Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1870-09-30
The Virginia Springs.
ALLEGHANY SPRINGS, VA,
Sept. ODD, 1870.

HaHeutIy III INC nounJAn3, lnSlSG Una
September and October are, with them
the most pleasant months of the year, and
Judging from my present experience,
have no doubt that they ere correct. NOV
the woods invite the sportsman; the angle
betakes himself to the river the changin!
hues of the forest delight the lover of ma
ture, whilst the bracing air of the morn
ings and evenings gives elasticity to thu
step of the invalid Then the refecton
that he is away from the malaria Of tht
lowlands, now exhibiting its most fatal in
fiuence, affords TO the soiourner a sense
of comfort and pleasure rarely attainable
elsewhere.
Perhaps the greatest drawback at places
of this character is the want Of occupa-
ton to some, and Of social pleasure tC
Others. I have known one, at least, ala
solutely driven away by both these causes
combined. Whilst The society is not char
acterized by the excmsiyencs8 of Northern
watering places. yet it is pretty we'll di.
vidcd into gronps composed of persons
who hail from the same locality, or who
had been previously acquainted. The
| Springs in this section OF Virginia lie i'm
mediately on ono OF the great railroad
thOroughfares between New Orleans and
New York, and are of easy access to, and
patronized principally by, residents Of
Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi I'D Ten
nessee. Very few are to be met with from
this Stale, and scarcely any from our own
the lattor frequent the Groonbrier White
and that range Of Springs lying on the
Virginia Central road. The only sure way
OF securing social enjoyment is tho forma
ton Of parties ten or twelve in number,
hailing from the same section. They af
ford to each other exquisite companion
slip and sources Of pleasure, which tie
solitary soiourncr signs for il vain.
It is, perhaps, too late to refer TO the
closing ball OF the season, which re
Gently took place here, and certainly would
be, were nay purpose simply to make re
port Of the Fashions" / have not the
inclination, and by no means The ability
to 90 this, IS never could appreciate Tie
fashions properly, except when paying
mantua makers bills, species of martyr
dom TO which I have yielded with be
coming humility. I looked on the ball as
an observer of life and Manners and as
such propo g to speak Of it.
4 grand fancy dre-s and masquerade
ball was The announcements. The mas
queraders were somewhat numerous--the
"a jority of the characters were consistently
sustained, whilst several persons succeeded
in making themselves eminently ridiculous,
and seemed to think that masque gives
license for cl0WniShness and absurdity.-
This, however, was the sole defect, for
can, with truth say, that the ball was
success, not as a masquerade, but fac
collection of Southern ladies and gentle
men CT the highest character and cultiva-
tiou. The combined arrogance and syco-
phancy Of Shoddy, the pride and ex-
clusiveness of mere wealth, were wanting,
but instead of these, we had the grace,
and dignity Of those who received |
severest trials Of adversely had failed to
deprive them.
Whilst some OF the ladies were richly, /
and all becomingly, dressed, there was no
attempt at Vulgar display: The different
styles OF beauty were well represented
tho black eyes and the blue shone in
friendly rivalry, unconscious of the in
huence they were exercising over the
sterner sox. Shades of temper were not
unnoticed by close observers. One young
lady, q native mountain flower, who came
in from the vicinity, smiled so sweetly
when her partner, not vorsed in the dance,
nistoOk the figure, and was, withall, so
handsome I could not help thinking that
lo who might call her wife would have O
cheerful hearth and a happy home and
still another, in danger Of being ousted of
ler place IN the 'Lancer5," asserted her
lights in such positive, yet silent way,
links TO myself, Curtain lectures il
store for somebody"
TT l,o -, e., ~. -, ~
hing like minute. or oven general de-
;cription of the ladies who were present
Zach had her admirers, and moro than one
lad fair claims to tho position of " belle
If the ball" Among the delegation from
he Montgomery White" was fair
riend from North Carolina, all grace and
ELEGANCE and another, born among these
Hills, who ranked with the loveliost, and
attracted much attention, even that of q
lmony to her merits, and asked, somewhat
q How old is she ?" All,
90 young for you," was the cruel and I'M
response. She reminded me
Il a little lady in our own State, whose ex-
luisite beauty of form and feature, would
AVE shOne conspicuous among them all
nut whether she is to be found on the
amy slopes Of the Cape Fear, amid the
lilies of the Neuse, Or the bellies of the
IGb ulu w 1O may 1eel interested
discover for himself.
If had been compelled, however, to
ward the crown to any lady who was pre-
ent on the occasion, L should have been
orely puzzled between the rival claims of
Alabama and Virginia. The two ladies to
Vhom l refer are not especially noted for
'eauty OF countCnance others were there
Vho cxcelled either in this respect, but
zone, think, to equal them in all those
harms which must uni5e to produce the
highest excelIence-dignifed, yet polite
nd affable. every feature lit up with ex-
ression and intelligence, each moving in
he promenade as if s. in light of her
wn making" And occasionally, when sur.
ounded by a group of gentlemen, holding
onverse with them all, T. thought they
night serve to illustrate the highest type
f Southern womanhood. OF verify, no
nan could look on the scene then before
1e. without joining in the lines of Burns,
Aud Nature swears, the lovely dears