The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1873-01-10

tions of half a dozen negro porters, rep
rcsenting the interests of the two princi-
pal hotels of the town. We are taken pos
session ofby an individual of the dusky
hue, whose personal appearance would at
! tract attention among ten thousand. A
pictorial representation Of him, would be
the severest tax that Porte Crayons Won
dertul, negro-depicting pencil could pos
sibly find. Tall, straight and slender, with
an amazing facility for motion and gesticu-
latiun, considering his age, which, judg-
ing from his frosted wool and wrinkled
features, must have been at least sixty.
His legs were SO long and slender, and
were encased In pantaloOns so tight as to
present the appearance of the oiled cases
which some people draw over their UNI
brellas. A closc-iitting waistcoat, and
sholt-waistcd black coat, Of the swallow
tail, or dress cut, which had probably once
served to cover the back of some blissful
bridegroom, together with his eel like
motions, served to give him the most gro.
tesquc appearance. All this attenuated
length was surmounted 10y one of the tall
est, slimmest, rustiest silk hats | ever saw :;
and this had the addition of high, red
badge, bearing the inscription Porter
No. l, Hart Hotel" His dress had once,
no doubtrepresented, on the person ofsome
devotee oftashion, the extremity Of style
( but coming into possession of its present
owner, had grown threadbare and rusty,
although still exceedingly clean and neat
and fitting him much better apparently,
than his own wrinkled skin. Porter No
J l." | soon found answered to the name of
Harry, and with much writhing of person
and many gestures 0t ASSURANCE, he contid-
ed to my attentive ear the beautiful system
on which the Hart Hotel was conducted.
Being soon induced to see the thing in the
proper light, | delivered up my travelling
satchel, whcreupon he conducted me to
the Hotel, keeping up all the while such
! a waving of hands and rafting talk, as to
! attract considerable notice from passers-by
and to make my advent into the town
seem to be u matter of some Importance.
But all this attention was in Harry's cline, y
and was merely matter of business, he
being one of the best porters in Virginia.
Indulge me little further Mr.. Editor,
while pay well deserved tribute to the
Hart Hotel Of Winchester. Old Harry s
decription, although highly colorcd and
calculated to excite "grcat expectations, "
was more than realized in the thing itself
After long day ride in the cars, what can
be more delightful than the soothing in
fiunces of a real nice Hotel. Such is the
Hart Hotel at Winchester. Major Hart, the
proprietor, is a gentleman who thoroughly
understands his business, and while attend
ing strictly to your every want, assisted
by full corps of the best walters | ever
saw, he makes you feel perfectly at home
and at ease. His table is supplied with all
that could he Observation-Disclosures furnish
ing amost excellent markct-and his cook
is a real marvel Of culinary skill. In short
Major Hart sis very clever. fellow, and
docs know how to keep a hotel" and il
ever you or any of your readers go that way
take my advice, and stop with him.
Winchester is an exceedingly handsome
town, containing some five or six thousand
inhabitants, and is situated in the garden
OF Virginia." and thai is saying n great
deal. Built on the lowest slope of the
North Mountain, and overlooking all the
lower Valley, with the blue range of the
Shenandoah and the Massanuttin in the
distance, the situation is beautiful and
healthy in high degree. 1t is surrounded
by one of the finest agricultural sections in
| lio "oliu, anu us natural ConScQ ucHCe,
the town is place of considerable business
Messrs Baker & Co., the leading business
firm, are at this time engaged in erecting a
large steam flour mill, with capacity OF
three hundred barrels per day, and at a
cost, when completed, ofnot far short OF
one hundred thousand dollars. The town
is supplied with business houses of all
kinds both Wholesale and retail, besides
many extensive manufactures of various
kinds, tounderies, &c. Winchester is 11S
miles from Baltimore, with which it is
connected by the Baltimore and Ohio rail.
road, and the Winchester branch road
also with Washington by road which
connects with the Orange, Alexandria and
Manassas road at Strasburg, about IS miles
distant. Winchester was very much dis
liked by the Northern people during tho
! late "unpeasantness," being considered
the most rebellious place in Virginia, and
because Stonewall jackson seemed to fee
an especial interest in its welfare. In fact
he fell into the habit of using it as Il sort
of "blue-bird trap" Since the war, how
ever, the people, with characteristic hospi
tality, offer the hand of welcome to all, ne
matter from whence they come and many
strangers, foreigners as well as Northern
men, are settling in and around the town
1t Ger tainly is one of the most pleasant
places to live in the United States.
VI.
BALTIMORE, Dec 23d, 1872.