The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-07-23
EXPERIENCES At THE WHITE SUI
PHUR SPRINGS, VIRGINIA.

ohange Hotel, kept by Darlington. Inc Weetner
was intensely hot the sacred soil was parched
and cracked In every direction, mosquitoes
were plenty. sleep was impossible, and had II
not been for that delicious beverage known
familiarly IA "inint 1uep," which wells up spon-
taneonslv throughout the length and breadth Of
old VirRinny. life would have been unbearable.
Ny business concluded, had some three weeks
undisposed Of. Mr.. arlington urzed me to 90
to the mount aims, aud painted tho delights "
the White sulphur Springs in such glowing
coiors that I determined To make the trip. He
kindly gave me a letter OF Introduction to the
proprietor, Mr.. PeSton, saving II might be OF
use, as tho Springs wore verv full.
Starting from Wchmcnd in the morning at Q.
we arrived at the white ABOUT OF the evening,
after long, tedious, dusty railroad ride. princi-
pally over the Chesapeake and OHIO Halroad.
After passing Charlottesville, and as we began
climbing the Blue kdge, the whole aspect Of
the country changed. In place Of the dreary
fiat. parchei lands ~ Eistorn Vrrinia, with
their dilapidated buidings and unthrfty farms,
we saw on every hand evidences OF greater ma
terial well being, In dwellings, fences, ard farm
equipments. Even tbs people Themselves, rs
We saw them At the stations, seemed more
wide awake. more full OF snap and vim, than
than thoae We rad seen dawdling around the
train down In the lowlinds. The improvements
were OF higher GLASS, tue farms better stocked
with cattle. Once over the blue Ridge, this dis-
tinction Increases AZ you cross the beautiful val
ley Of the Shenandoah which may be well called
the Garden Of Virginia, Tor there are to be found
the finest farms and the richest pastures Of tue
State. The springs are surrounded by noun
tains on every side, aud lie Mt elevation above
tide water Of 1900 feet The station Is within
ten minutes walk of tho hotel.
AZ soon rs the train stopped, the male passen-
ger broke for the motel like a herd of wild buff
fsoes, zach one DESTROYS to register soon IA
possible Ia order to secure good room. on
that head fell perfectly unooncerned. Had [
not letter OF reoommendatio from the chief
hotel proprietor IN Kichmondf wnen 1 reached
the onico found an eager crowd waiting TO
register placed myself modsstly at the end
Of tue line. aud waited my turn. As wrote my
name Ia the geutienanly clerks album, passed
over my precious taIi-msn IN n quiet, unostcn-
tatious manner. He read It carelessly. and
tossed 1t aside with q" ! reckon We can give you
a bod" From tnat moment my confidence In
Carringtou's influence was very much shaken.
accepted the ppsition frankly, since all the elo-
auence of Dcmustnenes would not In the least
have helped my use wiki the gentlemanly
clerk, who shortly after gave me In charge Of an
aeed darkey, with instructions to show the
gentleman his room"
Inc old dark seized upon my trunk and started
on through tho grounds at a uent hand gallon,
with me close at his heeis. wo- familiar with
the weight Of that truna. aud knew chat my
venerable colored friend could not long keep up
the pace. lie csuc to a suddcn halt not far
from the hotel. paced the frank on tne ground,
sat on 1t. aud invited me to take sea, Alongside
OF him. Whom We started again, he sid
=" Mighty heoby trunk, sab. Ise berry tired
Won't you gimme a III, sab" 50 / took hold
OF one end, the lo.r darker. who WAS old
gray, ana badly hiOwn, took hoIi Of the other
end, and We ion arrived At tue tIm5le-dowa
building IA wn.ch was 10 pias tue n!sht. Dur
ing all THIS dee bad carried a sort OF an apol-
ogy for a tslio" c .nile In ny hand
The room ia NhlcI | was usnered contained
four beds. on" IA each corner. sluOo took
little hit Of dirtvTaper from MS pocket. exam
med II carefully 0y the hight Of the tallow oan.
die, then. pointing TO one u the beds. shouted,
40. 70, sab DAYS lour bed. san" and van
iehed. was mucn disappointed with the gen
eral Appearance u things. 1 was travelling for
health and lea.urc NJ began to entertain very
serious doubts % the entire success Of this strip,
when viewed purely ~ the light Of II pleasure
excursion.
closer View Of the apartment revealed three
broken Danes OF glass, three cd irs, iwo wash
b sins. no carpet. and ~ other furniture. To
the hasty observer II conveyed the impression
OF n uilapid tted barn. A. thcre were four beds
and only three chairs, made one II the l,tter
fast TO my hedp1st win a cord, aud prepared to
turn In for the n'sA,. while 1 WIS UNDRESSING
an IA men-,l, tail old gentleman stalkod into
the room and took possession OF the bed, char,
and corner nearest mine. / felt that he exam
med m with great c'rt. Il was now past 10
o'clock Mich iatisUeI VITA the long Journey.
f.f.l inf
critical ex minliiJ was unterg Ing at the
hands Of ms ,oonm tc. All ~ once he broke
out with. "Ieca N you've is-t atuvedf' We
have heard a great oea Of the periinacity 81 the
inquiring Yankee ga arch Of knowledge under
dine u,ties, but this old Nirglulan would have
laid MIN cut c''f ~ a quarter OF an hour. He
asked ne where c ttnv from, whom | lef, Ire
hind me, how lang wac going to stay, what
came Tor. what NV business wa at home. and
inuumerlbc othc, qIestions too numerous to
mention. IN abort, tie turned me completely
inside out, and possessed himself Of my most
secret thoughts. a. had nothing to conceal.
aud was oesirous NJ getting thrcug' with THIS
ex nina,ion "a soon a. possible. answcred The
old gsntlemen's .nquint- with gre t irluknrss
al seriatn. Finally, there Was nothing more
to ask. lie kuew al about NE. He knew my
whole history.
Feeling No doubt TINT some confidence was
due IN return r ;hc Information had 80 freely
and cheeriuily inpartod. he ,iar.l,d ne with,
II left Amelia last night" Now. was mat
ter Of The most ent,re Indifference to me wheth-
or the Old gent eutn was 90 rr ID or sinsle, or
when or where he left his wifo; hdt some all
swer seemed necessary. " / trust you left her
well, sir" Al this supple and we'll intent.oned
remark the naughty Sputhron broke out in a
violent passion. ." SIR, permit no one to Ike
such liberties what have / SAID that you should
thus ridcule meY Well, | WAS dumhfounded.
aud begged the old gentleman 10 explain HIM
self more clearly. Sir r, my name 10 h Rand
was born aud raised IN Amcha county. Every
body IN Amelia county knows old Jed Borlaud.
and let me tell YOU It's not healthy to make
game OF him. what DO you mean about leaving
her we'll" l explained to Mr.. B,rlaud that
was not familiar with the geographical county
divisions OF Virginia, and fancled he wis Ilud-
Ing to Mrs. BorIand or some female member of
his family. assuring hi AZ the same uule that
never would permit myself to make game OF a
total stranPer, much loss Of leisou whose age
alone entitled him to respect. This Modified
him. Finally ! jInped in bad and was soon
fast asleep.