The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1875-07-28
, The LIE Nard Letters. :
YArroN, ROUND HILL, Va, July asth. 1871

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count Of Yatton and its inmates to the
Washington Evening Star; and if I could
only have sent you, by express, the breeze
that same account raised here. how CRATE
full you would have been. You see, the
husbands Of the ladies staying here sent
copies of the Star to their wives, trying
to please them; and the first thing I heard
after that mail came in was shouts of
laughter from some Of the rooms, while an
ominous stiffness reigned In others. Well,
suspected storm, so double pinned my
back hair and then calmly awaited the
tornado.
Presently / found some Of the dear peo-
pie going wild, hunting up old readers, try
ing to find Logan's mot John'sl There
is eternal war between me and thee, TO
to throw at my devoted head; merely be-
cause .their names had been mentioned.
Queer, wasn't it? But then, come to think
OF it, it must be rather discouraging, after
you have packed your trunk and started
off with flourish for Long Branch, New
port, or Saratoga, to find yourself, hg mis-
take at Yatton, and then have your dear
five hundred friends informed Of the fact
Others felt grieved because I accused
them Of being sensible enough to dress
plainly. They thought it must necessari-
ly ruin the reputation Of the place; and to
avoid said ruin they telegraphed at once
for couple sets Of dollar jewelry; then
having done their duty, and dOnned their
beads, looked the personifcation OfiDjured
innocence.
But the NO one to love" crowd in
sisted upon my being burnt at once; de-
claring that it was sad enough to be COM
PEELED to go on lassoing expeditions, with
out having anyone tell of it, aud, on the
whole, life was about as cheerful as an un-
deTtaker's shop to me, until the evening
brought diversion in the shape of hop.
You see, the reputation of being beau
less was just a little too much for Round
back-and two ''fddlers" up, and came
marching upon YAtton in force. A few of
US were having pious game of euchre in
the hall, while the less serious portion Of
the community imperiled their SoLes in
dancing to the music of the piano, when
suddenly an armful of hats made their ap-
pearance. They kept coming, the hats,
till was sure some perambulating hat
peddler had chosen Yatton for his head
quarters; but in due time the owners also
followed, and then began forming of the
most beautiful figures imaginable. coupled
with so much genuine enjoyment on the
part of the dancers, and amusement on
that OF the spectators, that the evening
flew by as on storm wings.
But there; | promised you an account
of the expedition to the Bears den: ant
as said expedition is now an accomplished
fact, had best begin at once. On cool
pleasant morning eight of US clambereC
into the ambulance and set our face
westward hol" Soon the whole Lou
doun Valley lay before us; and as som,
of our party had viewed it during its oc
cupation by our troops, the description
given, aud anecdotes told were of the live
lest. Then Snickersville Esprit of Flu
phony, what namely lay below us, AM
set US to wondering whether any amour
Of air, short of whirlwind, could possibl
reach it; but passing through Smoker
gap-which isn't much Of gap after all
soon turned our thoughts mountain wal
again; and after further drive of mil
or SO we reached the spot where everyOn
is obliged to continue the journey 0
Shanks ma-oh beg PAL don; on Shank
lady horse.
While we were busy yet pinning skirt
back to the proper degree Of tightness, on
OF the gentlemen, who had been dom
some amateur scouting returned with ii
report that the way was rather rugged,
looking at us the while as if he sort of pi
led u.s. OF course, that made us dete
mined to do or de-" and as the guiC
had comforted us with the assurance tn
it was only half a mile to the 'den
we naturally felt just a little mo
than equal to the march, ar
started off as gaiy as you please. We
after we had been doing about climbir
enough to interview our sun-burnt godde
OF liberty on the Capitol dome, we didr
feel quite so gay any more. And when
good mile had been passed over witho
bringing the "den" in sight, we lost fai
in the guilelessness of our guide, and can
to the conclusion that the fox must ha
measured that half. mile" and thrown
the length of his tail every time. The
while we were grumbling little for O.
amusement, voices arose behind us, and
party from Snickersvile came in sigh
among whom my delighted eyes espied
Washingtonian, Treasury clerk, al
while we were yet exchanging valuable i
formation regarding the weather, etc., e
clamations Of pleased surprise from Il
vanguard stopped us, and there, befo
US, was the eden. = '4tt
Immense rocks, looking as If band
playful Titans had piled them up in spol
form q sort of dry land promontory, Gle
by large assures and undermined by cave
Standing upon this the whole beautif
valley OF the Shenandoah, with Winche
ter and number of minor villages
the distance, and its surroundil
girdle of mountains, lay in the sunlig
before us; while, looking down the rock
perpendicular descent, we saw the tops
the highest trees deep below, and foul
that the idea of a misstep, and conseaue
fall into the valley below, was not at
inviting.
The Washingtonian had a young tele
cope along and kindly handed it aroun,
so we took our fill of the surrounding bea
ty, and then turned from landscapes to-
huckleberries. Yes, they we're ripe al
sweet; and Mrs. L. and went after the
with will, till she broke the spell by ca
ually remarking that the rest of the par
seemed to have disappeared. Of cours
visions of rattlesnakes and ''sich" hs
nothing whatever to do with our sudd,
departure. Oh mo- perish the though
But We followed them with remarkab
celebrity; and only lost our way once,
think, finding the ambulance, and final
our dinner, with an instinct wonderful
behold.
Well, well this is the last you will he
from Yatton, imagine; for soon sh;
be in Washington and in my routine ha
ness again. So many changes have tax,
place there since left that l shall ha