Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1871-08-29
From the New Orleans Picayune.
Life in a Trunk.
NUMBER III.
STRIBLTNG SPRINGS, Va, July, 1871.

| lear Eac-W lett Staunton In an Old-fash
| ioned Virginia stage coach It was an ancien
and venerable vehicle, with yellow body an
yellow wheels, and wonderfully capacious /
bay for wheel horses, bay and white fo
leaders-and driven by a colored gentlema
who had much more humanity for his fou
horses than for his six passengers The stag
was an interesting relic Of those old times be
fore locomotives learned to crawl up mountain
and slide down hills, and before Virginia aris
tocracy took to riding on a rail- For some dis
tance our party amused themselves by invent
ing incidents that might have been connected
with the old stage-the matches that mi gh
have been made in it. the hearts that nigh
have been broken in it, the tears it had wit
messed, the hopes, the smiles the fears. After
we-had been on our way half hour, we al
made up our minds our own hearts would b<
broken IN q it and our backs also before we
reached Stribling for more uncompromisine
vehicle. with stones and ruts and iolts gener-
ally, never was eoptEived, The distance from
staunton to Stribling Is thirteen miles, and
winds through a fine agricultural district. Pic
turesque scenery abounds, and the shower
which had SO recently fallen had frightened
hill and valley with refreshing hath, and they
lay before US In the afternoon sunlight in re-
| newed beauty. About four miles from Staun-
| ton We stopped at what is known as the War
Spring, very fine water cool and very clear,
which benevolently gushes from under bank
oy the roadside, offering the cup of cold water
to any .passer-by. It is said no spring was
known here until the day of the heavy can
nonading at Manassas, when it burst out and
has never since been dry. Late rains had
raised the streams and, we crossed several
small forks Or branches" which here form
the head waters Of the Shenandoah River
which, after traversing the famous Shenandoah
Valley, empties into the Potomac, at Harper S
Ferry Middle River we fordsd, the water be-
| ing up TO the horses bodies and, like all the
other streams we had seen, even more muddy
than the Mississippi If blood be thicker
than water in that vicinity, then it is thick,
indeed. Wading in Middle River were two
fishermen one whipping the water with a
rod, the other following with net which he
frequently hauled, y Only to ind it empty
They berated our driver roundly for driving
through the river just In time to spoil their
sport and as far as we could look back at them
they were still whipping and hauling, but new
er with any net profits. As the sun began to
sink, the weary days of car travel and the bad
state of the stage road began to tell upon the
spirits of our party, and conversation gradual
ly Tagged, while restless movements and weary
sighs betokened growing impatience to reach
our journeys end. Only one miserable at
tempt was made to arouse the former spirit OF
fun and vivacity which had existed among US.
Two forlorn gray geese were seen in the twi-
light, sitting some distance from each other
among the grass and herbs at the roadside
Some one pointed them out, remarking, They
look like widows, do they not p ''Yes," re-
piled Bondna from the shadows of the back
seat ''at least they are in weeds" After
this diabolioal effort, silence once more reigned
the twilight deepened, everything became
spectral. There were ghosts of gray hoases
with not lamp to vitalize them shadowy
trees that bent down and shook their heads at
US; streams that looked like wreaths of smoke
blown from the nostrils of unseen giants
spectral mills whose wheels were held uloton-
less by the invisible fingers of Darkness and
rocks that rose like solid ramparts FROM the
ground at our feet, then mysterously vanished
in impenetrable forests. Up hill, down hill,
rafting over stones and dry water courses !;
suddenly the hoofs of our poor horses on a
bridge; white gate to our right, into which
we turn. An encouraging crack of the driver s
whip, az accelerated trot on the part of our
beasts. and we are rolling up the carriage
| sweep toward Mr. Kinney hotel at Stribling.
We were glad enough to exchange our stage
springs for Stribling Springs, and it was pleas
ant as we alighted to feel our hands grasped In
welcome and to hear the hearty voice of Cous-
in George, saying Here you are u to each
one as we appeared.
Night, however, is the most dismal of all
times at which the weary traveller reaches his
destination. Little discomforts then swell into
gigantic evils, petty annoyauces into tremen-
dous trials and the very quintessence of home
sickness settles down upon his heart as he
strives to resign himself to the unfamiliar des-
olation Of strange surroundings The morn
! ing ia this instance swept all such cobwebs
away
| We found ourselves in cool, green val
| ley,' shut in by lofty mountains. The lawn IL
front of the house, besides the carriage drive
| is laid out in winding walks and interspersed
with beautiful trees The locust, the oak and
the weeping willow furnish shade for the Gro
quet ground, and picturesque bridges span the
little streams that carry away the surplus water
of the springs. The springs in the immediate
vicinity Of the hotel are six in number three
| Of these are alum, two are chalybeate, aud one
| is sulphur. The latter is sheltered by little
pagoda of it's own which has very pleasing
effect in the picture, its round zinc root looked
down upon from the hills, having the appear
aRce Of little lake nestled among the trees
The hotel is long, low, suspicious looking
craft three stories high, but with very Low
ceilings. The lower story, or basement, con
te;rs the office and dining room the second tht
ballroom and parlor and ten sleeping apart
ments, the third the housekeepers quarters
and eight bedrooms It is a quaint old house
with deep window seats, old fashioned fire
places and wainscots; and only needs ghos
to make it delightfully."- interesting, It is bull
Of the present DR.. Stribling Of Staunton, Va
The main building on either side is flanked b.
terrace, on which stands, as if on dress pa
rade. row OF neat and very picturesque LITTLE
cottages. Crossing yonder bridge, and turn
ing to the left up the well kept walk, you climl
the eminence upon which stands the private
residence of the proprietor, whose noble, beau
tiful daughter is unanimously acknowledged t(
BE the belle of the place. From this point
lovely landscape lies before you, and all abou
there is an air Of peace and quiet which wrap
the scene up as in sacred garment There i
ten pin alley and a billiard saloon on tht
grounds, aad pleasant drives in every direction
Within pleasant walking distance Of the hote
is magnesia spring and two more chalybea
springs. while for ordinary use there is an abun
dance of freestone water brought down to tn
house from spring on the opposite mountain
This is said to be wonderfully productive 0
beautiful compilations The table is supplied
with an abundance of pure milk and deliciou
butter venlson, mutton, beef and vegetables
Chickens are less plentiful, but are very mic
when we do get them; the servants are all pc
: lite and attentive, the table and bed linen scru
pulously clean, and every officer about the es
tablishment is gentlemanly and regardful c
the guests, comfort and happiness. We deer
it sort OF al Eden among watering places
but, OF course, it has its grumblers, as sue
places ever must have There is always a Gel
tain class OF people who never get ''anythin
| Il e