The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1870-12-09

Correspondence
LETTERS FROM VIRGINIA.
A Trip to Tennessee.
No. Al.

No. Al.
MEssRs. EDITORS Having recently re-
turned from hasty visit to Tennessee,
where 1 had gone solely for purposes of re-
taxation and recreation, and to rejuvenate,
in some sort, the WORKOUT energies of
political newspaper man, | have thought
that an epitome of my experiences and OBJ
servations might not be altogether unac.
ceptable to those of your readers who have
so patiently and kindly honored my poor
efforts with perusal.
In accordance with an arrangement with
friend in Abingdon, (Mr. James w. Pres
ton,) who owns q very valuable estate
few miles from Kingsport Tenn, left
here on horseback, on the morning of the
18th November-which, by the way, hap
pened to be the last day of our long and
lovely Indian Summer. Mr.. Preston met
me at Bristol, on the State line, Is miles
from Abingdon and IS from his estate,
which, after spending q couple of hours in
the thriving little city on the line, we
reached about sun down-making my ride
for the day 33 miles, which l considered
pretty good for an old man not much ac-
customed Of late to such exercise, par
ticularly after having lost two hours on
the way. Mr.. Preston's farm lies on Reedy
Creek, adjacent to what is known as
"Long Island Flats" the scene of the last
great Indian battle in the early settlement
of this country, and of which purpose to
give you an account, some of these long
winter nights. The estate comprises 400
acres, more or less, about half Of it heavily
timbered, and the balance not far from
equally divided between bottom and table
land, both unusually fertile-thc WHOLE
where not cultivated, covered with blue
grass, and the bottom dotted with occa-
sional patches of cane. The soil in this
bottom is from to ~ feet deep; and that
some idea of its fertility may be formed,
| may state that have it from the most
credible authority, that field of 25 acres
produced crop of corn averaging by ac-
tual measurement, 104 bushels per acre.
AS Mr. Prestons family live in Abing-
don, 33 miles away, and as his farm and
large stock require most of his time, he of
course keeps bachelors hall, and don't
think was ever more comfortably enter
tanned or better fed than | was the few
days I spent under his hospitable roof
"Aunt Easter" an old family servant who
has chung to him through evil as we'll as
goodreport, Notwithstanding the blandish-
ments of carpet baggers and other inter-
meddlers, takes great delight in catering to
''Mars Jeemes's" friends, and her clearly ar
rangements and well-cooked dishes would
do honor to many of our crack hotels.
From an elevation on the eastern side of
the estate, known as Eden's Ridge, the
broad valley westward presents a magnifi-
cent scene, with the bright waters of the
Holston, on one side, shimmering in the
sunlight like string of diamonds thrown
at random along the base of the wooded
hills; on the other the long blue line OF
Clinch Mountain stretching away in the
shadowy distance, like monster wave
standing still in mid-ocean, and the valley
between dotted with fields, and homesteads
and the spires of Kingsport, pointing heav.
onward, as if grateful for the rich and
beautiful plain, whose fruits, in their sea