The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1853-01-05
TRIP TO KEYSvILLE.


TRIP TO kEYSvlLLE.
In compliance with promise made several
days ago, we made trip on the Danville ka'i-
road on Saturday, TO keyssille, its present ter
minus. Unfortunately the day was so bad
that we had no indueement 10 make such
survey as we should have made, had 'he
weather been more favorable. We saw enough
however, TO confirm us in the preconceived
oninion which we have often expressed, that
tais road is to be one ofthe most profitable to
the stockholders, and one Of the most beneh-
cial to this city that could possibly have been
constructed. Already the business dene at all
the depots is enormous, and at keysvilie. par
ti.ularly, it is so great that tho company, with
all its activity, cannot make ITS aceommoda-
TONS keep pace with the increase. We learned
mat the price of lands along the line, and
within reach oft for long distance on each
side, had greatly advanced in value, and had
not even yet arrived at their maximum. The
whole country between Richmond and Dan
vile, beg ms TO deal very largely in guano, and
in few years we may expect TO see 1t bloom
ing like garden.
The monotoDy OF trip through the rain
was somewhat broken by an animated race
which took place between the cars coming
from Petersburg and our train. When the
smoke Of their engine was first seen, they
were a considerable distance ahead, and
promised TO arrive at their depot several
minutes before US. Our captain, however,
tsims,) thought it "would never do 10 give it
up SOL and he ordered the steam to be put on
and ,the engine to be allowed to rip ito use
favorite EXPIRE ssion of his Own) Away we
few, not on the pinions Of the wind, but On the
wings ofsteam. In the race we gained upon
them at least quarter of a mile, and arrived
at our depot almost as soon as they arrived al
theirs. Not far above we passed under their
bridge, at the point at which it crosses the
Danville road. If man should pay burglar
large sum of money to plumber his house, he
would certainly be set down, in the opinion OF
reasonable people, as very strange person.
Yet this is precisely what our Legislature did
in the case of these two roads. Ii gave the
town of Petersburg $3.50 to tap the Dan
vile Railroad in which the State owned stock
to the value of several hundred thousand dol
lars. That was the condition-the sine qua
non-without which the money would not
have been given. The language Of the Legis-
lature properly tr ,nslated, was, "if you will
promise to use this money for the purpose of
doing all the injury you can to the property OF
the State, you shall have it; but if you want
it for any other purpose, you cannot get it, p
We thought about Chancellor Oxensteirn and
his son, and went our way, marveliing at the
wisdom of our lawmakers which resembles
that of the fountain of all wisdom, in so far as
it is past finding out.
We arrived at Keysv lie about ii, or pro-
badly few minutes later, and were received
with genuine old Virginia cordially By Mr..
Priddy, the proprietor. He gave us an excel
lent dinner, our only fear with respect to
which is, that the rapidly with which such
portions of il as came in our way were made
TO disappear. may have caused him to enquire
whether editors were really starved at home.
We were sharp-set, and made sad havoc
among the viands, that is undeniable.
We found number Of persons at keysvile,
but we were told that the rains prevented US
from seeing great many others. They were
of that description which our eyes delight
more and more, the older we grow, to dwell
upon, because they are intimately associated
in our minds with the happiest and best days
of our life. They were old Virginia farmers,
quick Of step, free of carriage, cordial Of de-
tn he nink nd
of all natures productions. Every thing
around us bresthed of old Virginia. Dear old
Virgin we love even your faults, and when
we saw an old negro ride up 10 the store in
front of the tavern on horse, which we are
sure he must have stolen from the buzzards
our memory many similar scenes of a child
hood passed in the country in dear old Virgil
MIA. No where else, on earth, could such
pack OF bones have been made to walk-no
where else could such tail as that "prepara-
ion" I'VE speak anatomically) of horse, vi
lation OF a seconds pendulum, have been seen.
lover the hill and over the dale
He roamed, and through many a plain,
And he switched about his long black tail,
As a gentleman switches his cane"
We always like TO have comparison ready
TO impress upon our readers the simitude of
things which have made an impression on us.
But for this horse and his rider we have no
image whatever. death ON the pale horse"
will net do for, in the first place, the man did |
not look at all like DEATH He was plump,
sleek, apparently well-fed, and would have |
outweighed the beast and his turn, minus his |
own weight, by at least couple of stone.-
In the second place, the horse was not a pale |
horse. On the contrary, he was of dark,
sunburnt brown, the WOOL on bis frame stand
ing up as if in defiance of the curry-comb, in
what we generally call cow-licks, all over
him. We have always admired the resigna-
lion of the old gentleman alluded 10 in the fol-
lowing scrap from an old song.
some day an old man came riding by,
Sell old man, your horse will de-
We'll II he does III tan his skin
And ii he don't II ride MIN sgin.'
So clar de kitchen, &c"
Our rider may have been fully as much ola
philosopher, but we ooubt whether il would
have been in his power TO have done what his
'siIlustrious predecessor" threatened 10 do