Union County star and Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1859-1864, 1864-06-03
sIAH CHRONICLE
Three Days in Cumberland Valley,
and East of 1t.

ana East OF IL.
IT'S A QUARTER OF A CENTURY SINCE
1t is singular what train Of long DOR
mant recollec,ions are awakened, at times,
by triHing incident.
Between Gettysburg and Petersburg,
coming up a gentle bill, my attention was
suddenly drawn to small house, on .
corner Of crossroads, having q "stoop' 10
front along its FIRST storey. The fact
flashed across my mind that it was Col.
Bal'zar Snyder's tavern stand. Unknown
and un,hought Of our landlord had sent
Us on the very road had travelled on my
only previous visit to the region-yet
nothing, from Carlisle to Gettysburg, did
I recognize, save that dingy old house,
that | had forgotten SO many, many years.
The way of that imprint on my memory
as find BY refreshing myself with the
dates, at bome-was on this wise.
Just before becoming of age Oike most
careless, fearless, wandering YOUTH | de-
sired to see more Of this vain world, and
got as far as Harrisburg by stage. At
that time, there was very little work to be
had, and my money was pretty nearly
call" However, one fne day in Spring,
I turned southwark for a foot voyage to
Mount Veruon-pack 90 my back, staff in
hand, generally bread and cheese in pocket,
my drink when dry in any brook or spring
alotg my track. Thus provided, made
my journey, going from II to 80 miles a
day, Satisfying myself, now, that then
| might have made a soldier) My first
days record names Allen, Pennsborough,
Silver spriDg-(no stirmans'owu, nor
MechanicsbuIs or "Pinehgut" them
"Hogtown," (Hougetoxn, now)-klngs-
ton, Mddlesex, Penrose's Mills. Sunday
in Carlisle. Ga 18th March, passed over
South Mountain, where the snow was two
to three fee: deep, and, melting, had
saelIed bridgeless branch Of the Yellow
Breeches creek: jumped over, at the
cost Of q grievous rent iu my apparel,
while my travelling companion (wbo lived
near b, missed, and fell into the water.
It seemed impossible to realize that where
we two bad logged over that silent noun.
tain, and through the "slush," joking aud
chatting all alone, a quarter of century
after there should throDg huge army of
grisly enemies Of our country, provided
with every engine Of death, and followed
10 opposition by brother Americaus-per-
haps from my own town. "At Peters
burg, . pretty little lady gave me one Of
the best cold bites ever did hive"
perhaps she is now the laudlady who
Just entertained US so well, and who has
son in the army.) "Af,er dark, stopped
q, Snyder's tavern, in Heidelburg, and
dried my feet. noisy Loco there, who
declared that the Wings we're like the
Federalists and Tories-would never f fght
for the country: but be was shut up by
some one referring to a company from the
region in the war of 1912, which bad four
Democrats only, two of whom deserted a,
the first danger, Of whom the last speaker
was one.' (Such brugearts adOru our day.
At Gettysburg, l was kindly directed by
gentleman of foreign birth, (whose son-iu-
law first happened to meet, and who was
equally polite, on my next trip to the
pIace) Visited the school Of an d,time
teacher, (whose friends yesterday accom-.
panied US to the battle field Expressed
, hope that Thad. Stevens would have a
wider range of influence by virtue Of po-
'i,ion, aud would BE- felt on the Slavery
question, (aud to-day, delegated by Lan-
,as,er, as Administration leader Of the
over House 10 Congress, Stevens is the
giant adversary of the Slave Power)
Now, of all that long, dreary walk from
Carlisle to Gettysburg, remember much
q general, but no particular point, thing,
II person, except Bal,znr's plain taveru-
lot even Bal'zar himself, who l believe
las passed away. Then l was mostly
lone-but have company, now, who then
had never seen. Tired and hungry as
was that dismal day, l enjoyed my plain
are better than l now digest tavern bills
!. 81 so, and $40 per diem carriage rides
o this pleasant May. The quarter Of
eutury since 1 trudged along here, has
een big With eveuts-is is long time to
% back to, step BY step, and fill up the
ears and seasons and months and weeks
nd nights aud hours and moments between
yet, starting back a. : bound, it seems
ut as yesterday, aud my heart as young
s ever-So much for the "reminiscences
wakeued BY that old tavern stand
1t would be tiresome to travel over
gain, in mind, my jauut to Mount Yer.
on, suggested BY that isolated, talismanic,
awakener. ALLOW me to add
,at at Gettysburg | 6rst saw, at funeral,
,me Of the Amish or Dunksrds their