Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1860-11-13
For the Spectator.
WaY.Side JOttings.

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~ ia s. For the Spectator.
Way-Side Jottings.
Dear Spectator Not long since I spent a
most pleasant week in your county, and as a
few notes were taken during my visit have
concluded to give you and your readers the BEN
eft of them. 8 n s.9 i
Like most strangers who visit sold Augusta"
wished to see Weyer's Cave and the Old Stone
Church. It was early in the week when | yis-
tied the Church, yet found good congrega-
tion convened to witness the opening exercises
of the Lexington Presbytery, consequently de-
ferred visiting the Cave for a few days, and
spent tue time attending the meeting held from
day to day in this venerable and time honored
house of God. Mr.. See, of Tinkling Spring, a.
young and talented minister, presided as mod
orator Among the older ministers of this
body I observed the beloved DIR. Mcfarland,
and that lovely and jealous man of God, Dr.
Wm S. White, of Lexington also Rev. Samuel
Brown, evidently one of the best and most mod
est members of the body. | am informed that
in years past his facle pen furnished your col
umns with several pleasing and instructive COM
muHicatioBs.
Among the Elders noticed Maj. Overton, of
the V. NJ. |. He entered heartily into the de-
liherations, and he evidently knew what he
The pastor of the church, DIR. William Brown,
aided by his accomplished lady, made all feel
heartily welcome to the hospitalities of his
charge. When the Presbytery was about to
adjourn, after passing very complimentary
vote of thanks, the pastor facetiously bid them
farewell In terms familiar to every minister's
ear-"Now don't make it too long before You
come again."
. One morning, during the sessions of this body,
/ visited the grave yard, in company with seye
raj others. As we slowly walked along, adj
miring the vistas of unfivaled beauty opening
up everywhere before us, it was interesting to
conjecture that Specie and Baxter enjoyed ma
ny such mornings as this while they preached
in this valley, and were inspired by the exquis-
ite lovsiness of scenes like these, to give ex-
preston to their rapturous conceptions OF the
heavenly world; whittier they allured their
people and led the way. There was something
touching in the thought that among The scenes
of other days, portrayed by memory upon the
magination of the Blind Preacher, perhaps the
most beautiful was a morning scene like this,
and in his blindness it enabled him to feel the
meaning of words like these
"There is a land of pure delight,
Where saints immortal reign;
Infinite day excludes the night
And pleasures banlsh pain
OF the many graves we visited, one possessed
associations of special interest for me- for it is
the grave of friend who is fondly remembered
by me. In other days we were classmates and
rivals at college. But our rivalry on his part
was of that pure and elevated character, that it
seemed to intensity our friendship In one
branch of our studies felt and acknowledged
him to be my superior, and frequently asked
him for assistance, which seemed to afford him
nix ff uiv uph w hISI tfpi fD
We often spent our sabbath mornings togeth-
or, after week of intense study, and passed the
interval between chapel service and public wor
ship in singing, reading and conversation. On
one of the last interviews of this character, OF
which | now retain distinct recollection, he
called my attention to the Orphans Prayer,
which we sung together. He could sing it un
derstandiugly too, as his own dear mother had
long been in her grave. We never met after
our separation at college, and heard from him
but seldom. He had high aspirations; he toll
ed day and night to realize his hopes and noble
aims but in doing SO fear he tasked his pow
ers too severely and ere the day Of his life had
near reached the meridian he tainted by the
way, and the weary one arose to toll no more.
O!it was sad to see the students gown ex-
changed for the shroud. Many bitter tears
were wept when tue friends of the deceased stu
dent buried him near that hallowed spot, which
was in his mind when he proposed one sabbath
morning, years ago, that we should sing 'be-
fore going to church,
81 love to stay where my mother sleeps,
And gaze on each star as it twlnkling peeps
Through that bending willow which lonely weeps
Ger my mothers grave. e@s.s.a
81 love to kneel ON the green turf there,
Afar from the scene of my daily care,
And breathe to my Saviour my evening prayer
Ger my mothers grave. +.
81 still remember how oft she led 49,
And knelt me by her, with God she plead
That might be His, when the clod was spread
GER my mothers grave"
The mild Influences OF morning in autumn,
and these subduing memories awakened by the
occasion, had wrought my mind into mourn
fully pleasing form. He has been taken and
am left. Shall we ever meet again? Had a
being of angelic brightness paused on poised
wing aud whispered to my souls ear some mes
sage from the unseen one, it could not be more
really and substantially true and comforting,
than humble faith in Christ makes the simple
words of his epitaph, read as | wept a tear to
his memory: II will see you again, and your
heart will rejoice.D ae a.@
Taking leave of the grave of my college.mate
and of the old Stone Church, proceeded on my
journey to realize lifelong desire and hope
that of visiting Weyers Gave. 1t was my good
fortune to have most excellent guide to show
me the Gave, and a very pleasant companion in
the person OF a young Doctor, to keep me from
being Lonesome while in the strange recesses of
this world-renOwned cavern. Two hours were
delightfully."- spent in observing the many inter-
estlng objects OF interest pointed out TO rs by
our faithful guide. The Doctors facetious re.
marks about the various things SO curiously
wrought and fashioned in this s'hidden part of
the earth" enhanced the pleasures OF the visit
very much. OF all the objects, however, that
arrested my attention most was the fountain
near the terminus of the Cave, and the most in
teresting because OF the legend it suggests:
Once, beyond the blue mountains, lived
brave young warrior who wooed and won the
affections OF lovely Indian Princess. Soon af-
he led a band of braves to this beauti-
ful valley, where he met the foe in battle, but
in the conflict he lost his lite. When the braves
returned and told the melancholy story of his
fate the grief OF his affianced one was inconsoa-
BILE. One night, after weeping herself to sleep,
the spirit of the slain warrior came to her in
dreams, and seemed to lead her across the blue
mountains to vale of SURPRISING ioveliness,
where he showed her the bloody forest, the
scene of the deadly contest. And then they
calne to the entrance Of a cave, 10 whose dark
ness be suddenly vanished, whereupon she be-
gan to weep. That woke her from her broken
ken slumbers. The impression produced by
the dream became passion of her soul, for she
regarded it as sent to inform her where the
loved one might be found.
mountains, directed by the memory of her
E,ll ~ >lo.-. \