Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1857-01-28
Showed Up.

some eoneeption of what the people hereaoouts
have experienced since the memorable Iotl' oivai-
nary. We have been literally bound up, Storm
STAYED, and entirely cut off from the great
world, outside of our own "Happy Valley" AT
the date of lastissue, we little imagined that up
to this present writing Saturday night the s4th)
we should still be in profound ignorance IN re-
gard to matters and things generally, North anu
South. East and West. A whole week without
mail from Richmond The curiosity OF an
Editor under such distressing circumstances,
may be better imagined than described. we
have some faint recollection of such place as
the metropolis of Virginia, but does II sun eA,
ist? Is Charlottesville still standing, or does IL
lie in smouldering ruins9 Are the klchnionu
papers still published and do our frlends oocn-
ran and Alexander, of the Charlottesvl!ie jour
mails, still drive the quill? Is theresa tnlns
as the Union of the States? Is washington VI
tv inhabited and Congress. assembled "iSoo'h
of the Nation, has any progress been made IN lhe
olor;ops work of ferreting out the corruption OF
your members? These are Interesting Inquiries
but we are unable to obtain the slightest ihlor-
nation in regard to them. 1t is some rehel'
however, to know that Waynesboro and FISHERS
vile are still in statu quo, as we were happy 10
learn from Mr.. John B. Smith, who worked his
way TO Staunton on Saturday last, and entered
our sanctum like ghost. BY him we forwarded
to our subscribers at those points copies otour last
weeks paper and in its columns they will ascer-
tain the cause of the delay.
Since Wednesday we have rec eived tcings
from ''down the Valley" as far as Woodstock
and SUP the Valley" as far as Lezington-all
beyond those places is terra lneognato-an I'M
known region. The first paper we received al
ter the "great storm" hailed from Kansas Terri
tory, which we presume came on "the wings OF
the wind.n So far as we could gather from its
columns, quiet prevailed in that country before
the world fell asleep. On Saturday morning
the Rockingham Register came to hand, from
which we learned that while the snow fell IN
Rockingham and Augusta, fire smoke and huge
STOKES were belched forth from the summit OF
mountain in the county of Pendleton When
will wonders ceases Speaking of the Pendleton
volcano, it has been suggested that in default
of foreign supply of news, Editors are some
times justified in resort to "home manutae-
ture.n and we know ourselves that they are
sometimes 'hard up" for paragraph. For In
instance our friend and neighbor the Vindicato'
informs us in his last paper, that the wheat which
looked well few weeks ago, now presents a
very unpromising appearance. According tc
our observation the wheat does not present any
appearance at ALL But these things are aowa-
BILE when every thing is showed up.
The mail carrier from West View was flrst to
arrive after the snow storm-he deserves pre-
MUM for his energy. On Wednesday an engine
came up from Waynesboro, and reported that the
Railroad track was passable over the mountain
to Greenwood. 1t proceeded West to open the
track, and on returning brought the news that
there was no obstruction to travel in that dlrec-
ton. But still the Eastern cars do not come,
and we are entirely ignorant of their wherea-
bouts.
Tn the meantime we have had excellent
sleighing through our streets whenever the ther-
mosneter would hold up little. Everything IN
the nature of sleigh, was called into requsltion
and the bells kept upa continual jingle. Inc
bows too have taken advantage OF the opportu-
nity to indulge in their favorite sport OF sliding
down hill," and every urchin in town has been
at it. But on Thursday evening there came
bitter spell which put an end to all out door a
musements. On Friday morning the mercury
fell to mi,sus eleven Every other employment
was abandoned to the single effort 20 keep
warm. The effects of extreme cold were yisl'
BILE all around. We dipt into our inkstand, and
the pen came out unstained our paste cup was
filed with a mass of ice; and even the scissors
stuck to our fingers with sensation OF burning
Streams never known to freeze before, were COW
cred with ice. The fowls refused to take to
their accustomed roosts, but covered in shelter
ed hooks and our favorite Shanghai still droops
about, his comb cut, hopelessly crest fallen.
Such terrible spell OF weather has not been
experienced in this section of country tor the
last thirty usars The ''oldest inhabitant" can
recollect nothing like it, and we have searched
the files of the Spectator in vain for its parai-
lei. On the whole, however, we have managed
to get along comfortably, thanks to the vista
ton of kind friends and agreeable companions.
Experience has satisfied us that we can do with
out Richmond, but how Richmond can survive
the loss of communication with Staunton Tor
an entire week, we cannot imagine. The be-
reaved people of that city have our profound
est sympathy, as these black lines will testify II
thew ever reach their destination.