The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-10-05
,I.ErrER FROM HscKnRIDGK.
Cos~rsspcsAsne> a he RAehnonl Dispatch.
RocxsaIpdr Barns, September =. 1866.

RocEBRIp0E BATHS, September -. 1866.
The season at this favoritc watering.
place 10 about over, and there are only :
few lingering guests. IL Is certainly one OF
the most pleasant places In the mountains
The bath il delightful, the buildings are
new, well arranged, and comfortable, ~
if the admirable management Of this sea.
son II keye up, the Rockbridgc Baths will
To-dav vas Get apart for q grand Sunday
school MD. mic here. The accommodating
nmpri~tor of the Baths, Mr.. X. W. Mayo,
kindly rendered the use Of his buildings
and Grounds for the occasion, and The
whole OF the surrounding country were
rrensripe TO turn out. BIT the day proved
a close, rainy one. and hundreds were thus
prevented from attending. The writer
was however, surprised TO fiud, despite the
weather, about four hundred assembled 10
tho ballroom ard passages Of the hotel.
The room was decorated with very great
taste, the schools {" Ebenezer," BE
thesda," and "Timbcr Ridge,") were ar.
ranged in proper order and decksd out In
their best costumes, and there We're ample
accommodations for the spectators. The
exercises were opened with prayer ; after
which the annual reports Of "Ebenezer :"
and "BsthSsd." Sunday schools were
read BY the;g superintendents, Acssrs'
Parkse and J ohu Horn. 40
The reports exhibited ~commendable zeal
activity, and success on the part Of officers
teachers, and scholars-showing the ave-
rage a.tendance, number Of verses recited
w6o sere entitled to prizes, etc. ! wa.
,.,..llv .S~,rn u.;th thu iorcp unmh0r nj
verses rccitsi by ti.o scholars. The young
lady who got ihs Frs prize in the Bethesds
school Miss Fs,Hic y. Firebaugh) had re.
cited In iitccD Ssnda - tfty.syht thousand
four hun Jre! a"4 S;,teea (5s,4l6) verses,
and others isl ranged from ten TO thirty
thousand each.
The prizes were presented, and Colonel
J. L. +. Preston, OF the Virginia Military
destitute, delivered 10 the recipients an
address replete with good sense and excel
lent advice. Professor Nelson, Of Wash
ington College, made an admirable address
tothe superintendents and teachers, urging
the great importance and solemn response
bility Of the work, and giving some valu-
able practical hints. Rev. j.. William
Jones spoke TO the children, aud Colonel
Preston closed the speaking with an adj
dress urging the duties Of parents in con-
nection with the Sunday school work.
The speakers made their addresses short, so
as not to weary the little ones; and the eS-
ercises were iuterspersed with very tine
singing, which added not o little to the in.
tercst Of the occasion.
But now came the most interesting part
Of the exercises TO your correspondent, at
least). The schools were formed into pro.
cession and marched into the spacious
dining.room of "The Baths" where the
eyes Of the little ones land Of some larger
ones, too, / suspect,) were made to glisten
at the sight of three tables extending the
whole length of the room, one hundred
feet. and literally loaded with all that the
most confirmed epicure could desire.
Hams, shoat, veal, mutton, turkeys, chick
ems, ducks, etc., were fanked by all varie-
ties Of cake, candies, nuts, grapes, raisins,
lemonade, apples, etc., etc. So admirable
were the arrangements Of the chiefmanager
(Mr. William Jordan), ably assisted by q
corps Of ladies, that the most perfect order
was preserved, until the minister asked o
blessing, and the order to fall-to vas given.
There was enough and to spare for all pre-
sent, aud even to send to those at home
who were unable to be out. Indeed, it was
hard to realize while enjoying this feast
that we ever had q war, and that the van
dial Hunter ever passed along here. No
thing (save the rain) occurred to mar the
pleasure of the occasion, aud l left with
the hope that when these schools have an
other picnic I may be there.
ROcKBRIDGE.