Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1872-09-13
OUR ESPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE
Hills O O'-Chief Justice Runfm-
Paul CamerOm-Grace and Beauty
The Stage Journey over the Noun.
tHins-HumOrs of the Trfp-The
Driver, DC, dc.
WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA.

September 5th, 1872.
Dear Journal Il closed my last letter
with a promise that would give you my
views of Asheville and its surroundings,
and also some of the incidents of my jour
ney to the Western part of the State.
l stopped over one day at the town of
Hillsboro', around which cluster so many
historic incidents, dear to the hearts of
North Carolinians, and not without interest
to the whole country. 1t is now the dwell
ling place of some. of our most honored
citizens, and there repOSes all that is NOR
tai of the late Chief Justice Ruffin, whose
life was marked by the practice of every
virtue, and who was, in the opinion of
some of our ablest men, the greatest COM
mon-law lawyer that ever graced the
Bench in the United States.
The town proper is in a lamentablc state
of decay; like most Of our other old in
terror towns, its prosperity seems to have
departed. Nevertheless it is considered
the healthiest place in the State, between
the sea-shore and the Blue Ridge, and is
surrounded by mauy beautiful private resi-
dences, among which that of Paul Came
ron, Esq, takes precedence, giving evi-
dence not only of the wealth OF the pro-
prietor, but also of highly cultivated
taste, and recalling the descriptions We
sometimes meet with of the parks belong
Ing TO noble houses III England.
During my short stay at HillsborO, l
met with some dearly cherished friends,
now sojourning there, made some highly
valued and agreeable acquaintances, and
had ocular demonstration that, if it is the
healthiest place between the sea-shore and
tie Blue kidge, neither can it be surpassed
within the same boundaries, in the grace
and beauty of many of its fair residents.
Envious tongues, however, might say that,
for some of these, it is indebted to loca-
tions further East. At any rate l left the
old town with feeling of genuine regret,
and a wish that it were i'll my power often
to repeat the visit.
On the 10Th inst, at l O'Clock p. NJ,
reached cold Fort" the present Western
terminus of the railroad, almost at the
base of the Blue Ridge. Soon l was, with
ten others, on one of the Clemens line OF
stages, and started for Asheville, a distance
of twenty-five miles, which it tool
us nine hours to accomplish, although
we had three span OF good horses
| i'll making the ascent of the
mountain. The crowded vehicle, the
hot weather, the bad road, and the tediou!
| journey, so worried, wearied and jalet
me that all the beauties of the far-famet
Swananowa gap, through which We crossed
were entirely lost upon me !; indeed,
felt, as got down at the hotel, that woult
not underergo the same fatigue again fo
the attractions of the mountain section.
| day or two of rest, however, dissipated thi
feeling, and elevated my mind to just ap
probation of the magnificent scenery by
| which / was surrounded.
Tie ascent of the mountain is, in many
| places fearful, to the unpractised eye, and
| the descent of the eastern slope equally SO
| One cannot help feeling, at times, a little
uncomfortable, and, as the wheels get il
rather close proximity to some g frightfu
chasm the passenger may be pardoned al
| inward wish that he were safely 'Elanded.'
| Nor is the journey always without its hui
morous incidents. A colored girl, a SER
want, riding on the outside, alarmed by the
occasional jolting of the stage, near the
| edge of some yawning precipice would eX
claim, " Oh, if Twas only prepared to die
| This ieus ejaculation was always me
by the driver with an objurgation of a di
rectly reverse character, usually ending
with, "What in the - are you afraid of
| don't hold the reins." Well a man can
not be great in anything without implicit
confidence in his own powers, and his
is, undoubtedly, great driver. In de
scending the mountain on my return, | haC
the honor of being alongside Of him on the
box, and in places when I could not keel
my seat W thoat some difficulty, he handled
bis six horses with the utmost ease, skill
and dexterity, and when it seemed to mt
that we had no means of egress saw
through mountain looming up terribly il
the darkness, he would thread his way a
if lighted to his bed chamber, and he
retained by the stage proprietors for thi
especial service, and he well repays thei
confidence. I regret that | cannot Civ
you his name, for it certainly deserves hon
| Orable mention.
/ will reserve for another letter what
have to say as to Asheville and it's vicinity
NORTH STATE.