The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-08-22


stne view wpIcn ae nati saiis sublime inused
Thefe appeared before Us d splendid pare
ran1a, eur bracfnE iii yes uf mountains which
lexfend fors bali d htadfed miles, sureins
}liketfle pillows OF an angry sea, arrested .if
their motion by the stroke OF an encfianter''
wand. ~
sHAKE STORIES.
During my sojorrn in the -mounfains ]
| have heard some remarkable ayaFDs about
snakes. The first was told to me day OF
two ago by q countrymaD, who said that
within the past two years bis wife was Bit.
Ten ON the calf Of the leg by arattlesnake.
He bad heard that an application Of the In
side bark Of the white. oak tree wasa pana.
cea for snake bites. He procured some, nps
Piled it, and the result was that The woman
was uGt only cured of the snase-bire, but q
perfect photograph Of the snake, his fangs,
head, body, and all, was drawn upon the
bark in uumistakable characters.
! While on the stage from Covingtop 10 the
Healing Springs on Tuesday, Mr. CunniDg-
ham, the driver, told me that few months
ago he was driving the stage from the Heai-
ing to Coyington, accompanied by o Mr..
Oliver, who is a residenSof this county. as
they were going up the mountain an unn-
suslly large black snake rolled down from
the bank into the road. The next moment
a Wild turkey hen few down upon him and
commenced peckipg him 10 the most furious
manner, entirely disregardiBg the presence
of the travellers, and not desssting until the
wheels of the stage rolled over the snake
and killed him. The attention of the hen
was now drawn to the stage, and she flew
away up the mountain. Mr.. Oliver said
that be supposed the snake had probably
been after the hers young turkeys, and the
mother had driven the serpent away.
coMMuNING WITH A FIDDLER.
I Last Friday evening while the guests Of
the Bath Alum were seated in the porch en-.
joyiug the usual nocturnal concert OF the
three fddlers, "reminiscences of the past so
wildly animated the breast OF your cor
respondent rs to irresistibly impe him to
engage in the following colloquy with the
chief fiddler:
Correspondent: Are you acquainted with
the editor of the DispGtch2
Fiddler: Do you mean the worthy Sentie-'
man who has writ about fiddlers?
Correspondent The same, sir.
Fiddler: Aye, l know him; blessed be his
memory.
Correspondent He spoke of "Sugar in
the Gourd"; can you execute that anthem
Fiddler: Alas no; would that l could.
But some others mentioned in his writings
i. can reasonably discourse.
Correspondent: Well, do so for us, will
you? y.
Fiddler: What shall execute?
Correspondent scratching his head and
looking wstfully to the guests seated in the
porch: Well, play ''Do, Johnny Booker,
do"
Without another word the chief fiddler
rosined his bow, frightened his pegs, thump-
ed on the strings until he got them in tune,
spit in his hands, and drawing his bow dis
coursed such eloquent strains as would have
made the venerable chronicler weep.
THE INSURANCE AGENTS
of the South are in session at the Bath Alum
for the purpose of ef'ecting permanent Or
ganizition for their protection.
The company attic Alum has increased
very much recently, and in day or two
there will be grand ball. General John
ston is still at the Warm. Among the recent
arrivals here I,notice Mr.. Andrew Johnston
and his wife; but the company is made up
mostly of northern and western people. AT
the Hot saw but two persons from Rich
mond, and none that | thought came from
the South. AT the White the company has
been made up of southerners and Virgin
ians, mostly Richmond folks. And now |
must turn my face home ward, and promise
another letter from the mountains only chen
[ visit the Springs again. SAM.