The native Virginian. [volume] (Orange Court House, Va.) 1867-187?, 1869-10-08
NOTES OF TRAVEL.

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beefstealss of the Northern hotels flank
ed by Sally Lunu the old Virginia loaf,
wafties, broiled chicken, scrambled eggs
and other adjuncts of the olden-time
breakfasts, in way which tempts the
palate and gladdens the eye exceeding
ly. My thanks TO her and to Messrs.
Stovill and Lewis for their corteous at
tentions.
Among other pleasant company at
the Washington, found my friend Mr..
G. L. c. Minor, whose school IS pros
pcring greatly, and Mr.. O'Brien, Su-
perintendent of the Southern Express
Company. Mr.. Foster of the Republi-
can would have us in his room after
dinner, and over an excellent cigar, the
two entertained me with stories of de-
tective experiences which wed with |
any in the English magazines. Mr.. F.
seems 20 have quite a detective genius,
and much of Mr.. OBS time is spent in
ferretting out the ingenious rogues who
prey upon the Express company. Ac-
customed as am to Geographic phrase
ology, it still. sounded odd when OBJ
said, "One day in Augusta, the opera
ter sent for me, saying that our agent
in Montgomery was at the office there
and wanted to see me on important
business. / wen. down, sd,c him, and
talked with him for more than an hour"
Well, it does amount to seeing and
hearing-so marvellous is that thing
we name electricity. Not only does it
enable us TO see and hear but to feel
also, as was proved at late meeting OF
Scientific Association in Massachu-
sets, where the pulsations of the heart
were telegraphed audi5ly and uisibly
too, to the wondering assembly. The
day is not tar off when doctors will pre-
scribe for patients thousands OF miles
away. What field of practice is here
opened for the young and aspiring
graduates of our medical colleges I!
1t rained heavily while l was in
Lynchburg, and this rain was followed
by one or two frosts which awakened
the liveliest fears among the planters
and manufacturers of tobacco. Fortu-
:nately, these fears have proved ground
less, and now there is almost certain
ty of splendid crop--the quality ofthe
tobacco, owing to the drought, being
superior, and the quantity large. Here,
then, is money resource which will
20 far to retrieve the failure of the corn
crop, and although we In Orange cam
not share directly in the good fortune
of our friends in the tobacco-growlng
countries, yeti am very sure we will
all rejoice at it. Much is said in novels
about envy, but in practical life have
found but little OF it. Here and there
you will find diseased poor soul who
gEaws his heart at the prosperity of his
ineighbor, but the majority Of men,
am convinced. do not indulge this base
passion. 1t is too painful, tits con-
ISOLATION in misfortune to know that we
are not singled out, as we are apt some-
times to feel and think, as special OBJ
-jects of an evil fate. and that there are
Others much verse off than ourselves,
bat it also consolation and the great
err of the two Qf our hearts have been
rightly tutored) to know that if we are
unhappy or unfortunate there are 9TH
ers who live nearly always in the sun
shine.
! 1t is a thousand pities that railroads
do not run up hill and down dale like
the old-fashioned stage coaches, from
the windows and more especially from
the top of which one may enjoy to the
full every feature of the magnificent
scenery which abcunds in Piedmont
and transAlleghany, Virginia. Moth
ing cab be more vexa tious than to catch
sight of the Peaks of Otter a mile OIL
two out of Lynchburg, just when they
tower empurpled against the glorious
background of the evening sky, ant
lose that lovely and indeed enchanting
spectacle in an instant as you dart intC
the Jagged horror and nakedness of a
deep rocky cut. The rain was ovel
when the.train emerged from the tun-
mel and the interlacing hills which fol-
v
beyond it, and as we gained the uplands
the broken battalions of the storm
seemed retreating to a long narrow
bank of stratus, which stood still; in the
West like line of battle for the scat.
tered columns of cloud to form anew
upon, which the setting sun illuminate
ed with the pale splendor of firmnes.
after defeat. These fancies were quick.
ly dispelled by the jutting walls of the
deep cuts and by the stoppage Of the
train TO let out small negro boy who
had not paid his fare. AS he stood dis.
consulate OH the wet banks OF the Black.
water, one OF his color poked his head
out of the window and said nfeelingsv
"Boy hoccum (how Gomez you didn't
had no better sense den to git on de
k'yar widout no money ?p
daddy said he was gwine meet me
at de kyar, and he amt done it," was
the reply.
We hurried on and left him there.
Here in Liberty everything seems
subordinated to the Peaks, which give
peculiar and never ending charm tC
the place. Even when you do not SEE
them, you feel them. Every opening
between the houses. and every rift In
the tree-boughs, gives you some new
and delicious glimpse of them. Morn
Ing and evening lend them fresh beau
-,tles borrowed from that great master n