Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1872-07-08
The Country in Virginia.
Correspondence of the Washington Rep |

CLIFTON HOUSE, FAIRFAX CoUTY, Va
July 5. 1ST2.-lmaglne in these sultry July
days. while the thermometer runs away into
the hundreds in the hot city, shady glen en-
vironed by high pine. clad hills, with wide gaps
where the breezes come through laden with
ferny odors, and bringing with them the breath
of the mountain air from the not far distant
Blue Ridge. In this glade lies Clifton Cliff
ton station as it is modestly written on the rail
way maps but really Furnishing hamlet on
the Orange aud Alexandria road, where two
trains stop daily.
Riding along through the woods and over
ground made almost classic as the camping
fields of brave soldiers, by nine o'clock the
whistle of the engine denotes stopping place,
and the conductor calls out "Clifton y Then
ensues hasty olsen barking, and, left upon
the platform, one involuntarily spreads the
chest for long drarght of the balmy air, while
the eye wanders o Ell The quiet scene. Just IN
front of the platform lies the Clifton house, Il
large, square building, with Il wide hall run
ming through from porch to veranda. On each
side are spacious rooms, clean, airy and comlOr-
table, and furnished much above the average
of country hotels. The beds are such as one
finds at home, soft, springy mattresses and I'M
macuIatc linen.
TO this house the traveller turns his steps
lust in time fora late breakfast, the 81 ght OF
which will atone for many an unsatlsilcd hun.
ger. Here you find mullins or waffles or fan
mel cakes, with chicken, or steak. or outlet,
all peculiarly Nirginian, and all appetlzlng and
delicious The house is kept by Mr.. Anson Is.
Nodine and his wife Il gentleman and lady Of cul-
tivaton and refinement, who give to Their house
an atmosphere homelikc and cheerful. The
! IL, IL, ,,rnvnrl,i.l v nj ~
roads living in dense pine woods, whose resi-
nous odurs gil the lungs with healing. The
walks also run under caty branches, or beside
clear running brook, whose banks are lined
with MOSES and sweet ferns.
Clifton itself boasts dozen Sub>tanIaI
houses; a w-mill in continual operation: a
whcclwright, carpenter, who is also the in.
yentor of useful patent. and other artisans,
of the future prosperity Of the town Of Clifton.
Over the hills around there has grown up a
cluster of beautiful homes. built and occupied
Wall street. and have traded ''hulIS and bears y
for valuable Alderncys and fine horses making
in circuit OF few miles circle Of such socie-
tv as we find in the most refined drawing
rooms.
Much of the land Just about Clifton is owned
by a lady Of Washington who makes the Gilt
ton house her home, and her shrcwI practical
sense has contributed largely to the present
prosperity of the embryo city.
Just beyond Clifton is Centrcvillc, and fur
thcr on Manassas, painfully familiar to all as
the battle grounds of the republic. All
around us are the relics of the war in the shape
of rifle. pits and entertainments, and the cxcnr-
sonst can find no richer field of investigation
than these old camp grounds. where was spill
ed the warm blood of the nation. The old
feeling seems to have quietly subsidized or else
finds no voice, as the settlers Of Clifton, North
ern men, live in peace with their fiery neighbors.
The town boasts two really five stores and here
the friendly Southerner and his phlcgmatc col
league exchange notes upon the situation.