The daily republic. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1853-1853, 1853-07-06
THE REP u BLIC.
SUMNER SKETCHES-No. l..
SHANNoNpALE SpRINGs, July 9, 1853.
BY MARY J. WINDLE.

SHANNONDALE SPRINGs, July 9, 1853.
DEAR READER: Another frightening summer
has written its approach with fowery fingers and
bursting roses, and again from Virginia water
ing place we send our cordial greeting to your
distant homes .a
We trust we are welcome. We have a little
garden--a very little one--and we will gather
you bouquets from it of such flowers as we can
cultivate, begging you kindly to fling aside the
weeds and forgive the oversight of their admis-
sion. We are only florist, and have no skill in
the arts of chemical analysis and combination
Accept, then, simple offering, since these
perishable things are all I'VE have, and fling them
into your own alembic. Though their life pass
with our own summer, we would flin hope that
some heart may extract perfume that will lie
upon it when the florist and her humble labors
are alike forgotten.
After partaking of an early breakfast on the
morning of July lst we reached the Washington
depot, amid the excitement, noise, and confusion
which always attend the arrival and departure
OF train of cars in any place. Our party pre-
ferred securing an early seat to heightened sit
ting in the ladies' apartment, and we had from
the car window an edifying view of the interior
life of railroad depot "
There was one great building with huge open
doors--the hospital for sick engines, and we
could see the metallic patients in all sortsaof I'M
comfortable postures, while the medical gentle
men employed banged them with hammers and
screws unfnchingly into their vital parts. Along
by Lines locomotives well and hearty fdgetting
and sputtering, and apparently anxious to be set
to work--now giving loud painting puff, now
advancing two or three yards like war-steed
paving the ground, again being backed by the
curbing hand of the driver; while another indi
vidual, armed with d bundle of rags and an oil
can, performed wonderful series of gymnastc
evolutions under the locomotive, getting the lu-
bricating fluid into queer secret joints, and max
ing the steel rods shine like silver. Other en-
gines were advancing and retiring, running from
one line of rail to another, never apparently at
peace, always advancing and retreating, always
fdgetty and unquiet, wandering and gliding, and
sliding about like restless ghosts doomed to ever
lasting craving after motion.
At six o CLOCK the bell gave the final signal, and
obedient thereto our fiery leader gided ont of the
building along strange wildenesses of crossing
and recrossing rails, emerging right into the
country, and speedily leaving behind the tall
spires and monumental domes of Washington.
On other city lines we speed for mile or two
through streets with exclusive glimpses of back
yards, and often a complete and compendious
panoramic view of the domestic arrangements Of
the neighborhood, as visible through the incur
tanned windows of back parlors and garrets, g9n->
tlemen standing before mirrors shaving, and ladies'
combng out their silken tresses. But no such
matter offact sight meet us here. We are at
once in the country, with meadows and fields and
with cumps of forest-trecs and coppice stretching
bright and fair around us. On we flew, passing
through little village, with the spre of its neat
white church pointing up to the blue sky, beyond
which are mansions for the world-weary. In our
rapid transit we caught glimpse of the glowing
iron of the blacksmith-shop, as it poured a tor
rent of sparks up from the huge hammer which
ground it to the anvil. The frightened birds hut-
tered and wheeled on their trembling wings as our
iron horse" broke upon the calm, still air; while
the squirrel flew along the bark of the tree, seem
ing to think poor little innocent, that it was the
cause of all this parade.
The first few miles were got over in silence
Some of the passengers, with tickets in their hats
had plunged into the English scenery and adven-
lures of pamphlet novels, and were keeping COM
pany with dukes and earls. Others beguiled the
tedum of the way with daily papers, skmming
the cream of the leading articles, being greatly
aided by the size of the print well as the inter-
est of the matter-the report of a '' Woman's
Rights Convention" two columns and a half
long In this dreary subject the perusers seemed
to take deep interest, though we observed one of
c>1J with n utf rp-
mark ssttat acon,a, had too many rights already
an opinion in which we coincide entirely.
As for the ladies, the majority settled them
selves into state of passive apathy, and appeared
to take no sort of interest in any outward event,
unless it was to start and give simultaneous
scream when the up-train passed, or languidly to
ask, al station, spray, what place is this - il
YOU told them Scringapatam, or Nova Icmba
they would thank you for the information, and
probably forget it the next minute.
Railroad conversation is not, as general rule,
brilliant gentleman near us inquired deferen-
tiol]v if his ncghbor had heard of the awful rail-
way catastrophe of the Norwalk bridge, where
fhv people were instantly killed. He then in
formed his listener that they were approaching a
draw exactly in the position of that on which the
calamity occurred; that there was an express
train before and heavy luggage-tran behind.
After this comforting intelligence there was a
rueful pause, and people began to look out of the
windows and compare the time with the moments
at which the train ought to stop ...
We witnessed an amusing scene OF the battle
of the window, a species OF single combat very
frequently witnessed on railways very deh-
cate looking gentleman next to the window ie'
the glass down His ncghbor opposite SAID moth
ing, but put it up. Upon this the first aggrcssor
looked fierce, and put it down again, with NUT
tered remark about his not liking to catch his
death from current of air. In moment up
went the pane again, with an ejaculation from the
opposite side against his being smothered' 81
shall appeal to the conductor slr' at the mex