The daily republic. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1853-1853, 1853-07-29
THE R EPU BLIC.
SUMMER SKETCHES-No. 8.
BY MARY y. wINDLE. M
SHANNoNDALE SPRINGS, July IS, 1853.


Dear reader, we have just returned from saun-
ter along the banks of the sparkling Shenandoah,
and as this stream is the charm of Shannondale it
must not be dismissed with passing notice. 1t
deserves higher honor than general description,
and must have "Skeich" to itself
The view of this musical stream is so broken
by little islands, and SO diversified by the variety
OF magnificent perspectiyes opening between and
stretching beyond, over glancng waters and gray
rocks that the eye often fails to detect the oppo-
site shore, and it requires no aid of fancy to ina
CINE yourself on the banks of peaceful, far
stretching lake, whose haunted grottoes and shad-
owy> retreats may still be the home of nymphs and
gen. Beyond and in the distance the soft haze
of the "Blue Ridge meets the horizon and
bounds the scene.
This beautiful stream was born in Heaven, and
nursed in the mountains of Virginia, until its in
FAINT energies learned to struggle to the light.
Then totterng down the defiles of its lofty home,
with many tumble and dreadful fall, it makes
its way through hoary forests-through valleys
yet unvisited by man. filled with caves and haunt
ed glens, 1t has many a quiet nook, where it
rests in its course, whose hiding places it will
never reveal The mountains open, the valleys
retire, and the forests give way before it. Flow
ers and verdure adorn its course, while venerable
oaks and youthful willows unite to form leafy
canopy over it's way. Everywhere, as it advances,
the shores bend into graceful curves to welcome
its approach, and gradually retire from its grow
ing majesty.
But the romantic Shenandoah has some special
and peculiar INDEPENDENTLY that part of its
dow, which must not be omitted.
1t is pre-eminehtly musical river Unlike
many of its race, who prefer to keep their medi-
tatons in their own deep bosoms, it pours out it's
soul in one perpetual anthem by and by night. 1t
has melody in its heart, and it loves to send it
abroad. Over ten thousand little waterfalls its
waves 60 singing as they glide, while the winds
that sport OH its bosom join the chorus, and bear
the music to the shore. 1t evidently possesses
great skill in its art, for though its pillows are of
every size and perform their parts in all sorts of
tine there is perfect harmony in the swelling
whole. 1t knows, moreover, how to adapt its
notes to the occasion, and to catch the strain
when boreas or zephyr have chosen to give the
keynote. At such times it can send forth the sol
emn thunders of innumerablo organs, or play an
accompaniment to the widest frolics of its grial
playmates. In the evening it delights to sing u
soft requiem to the departing sun, welcome
pale Cynthia to her nightly round.
But its noblest part remains to be told. Right
facing our portico it has planted rocky ledge in
its channel, and stretches it out to the middle of
its stream, Of such varying height and size, and
so scientifically adapted to the variations of its
own currents, that it is prepared at all seasons,
and in every state of the weather, to give con-
certs with full orchestra to whoever may choose
to listen On this rocky instrument it is even
now, and has been ever since we enjoyed the per-
Torrance, literally pouring forth such torrent of
music as would make the fingers of Alfred Jael
ache, in the despair of imitation. This song of
the Shenandoah is our welcome in the morning
and our lullaby at night. 1t chimes in with the
thoughts Of home and the dreams of slumber. 1t
is bass accompaniment to the piano-a sort of
pleasant ground to the entire picture of life here.
Another excellent characteristic Of this stream
is it's love of islands. Look up its channel! See
that long slender needle lying in the middle of the
water, covered only with green carpet, and SO
sharp at the extremities that you can almost hear
the shrek of the waves as they split on it's point.
Just above is another, beautiful circular mass of
dense green willows, so thick and dark that the
eye can reach nothing but the graceful fringcs
that sweep the shore
But our favorite is farther up the stream and
covered with luxurious mountain of various TO-
liage, through which you may see here and there
avenues opening into shady recesses, where the
eve cannot follow, but where the fancy longs to
explore the hidden caves. Beyond still are others;
one oval mass, with hounce of green around the
skirt, and great bald pate, keep you in doubt
whether he is genuine island or juttng pro-
montory protruding into the stream. The chief
charm of these little islands is the perspectves
which open between and vary with every change
in the position of the observer, and in the air of
mystery which they throw around this
river as they retire beyond the shadowy borders,
the imagination to follow. walk of
fifty feet on the banks will make magical trans
formation in the entire scene Like the painted
figures of the kaleidoscope, every change pre-
sents new pictures of beauty, until the eye wea-
RES rather with the endless novelty than with the
of the scene.
But the chief excellence in the character of this
river in our ewes, is its love of ancient simplicity
and it's dislike of modern improvements. With
genuine old-fashioned hatred of ew-fangled no :.
tons, it long ago resolved that no steamboat o
Fulton, and no propeller of Ericsson, should ever
barass its waters, and no dusty wharves should
disfigure its green banks. To make the matter
sure to all generations, it paved its channel with
rocks, and here and there arranged its
musical instruments in such exact order as would
make the most horrible dscord at the touch of the
of stoam-driven vessel. Within it's
channel no craft may come, unless indeed, IN the
funess of its exubcrant good nature in the spring,
it rolls down some RATS from its native mountains,
In fact it is with some reluctance that it will too-
rate so much as bridge; and it has been known to
''rise" in night and send the incumbrancc away
Hence it is, that the Shenandoah, instead OF pre-
senting a scene of warehouses and drays and