Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1874-07-07

OF poles, and some Of them cited
in the language Of Gen. Dix, that
"if any man pulled down that flag
he should be shot Oh The spot" but
the cooler people living about the
upper Iolston and Watauga deri-
ded to let heroes and politics go
for the day and to gather on the
erial bluff at ACsrIN's SPRINGS and
forget the past in one long sum
mer days recreation after the olden
fashion.
A few Of the people of Bristol
and number from Un-on, ihclud-
ing the Cornet Band, got on the
early morning trains and disem-
barked Oh the rocky attitudes of
Carter's Depot, where they were
met by Mr.. r. Kidwell and hospi-
tably entertained at his new and
elegant hotel. Then VIC were lret
by Mr.. Frank Austin, xith his
hack, two wagons and three boats.
Tie river was quite low and the
five miles Of its bed between Car
ter and Austin's Springs being lib
orally furnished with shoals, it be-
came necessary to tighten the boats
by supplying the wagons liberelly
with passengers. The Cornct Band
and this reporter took to the boats
and had a jolly voyage along the
rocky shores and under the syca-
more bcughs Of the Watauga.-
Now and then huge black perch
jumped into one of the boats and
was hopitsbly welcomed. Our
friend, Ben Massongill having his
hand just over the edge Of the boat
deposited a valuable gold ring in
the bed Of the river by suddenly
Withdrawing the hand at the mos
ment it was pressed by colliding
boat. But then he WAS entitled to
the perch, and We hereby tender
him a check on Mr.. Foster, Of
Memphis, for it. He and Mr..
Prather and Mr.. Webb went ahead
as our videttes, and went about as
nearly under as over the Grand
Rapids. They hauled up on the next
sand beach and we went TO their
assistance and emptied their boat
of its cargo of water by turning its
keel for a moment to the sun and
then went sailing on the long eddy
below. The grand, the picturesque
and the silent locked their imagin-
airy forms about our winding way
in sublimity which revived our
ideas of the Watauga a hundred
years ago. When our vessels gra-
Ted on tho shale foundations of
Austin's bluff a merry crowd gree
ted us and after brief pause at
the cool spring which leaves its
trail of gold in the steep canyon
half way mp the bluff we rested
under the shade of the cvergrecns
which environ the hotel. Then
! there were music and ten-pins, and
swinging, and croquet and the every
where TErE a rETE beneath the
spruce and laurel, and the. oak,
until the Messrs. Austin seated lis
at their tountiful tables for dinner.
That dinner was worthy Of the re-
surrected Fourth.
At Austin's one is in the still and
msjestic woods, and can overlook the
tortuous Watauga as it winds through
the magnificent alluvial farms OF
Mcssrs. Valentine, Jacob AMI VIM.
T. Devauit. There we're at least 200
people there, and when VIC left, the
young people had assembled in the
hall for dance, to the music Of the |
violin.
We had no scarcity Of friends, but
We had to choose among them. and |
Mr.. Isaac Jobe. of Bristol, having a
file hack aud good span of horses, we
stepped aboard with him, and made
delightful Iun of an hour ard twenty |
minutes to the live little city of
johnson. Taking hasty view Of its |
wide Streets and nice buildings, OF
the new printing Office for Mr.. Pei
tier, and Of the vine clad dwelling
which Isaac has awaiting the fortu
nate damsel, he is yet to win and |