The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-05-31
LETTER FROM LOUDOUN COUNTY
Correspondence of the Richmond pisp"''h'

co,rsspondepce of the Richmond Dispatch.
THE CRaPS-THE GOVERNMENT fAf IN" fon
WAR LoSsES-orR RAlLRoApS-fhl'h "f
LASps-A QUAKER wEDplNG-bEA'ilt'h
pprnF AID INTERESTING CEREMoNi-oNE
OF yosRY,s MEN ELECTED SHERIFF.
NEAR PrECELLvILLE,
LorpoUN, May 26, 1866. }
It has been a long time since last wrote
n letter To any newspaper, ana aS 1eel
somewhat in the mood tonight OF seeing
nv name in print, | will write you few
lines. The crops in this county generally
look well. though much of the wheat was
killed by the late severe winter; no winter
oats are sowcd here, the weather beng
generally 80 cold that they would be de-
stroved ere coming to perfection. Inc
corn is in a fourishing condition, and as
considerable breadth of land has been
planted in this valuable staple, the eXpcc-
tations are that large surplus VIII be
raised. hear there is a good prospect OF
the farmers of this section being lnGemhl-
fed hv the Government for the heavy
losses sustained when the order To burn all
the barns, mills, forage, &C., OF tins county
was 80 well executed. Mr.. Samuei NJ.
Janncv, who interested himself very much
in this matter, deserves the thanks OF the
community for his efforts in their behalf.
Mr.. \. NJ. Janney, formerly Of your city,
whose mill was burned at that time, was
furnished funds by the Friends OF Phlladel-
phia to rebuild. He completed 1t last
week, and is now buSily employed grinding
wheat. By the time the present crop Is
ready for the market, his mil VIII be III
tip-top order, and with his well-known en-
ercy he will do thriving business.
The Loudoun and Hampshire railroad is
now running to station nine miles from
Lee,burr, from which there is daily line
of stages to LeeSburg, and tri-weekly
line over the Snickersville road to Win
chester.
The bridge over Goose creek is now
being rapidly rebuilt by large force oil
workmen. and the cars will soon be run
ming TO Leesburg; from that point the
road will run in westerly direction within
a few miles of Hamilton, and between it
and Waterford, crossing the Blue mage
and the Shenandoah river near SHANNON
dale Springs.
Very much of the grading ofthe Loudoun
branch of the. Manassas Gap railroad was
completed before the war, but nothing mas
been done on it since, and it is feared
many years will elapse before the IRON
horse courses his way through the fertile
valleys which this road intersects. we
now think our lands among the finest
in the State; and should these two
roads he completed, their value will be
considerably increased. Before the late
disastrous war, farming lands in our neigh
borhood readily brought from sixty to one
hundred dollars per acre. During the past
twelve months a few places have changed
hands, the prices at which they were SOFA
being about the same as before the war.
We have not the fine low lands nor the eX-
tensive fields that characterize eastern W.
ginia, but our valleys are fertile, ana the
hillsideS amply remunerate the skill and
labor of the husbandman ; VIC have not the
fine fishing, the fiocks of waterfowl, nor
the beds of oysters and crabs that abound
with you; but we have fine climate, pure
mountain air, and density of population,
and that of the right sort, that will make
amends for all our deficiencies in other re-
spects. And above all, no portion OF our
dear old State can boast Of nobler men or
lovelicr women. By the way, speaking OF
the gentler sex reminds me of scene
witnessed here few days ago. Much OF
our population consists of that class known
as "Quakers." In their mode of worship,
manner OF dress, and many other Gus
toms, they differ from other denomina-
nons, but more particularly in the
matter OF marriages. ! attended one of
THESE, by invitation, last Thursday, and will
endeavor, as nearly as can, to give YOU
an accurate account Of the proceedings.
The parties proposing matrimony are re-
quired to hand in their "intentions 10 a
business meeting at least one month before
the time appointed for the wedding. This
meeting appoints a committee to inquire
into the propriety Of the match and report
at the next meeting. If the report is ia
vorable-i. e., If nothing which they con-
slider an obstacle is presented-the parents
or guardian of the young lady give their
consent to the union. One peculiarly o.
marriage among the members Of this so
ciety Is, that by its rules the ceremony
shall always take place during the day
none are ever married after nighttall.
In the case Of the one of which we are
writing, all the preliminaries having been
settled, the parties repaired TO the resi-
dcnce of the brides father, where the cere-
mony was to take place, and found the
house already well filied--for their circle
of acquaintance was very large. The BRIDE
groom is one of our most energetic ana
enterprising citizens frank, free, and JOY
Gus, he is always the life of every party OF
which he forms part. The bride is the
youngest daughter of one Of the Oldest and
most h0nored Of our citizens. Always
bright and beautiful, she was doubly 10 on