit waters,
When the boatman winds his horn,
And the music swells adown the dells,
As far away It's borne
How charming seems each dying sound
Among the solemn mountains round
We are here in the regions Of romance. Pick up
thousand sketches of your landscape paintsrs-of
scenes real and scenes fancifu of fields and woods,
and hills, and dales, and valleys, and mountains,
and the smooth, shining waters-group them as
they like color them they please, and not one Of
the thousand will probably be adequate to the syl-
van glories Of Shannondale--the sweet, quiet, Sc
rene and delightful beauty Of this jewel among the
mountains-this little peninsula of the mountain
crowned river.
There is not in this wide world valley 30 sweet
As the vale in whose bosom these bright waters meet
1t would take too long to describe all the beauties
that surround us here. Suffice it to say, that the
scenery is strikingy bold and picturesque, with the
bright river winding around at our feet (or here
the curve Of the river for mile or more, is per-
feet horseshoe, with both banks shaded by splendid
native trees, ovsrhangng the stream,) and fanked
by the Blue Ridge mountains, piled up around US
and behind us in the most splendid variety. We
feel completely cut Off shut out, rather shut in,
from the busy, delving, money making world which
we have left behind. Under the influences of the
nvigorating water Of these springs. the health-gv,
| ing breezes of the mountains, and Of the genial
face, around us, feel like taking the world easy,
and SO abandon ourselves to the enjoyments OF the
scene.
Thy gentle hand to clasp In mine"
Here, too, there is an entire absence of that cod
fish aristocracy, and those sets Of would-b excu-
sives, of whom we hear 50 much in connection with
Northern watering places; none OF your Simkinses,
| or Tinkinses, or such people, whose pedigree runs
full tilt into grocery soap factory but We have
| unassumng people-F. f. V.s, if you please-whose
history runs back to the ancient cavaliers who, with
! Lord Fairfax and the Washingtons, first crossed
over the Ridge before the Revolution:
| Our company at present numbers about 10, and
| the stages (from the Baltimore Railroad, only hve
miles oh) come over crowded every day we nave
visiters from all parts Of the country, and quite
large delegation from Washington Among them,
notice Dr. Bailey, editor of the National Era, and
family; Latham, the banker, and family; Mrs.
| Southworth, who has lately become quite distn-
guished as a novelist but this oness and the belle
| Of the company is the celebrated Hungarian hero
inc, Appollonia Jagello. We have band OF
colored musicians, and their fayorite air is
Carry me back to Ole Nirginny
which they play almost every day at dinner time;
and sometimes in the evenings when the sun Is sink
ing behind the western mountains, they give US a
variety of Virginia melodies, with the variations,
the favorite Of which, among the ladies, appears to
| be
"why don't you stop dat knocking at de door,"
| Fer pastimes and exercise we climb the noun
tsins gather huckleberries, angle for chubs and
other fish in the river, or ride out on horseback,
| or roll ten pins; and so we merrily pass the day.
! Great preparations making for the reception
! of the President, who is to be here on Tuesday
next. Secretary Stuart, or sandy stuart, as he
is called in this neighborhood, where he is We'll
known, and very popular; Secretary Conrad, a
native Of this valley; Postmaster General Hall, and
others of the executive government, IT Is reported,
will accompany the President All the world, aud
his wife, and the children, expected to be here,
for twenty miles around, the eventfu day OF the
Presidents arrival; for a live President, in this
secluded corner, | dare say, has not been seen
since the great dinner festival here to Thomas JEFF
! ferson, in an old log house, fifty years ago On
leaving this place, the President will go to Win
chester, thence to Capon Springs, then back to
the valley. then up the picturesque Great Valley,
one hundred miles, to Stanton, thence westward,
over the mountains, to the White Sulphur-thc
real White sulphur Springs.
They take the Herald here at the hotel, and al
most every place else where travellers congregate,
il is in constant demand. Your watering place
correspondence is read with particular avdity and
am bitous TO be in the fashion, | have resolved
that Shannondale shall also have he airing, with
| your permission Your readers, Of course, will be
spprsed officially Of the Presidents arrival. 1I
/ r.UtU. D. " w.