Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1873-10-25
LETTER FROM WEST VIRGINIA.
FRANKLIN,
Pendleton Co, w. Va. {
Oct. Is. 1877;

concluding that it had CROUCH OF the
Claim business, gave completely ont,
and your correspondent was forced 10
walk TO Phillippi, distant forty miles;
AT this place we puronaseo aho'''r anu
proceeded TO canvass Barbour
This is a good county and well I'M
proved. 'Phillippi, the county seat, is
thriving little town. full Of good morals
and legal talent. While near Beling-
ton, twelve miles from Phillippi, whom
should we meet, but the able proprietor
of the Spirit of Jefferson" Mr.. Dial
yarn, riding borrowed horse, in all
his editorial dignity. We were very
,acreeably surprised to meet one of our
countv-men, and we assure you 1t made
us feel good Mr. ID. was about to Wis
it a friend of his in Barbour, and we
know that he had quite 4 pleasant time.
Success TO the Spirit and its genial edi-
tor
From Barbour we passed into Up
shur, another fine county. Buckhan-
non, the county-seat, we'll deserves the
renown it has, for the beauty of It's sit
nation. and of the surrounding country.
This, undoubtedly, should be the capt.
tai of our little State. Situated as 1t Is,
about the centre of the State, it certain
" would be 5more desirable than the
present one, which is away off on one
Side. full Of whiskey and lager-beer
drinkers, corrupt politicians, public fund
stealers, and one-horSe lawyers.
We also had the pleasure of visiting
the ASYLUM at Weston, Lewis county.
This is noble looking edifice, and
when completed will be one Of the ii
nest of that kind of institutions in the
country 1t is full to overlooking with
''poor unfortunates, but space will not
permit description.
Passing through Harrison and Tay-
lar, we tarried short time III Clarks-
burg and Grafton, also in Pruntytown,
the home of our democratic representa-
tive, b. f. Martin.
Leaving these reluctantly, we enter
Tucker, rendered so famous by the VII
tingS of Porte Crayon, in HarperS
Monthly, entitled, ''In the Mountains.
We passed over the same ground that
this famous author did, and found that
he stretched his imagination so far, that
the people and country he describes,
bear no resemblance to the people and
and country along Black Fork and
Ganely. For instance, he represents
billie Wyatt, as a blooming but sad
Young woman, disappointed in love,
&c. but if Ollie was living to-day, she
would be nearly one hundred years old.
She was dead before Porte Crayon Wis
led that country, and she never played
= tuue on a violin in her life. The love
story which he wrote concerning her IS
not true. That immense chestnut tree
which he describes is not very large,
and Mnlinix SAYS the ''bear skin story
is 4 fraud. We saw him and soldier
White. and they say that ii Porte ever
comes up in that country again, they
will duck him.
This is the best country for game we
have ever been in. The streams are
full of trout. and the vast forests, GOV
erjuo thousands of acres, are abundant
in deer aud other game OIL can rae
for twenty miles and not see mouse.
We followed bride path for SIXTY
miles and only saw two houses but on
an average, along Black Fork and Dry
Fork of Cheat, the houses are about
five miles apart.
We were informed that the citizens
of this County make any amount OF
whisky and apple brandy. EntorceS OF
fine Inv, 90 out in the wilds OF Cheat,
and stop these distillers. Why stand
We around the market place, why stand
We idle &? But stay. First haze your
lives insured. Your horses well Shod'
make your wills and trust to proNl-
,cnce for the result For there was a
United States officer out here once upon
= time. cndeavoring to put check to
this distilled damnation, but having
such hard time of it, sworc that II ne
could oet out alive, he would hereafter
represent Tucker as fright side up with
care" Query, who was that Oni'ed
States officer? -,
After remaining q few days in the
Canaan country, we crossed the AAe-
GAMES and came into Grant.
This Canaan country extends Tor
miles and has only one resident, a MT
Cosnar. who keeps q sort of hotel Tor
tourists. He charges enormous prices
and in the summer realizes considerable
money. lie has remarkable sOn,aged
81. who, to within the last year was
never inside of school-housc. This
son, always, had great desire Tor
knowledge, but having nothing within
his reach, but a Bible and hymn-book,
bv these alone, learned to read and
write. the latter in printed style. by
these means he was converted and came
all the way to Petersburg, in Grant
county, to Join the Church. The ladies
Of Grant becoming aware OF this, took
CHARGE of him, sent him to school IN
that place, for six months, during which
time he prepared himself for the Wash
inoton and Lee University, and is there
at present at the head of his class; lie
has Great poetic talent, but the ladies,
God bless them all, are educating him
for the ministry. We read some OF MS
poems and thought that they displayed
considerable talent. They are all OF a
religious character. SO much Tor luck
or.
Passing through Grant and Hardy,
both of which are familiarity known to