Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1868-07-21
For the Spectator.
The Fountain Caye-Illumination,

f6 lue cOUnCaln CaVe-lllumlnatl0n
MEssRs. EDITORS Il know you are ALWAYS
willing to disseminate any news, of local inter
est particularly, to your readers, and knowing
SO, L will endeavor to give the public, through
the medium OF your paper, brief account OF
the Illumination at the Fountain Cave which
came OF on Friday and Saturday, the 10th and
1lth inst --9-s- 'e-
On the morning of the 10th, your cores
pondent found himself by the side of an ooree-
dtte companion, speeding onward, to the great
detrlment of horse flesh, and followed by a
number of others whose hearts beat high in
anticipation of pleasure. a- -.il.
Swiftly past 'Piedmont's S historic plain we
tiew--a view of which recalled painful memo
rleS to the mind OF your correspondent At
Piedmont, IN his (in)famous raid through the
' alley, Yankee Hunter met, and defeated,
Gen Is Imboden, Vaughan and Jones, the lat
ter OF whom was killed in the bloody charge
made that day-and the field was lost. Fatal
day to old Augusta! For the first time she
found out what subjugation and Yankee domi-
nation was.
A short time only was consumed in the flight
from Piedmont to the Gave House. (Dr. L.
B. Spencer, PROPRIETOR presided over by Mr.
Rlppetoe, who gave US real old Va. welcome
Mr.. Rlppetoe, L was told lost his right arm at
changed his musket to his left arm and con-
tinued firing until he was compelled to be borne
from the field. He was brave on the field of
battle-as host he is accommodating and an
agreeable gentleman.
After su1hclent rest our party proceeded to
explore Weyer Cave, and were awe struck at
It's sublime grandeur and magnifcence Re-
turned to the hotel and found the visitors in
dulging in the ''gidiy mazes of the dance, ;"
which was kept up until the ''wee sma' hours
Of the morning. After sunrise portion of us
enjoyed ride to the famous battlefield of
Port Republic, where our beloved ''Stonewalp' ,,
Jackson and General Shields fought, and in
the language of that Christian Hero-''God
crowned our arms with victory" Again re-
turning we entered the Gave of the Foun
tains,' which, illuminated by 1900 candles,
was the grandest sight that ever flashed on my
dazzling-around-a bove-be eyond-every-
where presented scene of beauty, unrivalled
la the most romantic tales of the Thousand
and one Nights; objects and images birds, an
imalS, statues, monuments, halls, galleries,
and fountains-spread out before us in one
grand panorama of marvellous beauty, BY the
hand ,Of OmnlpOtence presented a 3seene tof
reality unequalIed, In the fairy realm of imag-
ination, as the sclntlllations of 1900 tapers fell
on them, causing one, almost unconsciously, to
exclaim III there IS God." y0rrl4qfogqqt
A fine band was in attendance from the town
Of Harrisonburg, and discoursed sweet music
Hon. S. f. Leake, of Charlottesville, de-
livered speeches on the political issues of the
day.
Ye who desire to behold the greatest wonder
in this, or any country pay visit to the cele-
brated caverns of Augusta, and my word for it,,
you will be most Hospitality treated by the gen.
tlemanly proprietors.
Yours &C.,