The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1859-08-31


CAroN SPRINGS, August asth, 1859.
MY DEAR DISPATCH Your usually accu-
rate correspondent pefpetrated in his last, an
anachronism which has afforded some amuse-
ment 10 the worthy citizens of Martinsburg.
or those or them who saw 1t. In my rapid ex-
cursion to Oakland, when we reached the
res spectacle courthouse of the respectable
county of Berkeley, we only had twenty min
uteS here, gen tlemen, for refreshments"
preferred 4 glance at the town TO eating, and
so walked of towards it. The fear OF being
left. drove me hack, had made my way
TO The centre, where stands the court-house--
Thus failed to discover that the old Temple
of Justice, erected when the country was
es s,ablished in i7s9, had disappeared, and upon
it's foundations stood another ediflce dedicated
10 the same sacred object! This architectural
nietafnorphosis took place some TOUR years
since. when the quaint old buildings, so long
an object OF interest TO the travellers, was con-
demned ~ an old fogy and razed to the ground,
on which it had stood some seventy-siX years,to
make room for the more modern, convenient
and elegant structure, which is now marked
ornament of the town. It's one OF the hand
soonest court-houses in the State, and reflects
great credit upon he taste and public spirit OF
the people of Berkeley. Ny mistake, is only
one OF about four years as 10 time; but am
growing old and slow, and 1t is hot surprising
that ] am a little behind the time. However,
my error enables me 10 devote another para
graph 10 Martinsburg, town possessing q
very considerable degree OF intelligence apd
and pros sperity. his mode of making the
most ont of your capital, is not unknown to
Journalists, who understand how to por1t by
an error.
The old courthouse is indeed good but
IL is not all that has gone. Some old men, and
old usages, and simple, honest notions, have
gone with IT, that merit at least Il passing re-
gret. The newborn edifice outshineS the old
but if il emulates its predecessor in the solid
merit and simple virtues, The mental power,
the dignity and purity which were enshrined
within It's walls, il Will do more than can De
said OF most pretentous new public halls that
have suppianted the simplest ones reared by
our ancestors. Pardon this much to an old
fo2y. Whilst the rising generation claim the
right seif-complacpntly To attribute our gos-
sip on this head to the garrulousness of old
fogyism, they cannot deny us the privilege OF
a tribute TO the age that has gone by. Like
another Dogberry, let them say, "your honor
viii excuse hiIn-hes an old man. But never
| inind-never mind. In their day, they'll be
old foges, too. and, in turn, lament the degen-
eracy OF the times.
The season here has been successful to the
proprietors. The company has been large,
and has been really one OF the most agreeable
[ have ever met. We have witnessed here, to
a degree sufficient for all practical purposes,
those traits of arrogance, superciiousness, os-
tentatious parading and caperlng, which are
so amusing To calm and phllosuphic persons,
and which we always see at watering places.
But must say, in Justice to the company, that
there has been, possibly, as little OF these ca
prices of humanity here. III proportion TO the
numbers mbled as at any other place The
visitors have been generally distinguished for
coneenialitY, and for the heartiness with
which they entered into the anusements OF
the place. The latter part of the season has
been esppcially agreeable for the mum beT OF
very accomplished and intelligent country Ia
dies and gentlemen, from some OF the wealth
lest counties OF Virginia and Maryland, that
soiourned here. Among the latter were some
from the Eastern Shore so much like our own
wDlilu
| have been born and bred in old irglnia! This
State egotism they will excuse, rs it is an in
tended compliment.
