Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1876-08-22
Simmer Touring In Virginia.

OF the Alexandria Gazette.
SALEM, August 81, 1875 believing 10 the
ancient adage that, when you want to kuow
country, the best method Of travelling is 10
take thy sta 10 thy hand, and walk through
it," we-for there was quite party OF us
took our carriages, several most excellent SAD
die horses-ior ladies' and gcntIemen-walkIng
suits, canes, aud as there was a Iank along
the inevitable umbrella; aud amid the hearty
good bycs Of friends an'l acqualnIances, started
from the lively town Of Warrcnton, en- route
for 80 trip.
1t was one of those damp disagreoable days,
when one was ever in dnubt whether II would
raiu, or NOT would it pour, Or clear ny I Such
questions as these were asked, every few nu'
utes of the weather wise. Woe to him who
prophcsird, You cannot start to-day. Ills
murcurlal brain fell many degrees, IN twinkle
at last, becoming desperate, the ladies declar-
ed that. 'should they get soaking wet. they
would be off this dry, or not 20 at all. In
the confusion and noise OF starting, one pair OF
carriage horses. dashed away down tho street
going to sec the mountains alone All rlght
hurrah off at last and we've turned our
faces westward, towards the grand old Blue
Ridge Mountains, and wonder can We, i0deed,
climb their rugged sides, as they loom up on
the distant hurlzou. There nov I've forgot
ten my cr!mpiug pins, do go back aud get
them for me Get me paper OF cigarettes
And me my blue scarfl The saddls- backers
start out on tho various last messages, each
striving to add to the pleasure Of the others.
The horses, having been stabbed Tor several
DAYS, were eager for the road-the Ilders-li
nossiblc, were mere 80. All man, live and
euioy life See the beautiful wherever 1t pre-
SCENTS itself: to our thinking nothing is more
beautiful than To see lovely woman on horse
back. riding like she did ut care "a don care,
as ercct as an lndiao, the two as Que, sauntcr.
ipg down the road. Y nur pardon Tor this d.
prcssiou-fur We arc Ddchcnrs.) As II late
were on our side, the sun comes out III all It's
glory, as VIC are crossing the Rappahannock al
Waterloo The trees on It's banks, the trail
INK vines, hanging Shopping as 1t Wcre-to
kiss the limpid waters, sun. beams hlodlgg all
with iovclicst hues, caused the whole cavalcade
t. sion on the bridge and admire. OG! y
my's! were numerous Many peal of merry
laughter wouli he heard, and as we Wended our
vav over hills and through vallics, regardless
of lime, We would stop our nurses on some
high hill aud look at tho shadows creep
over the c unity. Then some one would call
the attention to the Observation-Disclosures 1t
were, pressing the darku;ss towards the west.
eru mnuntsins Y travellers, who dash over
country behind an iron horse stop aud lott
or Yc kuow NOT what you miss. Lettering
and stopping, we reach Little Washington,
about 10, distance, 25 miles; roads good; not
weary; rnt tired, but hungry, After most
excellent supper, few rounds OF the GeruaD
all agreed that. "Blsssed was the man who To-
vented sleep'-to make tomorrow come the
quicker. "Morr heus" -tired natures sweet
rcstorer "-held us IN its sweet embrace till the
SUP was high up in the heavens. Leaving the
airy village, in who's: jail Vas not one victim
by his brother locked" from Gods free skies
and mouotan air, We went on our Way.
5000 reaching Spcrryvlle, all were forcibly
struck with the cheapness of the dam that sup
plies the water power for large tanuery-
merely few stones thrown together. The
thousands OF cords Of bark collected shows the
thrift aud energy Of the master miud that dl
reefs it ALL Surely this country Is blessed IN
deed; splendid & ,cks ofsheep, waving Ids
90 every side. As 10 fruits, why, every apple,
peach, and pear tree seems to be trying to out
do each other in bearing the most lushlous
burtheus, even to the tops OF the MOUNTAINS
They hang out fruit 10 fcstoous GU every limb.
Mountaius towcrlug high towards the skies;
va!lies dark aul deep; all wild SO vida
'ovoly lassic" from the city remarked-'aud
uow We II sec the Wild people; will we not p
II would like to see one T. We've often heai i
the Virginia roads rcvlied-slandcred. To-
day we crossed two high mountains. and our
horses scarcely broke Il dog trot; crossed the
Mass.nuttco at plight. The moon, the stars,
the shadows, The mountains, the vallles ! caused
the question to be asked, VINO can be az in6.
del? having >ceu his country as we have seen
it? Reached New Masket-'the best hotel
in the Y alley II crossing the Shenandoah
river Maggie, ridden By our best tquestrcnhes,
getting into yearly -four tCos' wafer, SHE'D at
a ripple, and 10 an instant whlricd 10 the lett
away from her escort. A lew shrlrks from tho
vehicle, Catch her Shell fall Oh, ms !
Tue gentleman being out of reach OF her brl-
die, could only confess to himself the pickle he
was in, and exclaimed 10 digni6, d tones, Take
care Keep thy presence Of! MUD mo
mcui more and they were riding together up
the bank, amid the hearty cheers of the whole
cavalcade.
The printers devil would surely swear were
We to tell Of all VIC saW-lhc NUN .rous lacldculs
along the road The strange romanccs OF the
happy valleys of Mary's rock-evcr above the
clouds Wen tell Of the lovely auburn. haired
giri-now forty, but still 80 beautiful; SO youUg
looking, whose rcasnngone where her heart
wcDt--many suuinrrs ngO with her laithlrss
lover, as she sat IN her vine clad porch, rock
ing herself to and fro; can hear her calling him
even now on he moon ii ghi air. Come back
Come back 4 feeling oi awe crept over Us;
every man uncovrrcd; the ladies were Silent Tor
Il moment
The ride down the Valley, through success
sion of FARMS cultivated like gardens; Oh every
side such evidence Of thrift and cucrgy-Scarcc-
y could we believe the story OF Sheridan and
the Crow-was tame, but lovely indeed. The
celebrated Valley pike, equal to the drives
around our largest cities, to smoothness,
"biazed" like Il lurnancc, with the almos! tor
rid heat, uorcleved by tree or BUSH Tor miles
and miles. We reach Weyers Cave. As you
wind along the mountain path TO the little CT
tage over the opening, one could never imagine
what is 10 be seen 10 the vast sub!rrrancan
halls, soon to be lighted W. for him. No de-