The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-07-12
inauguration and recuperation to the man of
seiei,tary life and oyerworked frame Il.

mflSoEatiou uHu EecHpefHEI0n TO the man OF
sedentary life and Oyerworked frame.
The railroad has robbed society OF this
glory, and it has given the world nothing.
to compensate for its loss. Once the streams
OF travel irrigated smiling land: every
five miles of a thoroughfare had its pleasant
country inn, which more resembled home
than a hotel, where tho traveller found
welcome as he entered the grounds that
displayed comedy appearance, and where
lie rested profoundly. Everything was de-
corous, and the fare that OF q home where
good housekeeping ruled. These country
inns afforded markets for the country about
them. All the products OF household econ
omy-the chickens, the eggs, the butter, the
small meats-were readily disposed OF, and
the staple articles OF tillage were sent to the
large markets. Indeed, the travel thus irri-
gated the land and gathered together the
means for :;
THE HIGHEST ENJOYMENT
and benefit Of the traveller. But this is all
gone. The inns are neglected and gone to
ruin or dilapidation. The country roads
are dull, and beauty and grace no longer ap-
pear on the highways to enliyen the jour
| ney OF the wayfarer, who now shoots
through the land on iron rails, and knows
| nothing OF what he SO rapidly sweeps by.
| Thus information OF land and people is Cir
cumscribed, and that information is the best
men can have;for more than all other
knowledge it humanizes and liberalizes the
mind.
But did not undertake this letter to write
an essay. Letters from the mountains should
be pleasant and readable; not such rs to be
n burthen. Therefore for change Of tune
let us say word OF the Municipalities Of
the early days OF Which I speak. There
was Father Callahan, the founder Of the
popular inn at the threshold OF the Allegha-
| MES, on the way to the White Sulphur. He
was wise and practical man, much en-
dowed with mother-wit, as Irishmen gen.
orally are. He was q good representative
of the landlords of the day. Then there
was old Colonel Crow-James CroW,-the
Munchausen OF the mountains. I am afraid
TO begin his stories He was most enter
tanning man; and seated among his guests,
with the large iulep, whose frosted exterior
was refreshing to look at, he often beguiled
them to overstay their time and listen to
what far eXcelled the printed stories OF
Baron Munchausen. have just heard OF
a good thing of the old man, however, and
I must put it in print.
WHEN THE LATE DIR. HENRY CALDWELL WAS A
YOUNG MAN
he and Crow one day went a deer-hunt-
ing. They were shcltering themselves I'M
der an outrageous tree during copious
summer shower, when lightning sharply
struck near them. The Doctor had light
ming scare in youth, and it was thing he
could not stand, so he fed. Crow stimu-
lated his speed by crying out loudly, "Run
Doctor, run; Pve known it to repeat!' II
that isn't tirSt-ratc then do not know what
is good. All, Crow was rare man. Peace
to his ashes. 80. .-.. .
But this region has been fruitful OF re-
markable men, who certainly in their day
did great deal to amuse the public and in
spire dispositions that did so much to pro-
mote good htmor, which ais most impor-
tant part Of health.
There was before the war 4 rudcr man
than Crow, who lived in Potts Valley, and
there kept an inn. His name was Givens.
Kind-hearted and obliging, but not very
consideratc in matters Of taste and orders.
He did great many things that were ire
sistibly Iudicrous. One night he was little
hard up for room, and conducted young
traveller to one in which there was dead
man. The traveller demurred to sleeping
in room with such company, when the
host, not understanding the ground OF OBJ
lection, said: "Why, honey, he is perfectly
| fresh-he is sound us trout-he was Just
drowned this morning." But the guest
preferred to sleep on 4 pallet by the fire in
the reception-room. I guess that this is
original. .-
These things are of the past. L was a
companion in 4 stage-ride a few days since
with the author of the best pun of the day,
and cannot forego the desire to reward any
one who has waded thus far through this
letter by printing it here. I was talking
about
| REMARKABLE THINGS IN ANIMAL LIFE,
and among many other things stated that
was informed that when an unweaned calf
was sold to the butcher and taken from its
mother she would be perfectly content with
bit Of its tail placed in the fence where she
could nose it, and her satisfaction would APP
pear in the shaking of her own tail when
ever she smeled that of the calf pro-
nounced this Il most ridiculous delusion,
and declared that could but consider it
| crime in any man who could be a party to
| it. "Well," he said, 81 rather think that
the consolation to the cow is entirely satisfac-
| torv, for she knows that the butcher willre-
| tail the cali" positively envied him, and
it was minute before / could award him
the proper credit for so good a pun and
such excellent wit.
Well, I trust these little anecdotes may
give pass to my long and rambling letter.
Ii they do not, why shall cat no more din
ners in Virginia, but 60 over to the State Of
| Pocahontas, whose wild territory borders
on the delightful county Of Bath. And so
adeu. THE RAMBLER.