Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-09-09

The form of the eagles wing is absolutely perfect gen.
ersl outline and in particular parts There shields
harps thrones drapery and tapestry Of all folds and
forms, organ tubes, towers, and polished pillars
statues larger than life and others representing
gods and goddesses in miniature One Of the halls is 257
feet in length from twenty thirty wide and thirty
feet high remarkably level and straight throughout
Near the centre is an immense eacareous deposte eight
feet in height resembling statue clothed in rapery
which has given to the the name of Washington
Hail. Branching ateray from this is Lady Washngtons
Hail. There innumerabe other halls suggesting by
their appearance and the they
names such the Diamond Room the Church. with its
steeple and galleries, the Dining ROOM the Garden Of
Eden the Wilderness Bonaparte crossing the Alps the
Natural Bridge, Jeersons Hail. the Tower Of Babel the
Theatre, Minerva with spear and pointed helmet the
Ladies' Toilet the Egyptian Mummies the Coral Bank,
the Snow H the Source of the Nile Congress Hail. with
its lobby Solomons Temple Solomons Throne Solomons
Pillar, the Porter's Lodge the Pantheon the lawyers
Office the Armory, the Twin Room the Cathedral with
the bishops seat and DESK the Drum Room the Ball
Room, with the Ladies' Dressing Room attached. Here
parties often dance on the level floor From the sound
ing board the drum, and other objects in different halls
and passages the guide by knocking with his knuckes
his stick brings forth the most meodous and varied
steal sounds which pass with accordant vocal from
him of the company who possess the gift divine in
mellow reverberations through the dim isles of the
rounding cavcrns
Except when lights brought in, darkness with still
profound absolute and utter regns in all these
them. No animal live in such perfect night. No
human eye fell upon these dazzling wonders, until
the perseverng hunter dug out his trap through all the
endless and countless ages Of the globes history and when
the visitor energies from their depths total darkness and
stiffness resume their sway
The thoughts which crowd the soul of the and
rapt explorer while realizing these reflections and gaz
ing bewildered the mysterious beauties that reveal
themselves to the passing light most overwhelming
and awe-insprng Here the Great Architect has mould
ed and fashioned the primal forms Of ORDER symmetry,
e and beauty and wrought the models Of worship and
grandeur. You feel that you intrudng into the mys
the Divine Artist and you tread and breathe
with devout amazement, admiration and fear. No spot
of earth is faught with of supernatural pre-
sence, fills the mind with such emotions Of picty,
almost allied to superstition and of faith subdued to
blank establishment and PROSTATE awe.
After leaving Weyers Cave, rough back-road in the
course of which you have ford rather formidable
branch of the Shenandoah the water rising to
the carriage leads distance Of nearly twenty miles
harrsonburg where You reach macadamiSed turnpike,
which there fine lines of coaches take you either
back to Staunton twenty miles, to Winchester,
sxtyseven miles We pursued the latter course leaving
Harrsonburg apeassnt old Virginia town. eight ocock
the morning and reaching Winchester between six and
seven in the evening This route carries you through
what is called the Shenandoah Valley the Viz
guia Valley or g The Valley" 1t is of the finest
farming regions in the whole country and throue
presents the noblest scenery. We rode all the way
the top of the stage COACH and most brilliant June day
made every hour and moment most refreshing eyes
that had long been shut in by the walls Of dusty and
noisy cities There are several considerable villages by
the way, and Winchester is large and busting town.
Here the military headquarters OF Virginia in the
old French wars; from this point Washington started
upon his early nterevolutonary campaigns and here
he returned after his romantic adventures and heroic
hair breadth escapes from savage foes and from the
slaughter field of Braddocks fate In of the grave
yards of Winchester paid homage TO the memory
of the brave Daniel Morgan the farfamed revolutionary
leader Of the Virginia rifemen.
In travelling through the Shenandoah region enc is
ia
Quoted In Rockingham county pointed out to
us of 800 acres its broad fields bending beneath rich
growhs Of grain scented with sweet clover and the young
corn coming up in ridges that seemed to converge to
point ynst the distances to which they extended
back from the road The celebrated plantation Of Mr..
MEEM, in Shenandoah county, embraces, woodland and
clearing, mountain and meadow some 500 acres, its
products yielding far from $780, 900 per annum It's
proprietor with his hounds fox in the morning
and pursue him the veong day within his domain.
The slave population is comparatively small beyond the
Blue Ridge and in the Shenandoah valley 1t is the
tom in Virginia to allow the slaves three annual holy
days week Mt Christmas day at Easter, and
at Whitsuntide. 1t was Whitsuntido Monday when
rode from Harrsonburg to Winchester and an interest
ing and pleasing spectacle presented by the way.
Of course all labor suspended. The white people
were at leisure and engaged at social their
neghborhoods and villages the colored people
oying gala day in their best attire. They are allowed
these occasions the of the horses and saddles of
their masters aud frequently met equestrian compa
MES of them, of both sexes, dashng along the roads
nearest towns, which becoming filed with them
we passed through The day generally closes with
sic and dancing
IN all parts Of Virginia horses generally used for
draft as well for the saddle. We oxen. Ladies
ride freely and universally In several instances met
with the pillionhe wife and husband the
young and old, riding the horse behind the
other Great attention is paid to the keeping of the
horses, and they are sleek, fat, and handsome.
On Sabbath afternoon joined company of rural
worshippers in grove. The service conducted in
an old log building, apparently school hopse sad
die horse hitched to almost every tree and those
who lived at any distance generally came mounted 1t
was an interesting The service conducted by
young man, evidently Of good education whose preach
ing would command the respectful attention of any
dence. 1t brought back to memories the description
of the blind preacher in the British Spy and rejoced
that the blessed influences of the gospel pervadng
| the land. 1t will bring all right at last.
From Winchester railroad Of something more than
thirty miles conducts to Harpers Ferry whore the She
nandoah breaks into the Potomac Jeersons balanced
Rock the Rapids the United States Armory and Arsenal
and the wild scenery Of this place we'll known. Here
we leave the Old Dominion, and the Baltimore and Ohio
Railroad brings u.s. in few hours through Maryland to
the Monumental City.
IMPORTATION OF FELONS.