Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1869-08-31

Budding forth its blossoming,
E-~st'l In thespirit glorious smile.
| -idg lAIoH For the Spectator
l..ls MONSIEUR DE LIZARDE.
a FRENCH GENTLEMAN WISHES TO PURCHASE
THE CAPITAL SQUARE AT RICHMOND.
was absent from the city for several days
about the middle Of July, taking vacation
from business Ga nay return, found the fol-
flowing letter on my table: 7aesQ
l. s;ls II 5.9f $50 PARIS, June End, 1869. +
klky.p psar. tissly:-
l. 1t affords me much pleasure
| to intfodaee TO " ur acquantance Monsieur De
I'll zartfe, French gentleman who proposes WIS.,
lifting Virginia for the purpose of seeing The
county, observing the people and perhaps i,,-
vesting in lands. e
+ Ya viii find NJ. De L;zarde person of pc
-cuiiarly nice taste in scenic beauty-he is an
acute observer and general admirer of anima-
ted nature. .
Any attention you may pay Nj. De Lizarde,
! will be appreciated by him, and it will add
| another to the many obligations by which feel
bound to yourself -
| H@5 Very truly your friend.
aft - C GLENDOVER THOMSON.
| p S.A-M De- Lzarde will tell you Of me.
| Atsight of Glendoyer Thomson's 3 letter.
made it my first duty to call on the bearer OF it
| and offer him my services. found NJ. DE
Lizarde at his hotel, in the entrance hall. He
| had jus. dined and was going out, he informed
| HE, aud son business of importance" |
would, therefore. have called again, had he not
| pressed me to accompany him, in furtherance
of his object. What his object was he did not
| state.
! On leaving the hotel a short distance, NJ. De
/ Lizarde expressed desire to visit the Capital
Square, and thence we repaired. During our
| walk, we we're engaged in conversation regard
| ing our mutual friend in France, and thus we
| had soon reached the Southern gate of the
SQUARE catering the grounds, we strolled
| leisurely along up the winding walk to the
turfed knoll at the SUNNI. Of the hill, in front
Of the porfico of the Capitol building. From
this point there is a fine view OF the CRY among
| the hills and a charming lookout upon the
country on either side of James River. a
| Here NJ De Lizsrde halted, and facing about
| ook--impromptu-the very best postilaT on
| the knoll for view Of the scenery. This cir
cumstance, looked as though the gentleman
| had visited the place before, and | surmise
Gsendover Thomson would have thought with
rne, that no ''tasie," however nice for scenic
| beauty" could otherwise have fixed on right
point of sight with such perfect accuracy.
| 1t was midsummer evening calm and
beaultul-the weather was warm and NJ. De
| Lizarde stout and short OF statue. No wonder
then that the gentleman should pargake OF the
wea her, and take off his hat also. His man.
| ner Of hitting the chapeau was graceful 1T Was
likewise, defferentlal, ON catching first glance
| at his surroundings. After time. the hat
descended again and was adjusted with the
~, ho nln f.,r
shutting out the world while the mind Is pho
| tngraphiug picture The hat being done sue
cessfully, Monsieur drew forth his tortoise=shel
| one eye-giass and inserted il under the arch OF
| the brow, IN close proximity to his Roman
nose, 1t was small glass that NJ. De Lizarde
used, of a size to suit eyes that see things it,
| brie, bus in time, take in every particle afoan
With these little arrangements complete, the
gentleman seemed to consider himself in good
! working order, when without more ado, he be-
came quite oblivious OF me. tie went off into
silent ecstacy without dropping parting word,
and 50 he remained as one gazing alone and en-
deavoriug to represent rapture in process of
petrifaction | would not break the charm,
preferring, rather that the restoration of speech
shnuld come of itself.
had waited patiently for some time, for u
change of programme, when the little eyes In
making a circuit Of the horizon, quite inadver-
,enty tell on me they rested uioment, STAR
ing vacantly, and then NJ. De Lizarde reused
up and spoke
Pardon me Monsieur for am so much
astoni>h Wis zls spectacle, Eat | have lose my
| sci. III reflection | come we're far tor see some-
zing like, and l feel myself recompence for
ze trouble and Inconvenience it make me to
| visit Virginia and see re land for zaIe. | have
wish, Wis all my heart. for such place like zis,
/ to make me Eat Eisee beanfIue / have imag-
| inc, now, for Els l,ng tune
lyon Monsieur" said [, shave seen much,
| DO doubt in your travels Then does 1t not
seem t., YOU, that the natural advantages here
presented might afford to a man. of taste, a
| fne opportunity for It's display.
| 20! oui Monsieur, l assure you, have not
seen anyvcre, such place for improvement
| Here one can see, at ze zame time. re tree Eat
make re country and Ease red-brlck for town
/ Que az nirabIe tabIeau of ze double life of man.
| find here, in zis place, ze land be situate
beautiful for pleasure ground and zare might
| be beiutiful terrace. park and several ozsr
zing. Ze pazvay, vich, by degree, 60 up and
| turn round ze hll and zen come down some
| more, ze same way, is we're good for healz and
| pleasure, zat it i, vizout We know somezing ia
4 tigue u.s. Grass here, look like she will grow
Wis flourish, if re good people not would press
| down she's littel head Wis zare large foot
| Such graud woods and green field over ze rivere,
| by ze sky, show excellent for one background
| in ze tableau Some fne breeze fan ze earth
/ ven she be warm and create a good smell. u
day make jolie and stars shine we're much in
re night, aud Wis sometime, re moon she will
| play shro re tree and dance fantastique on ze
ground. Ze rivere, 6nd here, he fall asleep
in re naise of day and wake him up and roar
ike solue hon a. time Vi night Some pretty
1 storm you have here and lightning Is we're stri-
king. vile ze shake Of re zunder Is grand and
impressive as have hear such kind evere on
| &c zeare OF e., ole world.
| Il an extremely sorry, Monsieur, that you
see our beautiful! Capitol Square during a
drought the trees destroyed 10y the ca,terpil-
lar and the grass lrampled down, regardless Of
law-now aGsolcre which formerly considered
and cared for its lovelness.