Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1856-07-04

grants from Chicago aboard, all armed 10 the teeth
They said, if they get pass elPs corner" which
is the name they give Lexington, they are safe. We
intend TO telegraph to the people OF Lexington from
Boonvle. that tuey are coming, and what they said
They will haul them over. RICHMOND.
For the Enquirer
PEN AND INK SKETCHES AT VIRGINIA
SPRINGS.-lNO. Ii
By MARY J. wISDLE.
GREEyBRIER, WHITE SULPHUR June %.
Dear Public: We left home under solemn
and promise to oursef that nothing but the inevitable
duty Of writing family letter should induce US to
stain our fingers with ink for one week after our
arrival at Grccnbrier Yet sooner were We in-
saled IN our cozy quarters than we found the "ca-
ro''hes sc'7deAd', creeping upon us and unable
longer to resist the cOntagion, We bryan most vee-
mently to deiace all the blank psPr: "tn our reach,
and the next morning detected ourseit terminating
long article addressed to no particular person and
certaialy destined for the puses Of some distant jour
nal.
We were, OF course, very properly ashamed al thus
finding ourseif breaking faith with oursclf bur We
soon capnuated with our conscience, for after a
little Ut that feminine special pleading which so o.tea
'nnKe5 the worse appear the better reason, we be-
gan To discover, not only "deS circumstances 0tt'a-
HdAirS" for our delinquency, tut even laudabie mo-
;ivcs; and came out OF court, where we had been
Judge, jury, plaintiff and defendant, fully acquitted
10 set forth the arguments that assed on al! sides
would be lar too lengthy al undertaking Tor the H.
mts of a preface.
So much has been published upon the Virginia
Springs, that tho subject has been completely exhaust
cd by minds of every ca!ibre 1t therefore looks like
II work OF supercrOgaOn to endeavOr 10 extract Il
new idea from so worn out theme attempt 10 add
word TO that which has already been 50 often am!
we'll said But suc is the incOrrg gibil,ty OF female
human nature that, with ths fact staring ono in the
lace and appearing silently TO forbid IT, We fancy we
bound TO add mite to the general fund OF en-
t,.rt0I IN INN pyl M
have escaped Il mighter mind Or correct some mis-
take which may have been perpetrated by more
careless one.
We left Washington at the uncomfortable hour OF
five in the morning, being startled from lan2uG
chat by the voice OF the hackmam while partaking u"
| an early breakfast The aspect of Penn-ylvania
Avenue WAS decidedly solitary; indeed II might a.
most be described as dreary. Shreds OF yapor waI-
dered listessy in the air, like abandoned or helm
less ships. while the closed shutters of the shops
AS obstinate stiffness rs if they guarded the secrets
of seventeen centuries in street in Pompcil. On the
sidewalks might be seen an occasional human form
wearing that solitary look which betrays the want
of family fire side. As ratified along, the stones
seemed to receive the wheels with q cold, hard, yet
hilarious sound Of welcome, each stone announcing
the arrival to the rest, till the dlused Kind OF
tlinty mrth hard, dry rafting, caustlc laugh over
tile whole Avenue.
A short drive brought us to the Alexandria boat;
its broad, black chimney silently vomiting lazy vo.
lumes of smoke, while the narrow steam pipe by its
ileecy cloud; and high above all, calm, grand, and
| sublime rose Washinston's Monument looming up
| like mighty giant above tho crowded spires and
roofs ot tine CITY, Soon the wheels began to turn,
ami the boat moved suggishly from the wharf, gra-
duay quickening its speed; and with beautiful pre-.
cision dexteruusy threading IFS way from among the
slow su!cu coal-bages, as lion nghtsparet tram
J pie OIL mouse. Soon the flying spray began 10
leave fresh saltuess the lip, and tar backward
from the boat stretched wide white track III which
| the crested ripples CLEANED like feathers of sunny
frost. The nearer waves foamed with keen yes OF
| undulatng lighi which seemed 10 creep and cur'
along the water like spectral snakes One moment the
parted spray sprang up in glltterng curves, which
broke and fell ON either side now tue as sltted da
lnoud dust-now in broad flashes Of splendor.
