Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1873-09-05
SPECIAL CORRESPONDING OF
THE JOURNAL.
ALLEGHANY SPRINGS, VA,
August 3Oth. 1873.

DEAR JoURNAL:-TwO years have |
passed away since I last wrote you
from this place. I found on my ar
rival here that the Springs had chang
ed hands, and, being an entire stranger
to the present managers, was assigned
to tent, there being, it was alleged, |
no rooms vacant. A friend happening |
to be present, rendered me his bed,
and it was arranged that should share |
it with him. I was conveyed to my |
quarters at the "Bath-house," said
Quarters being one of set of rooms
extemporized out of the old billiard
room. by partitions of rough plank,
with interstices of from a quarter to
half an inch. These were left, [ pre-
sumo, for purposes of ventilation. The
beds consisted each of single shuck
mattress laid on the bare Stats, afford
inc a couch that would not gain much
in comparison with the soft side Of a
plank. Into a room of this character,
about fifteen feet by twelve, two beds
in it, and two persons in each bed,
was admitted only through the favor
of my friend On the second night of
nv sojourn, i'll order 1 suppose that
nv health might be improved
by shower bath, the rain c,me
down ON us through the cei ing,
not relishing the fluid i'll that shape,
we shifted the bed twice, when anOth-
er friend, "a friend in need is friend
indeed, hearing the racket came to
nv aid and took me to hisroom adjoin-
ing, insisting that it was ''dry" there.
I left my late partner to snOOze it out
under an umbrella till morning. Not
withstanding the declaration that I
must go in tent for want of a vacant
room, I found one at the same bath
house unoccupied. When the clerk
said he had no vacant rooms it was
simply figure of speech of his, mean
ing that he had none except such as
he held in reserve. / have dwelt thus
long on my own experience here, sim
ply to give your readers an idea of
what they may expect at '"The Allie
ghany' when it is ''crOwded', especi-
ally if they happen to be strangers to
| the Groom clerk" and the powers that
be. They will find that, although
| when pay day comes no deduction will
| be made from their bill, ''frst come"
| is not always ''frst served, at least
not at this mountain retreat.
If had been Irregular cOrrespOn-
! dent" and had made the fact known,
I might have Jared better, but [ have
not the honor to belong to that ubiOu-
itous and distinguished confraternity.
| and have not been placed under any
| obligations to suppress the truth.
| It is but fair to add, however, that
on my arrival the place was very much
crowded, and the great majority had,
[ presume, nothing to complain of in
! the way of accommodations 1t is,
however, the duty of the proprict"rs
to make comfortable provision for all
their guests They make no distinc-
ton in charges and should, therefore,
serve visitors in the order of their
arrival, instead OF assigning wretched
quarters to some while they hold bet
ter ones in reserve. The dining room
have found always we'll and plenti-
fully served, and the general manage
ment is said to be efficient.
I have nothing to say, in addition tC
what has appear ed i'll my former let
tiers, of the attractions of the scenery
and the efficacy of the waters at this
place-une piece of evidence in sup
port of the latter, discovered in six
gallon box of water directed to
| - Stokes,
| City Prison,
| New York
from which it would appear that Fisk 5
assassin once condemned to be hung
is not forgetful of his health.
| 1 found the company here assembled
large, gay and lively, some disiin
guished men and many fair women
being present. Among these the most
noted are Gen. LOngstreet and Gen
Hood, the former moving about, in g
measure. isolated from the company,
the latter meeting with general greet
ing and regard, even persons person
ally unknown to him giving a respect.
full salute as they pass. On the arriva
of the former he was pointed out to a
gentleman to whom he was before I'm.
known, and the information was re-
ceived by a significant gesture of the
hand across the throat. And yet, il
must be admitted that Gen. Longstreet
was one of the most efficient, success
full, reliable and true men IN the whole
army of the Confederacy few, [ APP
prehend, would rank Gen. Hoods
services with those of Longstreet- /:
soldier of world wide fame. But the
latter has remained true to his people
amid the civil conflict which was in
tended to degrade them into bonds.
men, and which is not yet half fought
whilst the latter has allied himself to
men who denounce as treason the
principles for which he so ably con
tended in the field. and whose purpose
was and still is to make negro rulz
dominant throughout the South He
has reaped the reward of all who have
deserted the cause of their own people
in the hour of their need-wealth, po-
litical honors may be his, but at the
penalty of Punishment from the hearts
of his countrymen, who will mention
his name at their firesides only as an
example to be avoided. And still his
motives are known only to God Let
| us hope that He, in His infinite wis
dom, will judge him, and his like, with
a more merciful Judgment than the
| judgment of men.
| Seldom have I met with a greater
array of beauty than has congregated
here this season. The bali which took
| place on the Dist instant, seemed to be
some fairy creation. The bright and
beautiful forms which tipped along SO
lightly and gracefully, in gorgeous APP
parel, might have seemed, to an i'm
aginative person, to be syiphs who had
| left the aerial regions on an excursion
/
whose attention they seemed wonder
| fully to court. But they belonged to
earth, as L can testify that saw most
of them making considerable progress
at the supper table, and many of them
the next morning looking a little
weary and worn, but in their trans
| formed costume. beautiful still.
had taken full notes for the purpose
| of giving You detailed description of
the many charming ladies who were
present, and had the aid of one Of the
aforesaid ogres, stricken widower
who brought me a copy OF the Rich
mond Dispatch, which had descrip-
ton of the ball and the costumes worn
on the occasion. with the names of
those who had aided in destroying his
peace, and of whom he desired me to
make special mention, deliberately
pencilled; but some wretched biped