New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-07-21
HOURS OF IDLFNESS.
ACROSS THE BORDER.
stry,rvrrvG II NIGGINIA-S5UTHEl,N RAILROAD;
historic GROUED-SOCIETY.

and every h-g chat rural lfe affords anywhorc3" Tbs
was a Wow q affairs. yearly Northern TIP mas
been REGULAR feature o. life in Washington, ana hrs
looked upon necessity. az least 70 the Children
Ii was some time before l could &c. tho idea into my
head that serious motion boiO-e tho house pro
posing its omission called UP Immediately the most
conclusive argument ainstitI could thiak o., ana ana,
with double cN, ama.ion points, 'Nhy' mo h.at'
"Pleuty OF places in Virginia whore the he0 Is no more
than In Nc-York" continued the head OF the family
GO up toward the mouatansl the most delightful ar
i'm the world! Altitude moro than latitude deter
mines temperature, and You can't fan 10 DC
suited for Virginia embraces every kind Of climate.
The enthusiasm exhibited wassO great that was obliged
TO take tac subject into consideration a Northern
woman "dyei in the WOOL" the South has been terra
ncoguita 20 me, except as have learned OF through
hooks travel, newspapers and from those who went
into the land to conquer rcbconsourcos OF mforma-
tou hardly calculated 20 produce favorable impression
concerning ii congeuial soil for one OF my stamp
However, set out in pursuit Of knowledge Ihere arc
two railroads TO the souths,rom Washington-We knew
So mucl-but where do they lead tot How Tar IS uh'
town and thata How large theys 1t was Ike pre-
pairing for foreign travel without the aid of gidebooks
vet we were only going - 80 miles from home' ana
that into the most famous State Of the Uhlon' WITH
great reputation as mother Of Presidents moro lnhuen'
tial in history perhaps than any o'hof except niue
Massachusetts, mother Of IDEAS
Aplacc well toward the Blue Ridge fixed upon as
orr Sumner retreat. II was beautiful morning in
June as the stGrywrters say, when waited for the
train on tho Orange ana Alexandria Road say waited
for our Southern railroads dispense with the accessory
Of stationhouse least in Washington tie passenger
steps directly from the street TO the ear without the Gus
tomary fcrma'ity OF stay at the depot. without hustle,
crowd, hurTyor what traveller Southwark was ever
in a hurgT-the two cars comprising our train move
eisurcy along and in few minutes we are out OF the
city and upon the Long Bridge, whose name is so
familiar since those years Of the war when the tel
III. ii.
sands who crossed it TO battle for the Union
All was very quiet along the Potomac that Summer
morning. The grassy banks showed signs OF being
pierced cannon. The beautiful wooded hills beyond
echoed discordaLt sound than the tholow rum
ole of train upon the bridge The walls OF
Arlington House, mile distant upon the hills at our
right stood ous among the dark trees, while the caste
lated of the District Insane Asylum, which crowns
beautiful eminence at the left suggested stOred scenes
in olden lands. Presently the National Cemetery at Ar
lngtOn in sight, its ranks of white head-DoafdS
drawn cut upon the green sward. imagined the now
ers Gin remembrance" placed the day before upon IFS
graves shining bright and fresh in the early dew ms
10 u.s. the sacred soil Of Virginia conecrated Dy the
dust Of our sixteen thousand dead.
But the train passes and we in Virginia. Some
how half expected the landscape 60 assume different
aspect as we passed the border and looked curOuy 10
see in what the change would consist for were we not
in country as alien as alien could be only few years
ngoi These very fields alive with our sworn
enemes-.hs was the land blghicd by Slavery, sole
cause Of all our woe surely it cannot have ougrown
so soon the effects Of this sequence Of evils avery ana
War But frankly confess that the hills and wales OF
my own Central Ncw-York were never more beautiful
than those Of Virginia as first them OF course the
traditional lack of enterprise visible in everything
villages were few and far between, farmhouses seemed
scarcely ncghbOrs while the stray cabins along the
route though picturesque are poor substitute LOT
the panted cot ages which vary Northern landscape;
~ orvft,fr IN O.
modes of agriculture indeed the wild roses which change
the rail fences these Gels into lines Of beauty would
drive Northern farmer crazy and am sure the daisies
which fccl these Virginia meadows would never dare
show their star-cyes in thrifty NewEneand acres Tho
soil too Is poor suppose indeed think, the hayeoeks
were not SO frequent in the newmown fields as they
used TO be upon ny native heath when played hide
andseek among them in childhood. 1t is true the 1Gce
Of the country is only tlinly bearded by the heavy
tooped wheat but we resolved with utter disregard Of
all considerations to the development Of the country
TO put away dry utlitarian notions for that morning
at least and abandon our TO enjoyment of the
beauty before u.s. VIC looked at the wheat fields only
TO watch the graceful undulatOns as wave followed
wave over their green surface; the meadows became
only carpets the sharp reflections of the swaying
trees TO dance upon tie cloud shadows to fit across
like faint pectr leaving US in agreeable doubt whether
they were reality OF only an optical illusion. The
was reStful 70 one jlst at leisure from the care
and hurry which beset the modern woman's
life in the city, and 1 wished that all my
sisters might enjoy it-those jaded by excite
rnent worn by duties of hospitality, or weared by
the hubbub and confusion the "hot discomfort OF hotel
or boarding house. and more than all those bound TO the
wheel of toll Even the slow motion of the cars so in
contrast the rush and whz OF the train which takes
you North, was soothing
Almost to Manassas ~ said fellOw-passenger, and
we looked ont for first view Of a veritabe battle
field 1t was in sight, but few miles away, and few
traces Of war remained except some halfleveed earth
works. A growth Of the sturdiest young pines, Which
look as If they had set out for centuries Of life has
succeeded the warGctrOyed oak forests upon the fields
around Manassas. as indeed, upon miles and miles Of
the uncared-for country through which We passed.
cemetery of Confederate dead as the inscription tells
occupies position the battle-ground Its neglected,
desoae appearance strong contrast TO that OF the
national cemeteries tended with such scrupuous care.
am sure Virginia railroads viii not be accused of VIC
Eating their charters by nsufeenty adapting themselves
70 the wants Of hepubc The slow and easy nonchaance
of our Morning Express train" became very amusing
What is 1t stopping for g. said small boy, as 1t came
TO slow, funercal pause in front Of log cabin "Dont
YOU see an old woman wanted TO get off 2" replied his
comparc1, who the locke for incidents
Presently we stop awhile amid pastures, to enjoy
the "prospect ;" suppose, other adequate
ia apparent unless it be TO obge the old aunty who
issues from her cabin 20 accOst official upon the
engine, thus: "HO! yoH, therei You git my churn
lnended yiti wants IL bad-sahtin deu!" If this isn't
accommodating lhc puDlc uou hioN "ndt IL H. AHo
cause Of the detention soon evident however, when
looking across fields, discovered locomotive with
car attached toward which two eaTpetbags with their
owners were vending their way through the deep
Junction the place proved TO be-one OF several
similar functions passed in our short journey Indeed
IL seemed To NE never railroads meander about
State 80 pleasantly they do in Virginia.
"You believe in wOman's right to labor-hOw is that for
n feldg" said a dersve voice in my ear passed a
cornlGd where half dozen black women were tickling
tine earth with hoe. cit is sphere Of activity quite
secure from mans tyranny" replied; but confess this
manner OF working out the problem did not Just please
me- It "a comfort, however, TO see what gentle eX-
ercse hoeng could be made, how its hardshps could be