In spite of the early hour, the deck of our boat pre-
sented singularly effective and striking scene.-
Nothing vulgar, in the ordinary sense OF the term
met the eye in any drection but there was gooC
deal Of gcgtci comedy, which it was the most agree
able to watch, rs all the actors in it appeared extreme
ly happy. Our first study consisted OF lady, who
though she had passed "Ld prenicra jcnRcssc," All
was not strictly beautiful, striking In appearance
and a handsome "m,itGirc,' not quite old. IL wa:
one of those vehement ilrtation-, which, if carried
on al all, should find less public scene OF action
than the deck Of q steamboat
Close by these, but quite unheeded by them, stood
pair Of young ladies, skstchng III two little books
ga Fsnric Func DE- Fdutrc.' 1t seemed To be Il
match against time, well as against each other
and the odds were against their finishing the first view
In another direction Il voubie Old lady with a mos
lugubrious aspect was pouring out torrent OF auto
biography; telling how he she had undergone fraud
and e1tortion at the hands of peridious steamboat
captains and ticket agonte; all which particulars,
pale boy at her sde-who reminded us of the dfu
sion of useful nowledge-seemed eagerly 10 drink
in and lay to heart.
After pleasant sail we negred the quaint old
wharves Of Alexandria, catching glimpse of its IN
cient warehouses, which grow like so many fungi al
al.
cainations We drew up before the vocGrous pier, a
Ii succession Of bumps sending the impatient passeE-
gers into each others arms.
The great bell at the depot tolled forth warning
peal, and nvo,untarlly graspng still closer the arm
our companion we hastened to seuts in the Ion.
train Of cars ready TO receive Us.
Alexandria is q fine antique town, with an air o
sober preservation, reminding one Of well kept dig
ned old age. The quiet, sleepy Streets and tall prim
houses, seemed TO be taking an undis'urbed dOze.-
The bell, in few moments, gave the final signal thu
iron hend, painting aud putting as If struggling tC
heave into motion the lengthy machinery-equallIng
in proportions the car fJuggernaut-o which he was
bound. a moment more and we gided through the
suburbs of the town. catching glimpses Of open spaces
heaped with lime and sand, ready for building, AM
tenanted by troops Of boys, who were arranging
banquets of sand pies. But soon our speed was in
creased to rate unknown before railways had con
verted our country into the semblancu vi gigantic
implement for the torture Of ST. Lawrence.
Our fellow passengers seemed TO have their own
peculiar way of disspating the ranur OF rail car.
In one direction, business man with q morning pa
per in his hand bending his br0ws the 5tatl
Of the "monry Market" in great doubt whether anc
warrants could possibly fail lower. Another, gen
temen of studiUus aspect and travcwOrn appear
ance. showed
Tha, h. in botany skilled,
lie bore n lacqucred sutchel ncd
With stores OF Floral specimens.
From mountain tops and nossy clens.
just after the cars were put in motion, the icon
ductor' made his appearance, taking deliberate sur
vey of his customers. One thing il remarkable abou
this ndiyidua you do not get sight Of him until tn
train is in motion, and when i; stops he dis,ppears
We can account for this mysterious feature in hi
character only by suPposing that "a he touche
"tcrra Grnla he removes from his hat the word bla
zoned in metal which indicates his office, and So u a
once he becomes ordinary human being.
Presently the whistle shreked, mud with mighty
blowing off of steam, and whstlng from the locom"
tive, and grinding, and crushing, md squeaking, We
sackened speed and approached llt'le village WIFE
O sign swinging before an Inn oi some pretehslpn.-
Had our en- trance into this village been preceded by
the flourish of n brass band, and See the con1uerinl
hero comes we could not have been more CONVINCED
of our irresistibty. The arrival Of the cars WIS
ey,dently a great event in that quiet spot The cbi!
dren of both sexes aud various women with infant,
in their arms were collected on the platform, whit,
not few of the more snid and respectable OF the IN
bnbitans quite above testifying their curiosity in h'
yay went on errands to that part OF the line "f stree
where the train stopped and fingered 10 converse wit;
a neirhbor about the weather. Even the aurna
creation seemed strongly excited. Flocks Of ducks
and geese set up discordant gobble at the sigh, OF
u.s. and nOtherly hon with thriving and nquisitive
tamy, raised chorus of sounds, nodding and wiIls
pering together, as though they knew great dcn
more than they chose to tell. Even the sheep who
were quietly cropping the grass Of the neighborinc
pasture, strolled up TO the fence and leaning the
heads on the lower bars contemplated us With muc!
curiosity and some suspicion.
From here we were borne, almost like thought
through soft, sunny meadows Of fresh tender, vivid
green; through waving woods, bounded by the ho.i-
zon on every side and amid the perfume of Wild
flowers which with their fairy garands traded thei,
graceful wreaths across the iron rails 70 be crushed
with the heavy wheels. 10 a very lonely part OF Of inc
country We passed kind of "Robinson Crasoe PIC !,
ture-a rude shanty in the midst Of VIDE pn.cn oi
a. thnnnh Il had oat ia ,zay mrapped itself up and