The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-08-08
WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS.

yIEwS.oF AN AMATEUR CORRESPONDENT-THE
KING OF CATERERS-CLIMATE AND SCENE
RY-A THUNDEn-CLAP OF RHETORIC.
Correspondence OF the Richmond Dispatch.l
GREENBaIER COUNTY, w. Va,
August 7, 1876.
Perhaps an unexpected letter from one out.
side of the editorial corps, not reporter,
not paid correspondent, may not be unac-
ceptable, though unexpected; and as have
nothing to do, and have been diligently en-.
gagged for several days In doing it without
finishing the business, I will steal the time rc
write line. :,
All writers from such place as this tell
OF the distinguished persons, the famous
beauties, the splendid equipages, and the
brilliant wardrobes on the grounds. Please
excuse me. There is a plenty OF all these
here, but I don't know the names OF the
persons, don't know TARTAN from cambria,
don't know the pedigree OF the horses, and
as for the girls, they are MI so pretty l can't
discriminate.
The cold White" Is still the king OF
springs, and Peyton Is the king OF caterers.
He keeps a good table, has good servants,
and gives good rooms and beds. What more
can be asked. The company is orderly and
sociable, and increasing every day. Ii you
want to be quiet, come here. II you 10Y
the ballroom and the dance, you can find
them here to your fullest desire. We have
a bear-fight every day or two, and tiger
fight every night. l don't know how the
tiger succeeds, but last Saturday the bear
whipped the dogs very badly.
The climate and scenery are as delightful
and charming as ever. In one respect there
is IL marked, not to say sad, change. Very
few of the old ante-belium visitors are to be
seen under the porch after breakfast. Many
are dead and many are too poor to come.
But the everlasting hills are still looking
down upon this beautiful valley. The
lovely lawn is still spread out before us.
The bold spring still sends forth its
sparkling stream for the healing OF the
people; and the grand old oaks still stand
and afford the shade which they gave to the
red man more than two hundred years ago.
Probably. some OF them have seen more than
three centennials, and yet arc as strong and
vigorous us ever.
How wise 1t was in old Mr.. Calwell, the
founder of this watering-place,' to let the
old forest trees-the original growth-the
natives to the manor born-stand instead
OF supplanting them with the short-lived
cxotics Under their secret-keeping boughs
political leaders and President-makers have
stood and matured their plans; the follow
ers OF trade and commerce have projected
their schemes for the approaching fall and
winter; anxious lovers have held sweet
converse and dreamed OF future bliss; the
keeper Of the gaming-table has picked out
his victim for the night; the convalescent
has clapped his hands for Joy, and perhaps
thanked his God and praised his physician
and the sulphur water for returning health
the unimproved invalid has heaved heavy
sigh and looked for the last time on the
pleasant scene around him; the widowed
mother has pointed her fatherless children
to the seat at the foot Of that grand old tree
where their father was wont to sit, while
her thoughts flew away to Hollywood, OF
Mount Auburn, or Greenwood, or to some
quiet family graveyard shaded with the
lockwood, the willow, the cedar, the pal.
metto, OF the orange. All this and more
under these grand old oaks. Suppose they
could speak, and would do it; what his
tory they could give us' But they arc
silent, and ever will be. They tell no tales
Their leaves will never be the leaves OF his
tory. No root Of bitterness will ever spring
up from their exposure. SEMI-SENEx.