Ii Il curious To observe the company at
| these watering places-to see how much more
| cunseq uence and importance are let on by the
l-bred than the really refined and well edu-
Gated people. Plnchback must of necessity
make a fuss and throw its glare rapid
~ about in order to avoid utter observa-
ton, while the pure gold, without preten-
sion and without effort, takes its quiet
way, assured that no Fictitious aids are want
ing TO enhance its value. Real worth and
merit are generally unostenta,ious, while
shallow pretensIon, mere wealth without
worth and assurance with neither wealth
nor merit, cut shines and swell large
ly every where. 1t is amusing, while couten-
plating the gay Assem- biage, To think what a
revolution would take place in ii if one could
appear with the spear of lthusiai and touch
ing all the persons that composed IL, change
them from what they seem to be TO what they
really are! What would become of the wa
| tering places where such an ordeal had to be
passed Why, even the GreeGbrier White
! Sulphur would never be full. The little old
| white tavern" that accommodated the visi-
tors forty years ago, would be II ore than slffi-
| cIent to lodge them all.
| In my visits to the springs ! have found so
many people there who could not pay what
| they owed, as l have been informed, that !
| think il IL were required that none should
| go except invalids who Were able to pay their
debts, that one-third the space now required
|
more than ample. But allow me to say q
word in behalf of these meritorious people,
Why should they lie kept at home That
they are in debt proves them to be people
OF credit-and let me ask why shouldn't peo-
pie OF credit go to the Springs Are they not
entitled to sulphur and chaly beate, and sweet,
| and salt, and Geld, and warm, and hot waters /
| God knows it is hot enough Tor some of them
! at home, and why may they not be allowed
| occasional relief from annoyances in drink
| ing water, shaking foot, and airing fine
| dresses purchased by their good credlt) in
| fine society. postpone the dreaded hour when
tyrannicaI credit tors rudeiy press their claims
! and thus ungenerously endeayor to cut them
| off from the admirable advantages of their
| grand capital OF credit which ceases to be
| available if they are made to pay the cash p
Most unjust, indeed, would 1t be TO expect Of
| these credrtable persons that they should
deny theussgiHes these gay pleasures of the
day beeauss N1ag owe money. If credit buys
what they %ane is 1t not us good AS money to
| them There lore, what difference is there
| between them and those who pay the money /
| Nay, Ill prove that II e difference is in their
| iavor. thus The man who does not pay, has
| the fact that lie is credited TO prove his relia-
bility! lie should thus be known of all men
rs IL trustw orthy individual. Whereas, how
do You know that the man who pays would
be trusted if he had not the money! Qaod
rat 5r. Therefore, let the indebted go on,
flourish, chassez and swing corners at the
Springs They have high claims 10 considera-
ton and credit.
Bur am sure the reader is tired of this train
of remark. Let us turn once more 10 our old
friend Col. WADDLE, out of whom / am sure
we can make more than out OF the company.
He has made me his lasting debtor by his in
domit liable humor and Wit, and his inimitable
stories. must make another. ms talnent on
th:s debt by once more putting him III print.
He is q man of gentlemanly department as we'll
as genial spirit, and he enjoys the confidence
and kindest regal OF some OF our most respect
able and prominent men. must teil you one
of his very good anncdotes-o le that hear not
only from him, but from co1tempo aries of his
who know ali The circumstances:
Col Waddle has had an eventful life. He
began fairly on his own hook as bar-keeper al
Strother's Hotei-in ITS day the fashionable
ptbIic house of Washington city. RUFUs
KING, then Senator from New York, was An
occasional customer AT the bar behind which
The Colonel ofiicated. The Senator was struck
with the brightness hecheerfuIness and ready
wit of The young bar-keepcl and spoke of him
to Mr. Philip +. Barbour, as young man that
suited his fancy exactly, and ore whom he
would like to employ. Mr. Il. knowing him
well added his commendation and offered to
iutrod uce the Senator to him. The opportu-
nity soon offering, the introduction was made,
and Dayy, as Mr.. B..rhour called him, was
.happy 10 know Mr.. King. Mr.. King inform
ed him frankly of the favorable opinion he
entertained OF him. and Il ought he would suit
him admirably and added that he would like
to employ him. "Davy' was proud TO hear this
Senator's fattering opinion; lad to support
IL, I,rao and r1aaf gu a
way or other and would have no objection TO
enter the employment of the Senator for the