The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1870-06-10


grounds are of the most elaborate and
magnificent ORDER unsurpassed for beauty
and convenience in the South or out of it.
The grounds comprise 70 acres, and are gor
geously ornamented with trees and shrubs
and flowers. There is more than a mile
Of continuous serpentine walks for the
young ladies to promenade in, Ill tastefully
bordered with towering shrubbery.-
Fruits in great variety, including berric'
and grapes in great abundance, grow in al
parts of the grounds, at all times in their
season accessible to the inmates and the
young ladies seem, in their beautiful and
well-ordered "home school," to be as hap.
ply rs the first inhabitants of Eden betore
TINT snake came al1Rg. The buildings are
extensive, convenient and imposing, and
capable OF accommodating from 125 to $50
boarders. The Faculty is equal to any
anywhere; and if | were young again,
believe | might be bewildered at the sight
of the bright eyes, sunny curls, and fairy
like forms, that sport amid the flowers of
the campus on calm summer evenings -
Some Of our young men arc half crazy now,
but they dare not pass the incosure, cx-
cept to see sister or II cOuSiR-and they
all have cousins, Of course-and even then
nearly every tree and bush and flower
seems to say--"thus far shalt thou 90 and
no farther"
The "Stonewall Jackson Institute" un-
der the patronage of the Presbyterian
Church, is yet in its infancy, but promises
to become popular as it becomes older and
better known. The buildings, formerly
the residence of the late Gen. John b.
Floyd, Ex-Governor of Virginia and Secre-
Fan, ,,f W,
are large, handsome and well arranged,
and the grounds, tho less extensive than
those of Martha Washington, are never.
thcless, extensive enough for usefulness and
pleasure, and are handsomely embellished.
The Catholic Convent called "Academy
OF Visitation b. V. NJ" is large building,
with some three acres of ornamentcd
grounds, with willow lined stream flow
ing through the centre. 1t is also in its
infancy, conducted 10y u Mother Superior
and corps of Sisters, has made favor
able impression upon the public, and is
Literally patronized, for new institution,
in country almost exclusively Protestant
In addition to the foregoing institutions
for the education of females, we have II
very excellent Male Academy, and few
miles away, in a retired and beautiful val
ley, emory e. Henry College," which
grades as high as any in the South, except,
perhaps, the University. Before the war,
this college had an annual matriculation
OF from to 300, and even now, in the i'm
poverished and still partially unsettled
condition Of our section, has within its
walls near 200 students.
Ii there is any more picturesque country
than that which surrounds Abingdon, |
have never had the pleasure of seeing it
that is, according to my idea of the grand
and beautiful in nature. For mile or two
round the country is neutrality-suspicious.
the term rolling would be more correct
interspersed with number Of holder hills,
generally wooded, standing out like minia-
ture islands in storm tossed sea- Du-
ing spring and summer the whole face Of
the earth, eXceptthe cultivated fields, seems
to be covered with a carpet Of green irreg-
ularly figured with ild.ilowers-a grand
rural picture with frame work of noun
tains.
with all the advantages above cnumcra-
ted, with cheap lands and u constant de-
mand for mechanics and lab0rcrs Of all
kinds and classes, are there not scores of
young men in your county who might bet
ter their condition by pulling up stakes at
home and trying their fortunes in coun-
try comparatively new? think so, and if
there be such, will, with great deal of
pleasure, give them the best information
at my command; but upon the subject of
lands willre them to my friends, Messrs.
Page q Jones, ofthis place, who will cheer
fully and promptly respond to all inqui-
ries.
Hoping that this letter, tho somewhat
longer than you might like it, and Of less
general interest, perhaps, will prove ac-
ceptable to yourselves and some Of your
readers, | am,
Yours, respectfully,
G. b. c.
JL;D17op u, Juno