Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1857-03-18
To the Editors of the stanton Spectator
LOUISA G. H., FEB. IS, 1857.


fortunate as to be compelled to stop at my honse
The object of his communication, seems to have
been to ridicule my house but in order to ac'
conplish, this, he has not stated facts. He says,
"We set out from Richmond with two engines
and from some unaccountable cause, one was
left at Atlee's." They set ont from Richmond
with only one engine and took up the second
one at Atlee's. 1t was left before reaching this
place, under the suppositon, that the down train
would leave the track sufficiently open to Cor
donsvie. He sets out with his charge upon my
house by saying, True he came upon the train
when we first arrived and before any one Of as
had left it,and said he had eighty beds and could
accommodate us all''-This is not so. The first
intimation had of tho arrival of the cars, was
from the entrance of four of the passengers,
Messrs. Robertson, Crawford, Caron and Bell,
who said the cars h.,d arrived and it would be
impossible to go farther. Some one proposed
that should 60 down and induce them to stop,
replied, Il would not )" that / was not pre-
pared to accommodate many during such wealth
er, but if they came voluntarily would do the
best could for them. The cars succeeded in
getting within thirty steps of the rear OF my
house and were detained there considerable
time. In order to ascertain whether 1t was ne
ccssary to make any preparation for their ac-
commodation, and the probable number, then
went on board the train. Seeing that L was
newcomer the passengers commenced making
enquiries as to the probability OF their obtaining
accommodation.
| told them, that | was the proprietor OF the
House, and HAD lodged eighty persons, and il
they should stop would do the best could for
them during such weather. Mr.. Bell, his son
and daughter, Mr.. Shields and several others,
got off, and came to the hotel without passing
through any snow drift. left the train before
Mr.. Bell or any of the passengers left 1t. The
rest of the passengers remained on the tram, as
long as there was any possible hope OF going for
ward. When it was evident to all that they
could not do otherwise the passengers all got
off and came to the hotel, but not until the cars
had backed down to the Depot and gotten OH
the track. The passengers had then to wade
through the snow which was almost lmpassaole
On reaching the house, every person wanted to
be waited upon at the same time; each one de-
string his fire to be made first. At country
village it is not to be expected that Tavern has
a sufficient number of servants to wait upon so
large q number of persons, coming III unexpected
ly and in so furious storm. Two OF my SER
wants were sick and one was from home. "Ihe
Thermometer according to your correspondent
being considerably below zero, it was impossi-
ble to hire any assistance in getting the wood
out of the snow drift, or in cutting it up conse-
ouently we may have been slow in warming all
the rooms; ; as to pine-poles have not one on
nv land nor was there one at the place. DE says,
"that himself and eight others wele put into No.
25" This is not so only five persons were en-
tered for that room. and if any Others went into
lit it was not with my knowledge, and could
only have taken place. the consent OF the then
occupants. He speaks of the drift of snow
found in the ROOM" | should like to know, il
the gentleman had room in his own house free
from snow on that eventful day? If he had and
will send me the plan of bis building will have
one put up after his model, by the time we may
look for another annual visit from "No. 25."-
Perhaps that gentleman was as comfortable in
No. 25. as when he found himself stretched on
a plank in freight car, protected from the In
clemency of the weather by the coat and blanket
of his friend Bob Napier. lie says, "being the
first corners, we had spoken for and obtained the
best ROOM" / was not aware that the first COM
ers alacays got the best room. 1t so happened
that one of the occupants of No. %, with his
wife, was Sno,oed up at this place on the 9th OF
January, 1856. Now, ifyour correspondent had
made enquiries of the former passenger, he could
have formed some idea, of what sort of accom-
lnodation he might expect, and if dissatisfied he
might have obtained other quarters by wading
through the snow, three hundred yards to an
other Hotel.
The Dining room is in the basement of No.
25, and the Bar-room is in separate and des-
tinct building. Consequently it was not only
unnecessary to 90 through the Bar-room, but
even out of doors to get to the Dining-room.-
The servants of the dining-room, whom he re-
presents as "three little niger gals, old yatle'
,ooman and black boy" consisted of five female,
and three male servants, none under 10 or over
thirty-fve years of age; and as good servants as
he well generally find in country village. On
ly some twenty of the passengers, having had
dinner they were of course hungry and impa-
tent. If supper had been put upon the table, as
he seems to think it ought to have been,it would
have become cold, and they would have found
fault; it was, therefore, thought advisable to
keep it warm and bring it in as wanted. The
Hallooing, Brown" Jones" johnson" was
performed by the Minstrels, one of whom he
says, "stole n very fine overcoat from an ac-
ouaintance of his" as well as other articles and
if we judged by the old adage "Birds of feath-
er &C." we may well conclude that others of the
number were of the same stamp. Such conduct
always shows, vulgarity and low breeding and
is never induged in by gentlemen. They swim
died me out OF fifteen dollars of my bill, not
withstanding, "Mr. Rayner and his pretty little
wife" whose charms seem to have captivated
your correspondent As to what passed between
tlis gentleman and the servants about Hare
soup, know nothing, never having heard OF
such a dish. was applied to for chicken-soup
for a sick gentleman in No. 25, and had it pre-
pared and sent to him. AS it appears that No.
25 had nine occupants, would have supposed,
they could have avoided freezing without visit
ing the Bar-room OF the Hotel, at o'clock in
the morning. What could have caused the oc-
cupants of No. % to be up at so late an hour
upon Sunday night9 Perhaps your correspon-
dent was lecturing upon the philosophy OF
storms, or showing how men should cut and
shuttle when snoWed Np.
The scarcity of chairs in the Barroom, may
be accounted for by their being taken, to supply
the place of those broken in some of the rooms
Three were demolished in No. 25. He says,
''varous little games were gotten up &c" and
speaks OF the titles and professions of the pas
sengers. Of these know nothing; neither do
/ know what could have put your correspondent
in so i'll an humor. Could it have been, because
it was said, that two of the occupants of mo.
25" were after the Bull2 hope his acquant-
ance with the Faro Dealer" did not cause him
to form an acquaintance with the NEGRO dealer
the remembrance of which, has shocked his
gentility and rutfled his temper If 50, | COM
niserate his case. lie says, mo doubt our Host
at the G. H., did all in his power to make us
comfortable and ''for his efforts we are very
grateful &c"-Does your correspondent think
that this ''rry gratetuW of his can compensate
for the rdicue, which he has so very lavishly
bestowed upon my House? lfso, he has but a
poor conception of what gratitude is. He says,
aCaptain Gooch did not trouble himself much
about our situation" The Captain was during
most of the time on the Road. Whenever he
4 70, La,