The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1877-12-06
STAUNTON, VIRGINIA. DECEMBER 6, 1877.

reached in the way of Office no one can say,
had he accepted the offers which were
brought to him time after time. But these
he gracefully refused, preferring to live in
the circle of which he was a dazzling light,
and in the home which his accomplished
wife adorned, as the days and months linked
themselves into years. On one occasion,
when the first railroad of Missouri was COM
pleted, and thousands hurried from the back
woods and the deep forests in their home
spun attire to celebrate the event at the
terminus, the Virginian was the orator Of
the day. Standing on pier that had been
improvised on the brink of the river, this
silver tongued speaker thrilled the vast
throng with an impassioned story that is
cherished to this day as the most brilliant
effort in the way of genuine oratory that
ever came from the lips of man in that
"frontier land.''
AN INCIDENT
occurred then that can still be heard around
the fire hearths OF some of the gray haired
old men who were present. There had
been brought forward casks Of water from
the Atlantic, the Pacific, the lakes on the
northern boundary, the Mississippi, and
the Gulf. These were to be commingled
with the waters of the Missouri. When the
orator had ceased, and the continued shouts
of the home-shun populace had died away,
an old nalf-breed, in whose veins the b.ood
of the Indian and the French exile was still
uncongealed, arose to attend to this peculiar
but beautiful ceremony. Before he did So,
he placed one hand upon the uncovered
head Ct the orator, and the orator Bonded at
the cid mans touch and rested at his feet
Then taking a few drops of water from the
casks Of the Atlantic, the Pacific, the lakes,
the Mississippi, and Gull, he sprinkled them
upon the head of the form before him, and
dedicated him to the cause of civilization in
the new world, after wi ich lie commended
his future career to the hands of the Maker.
The life of this man ran along on the sur
face for years, and he accumulated laurels
that the most ambitious might have coveted
Ills home, in addition to being adorned by
his wife, was beautilied and made doubly
interesting by two SONS who had all OF their
fathers accomplishments and native talent,
and a daughter whose exquisite beauty and
charms. fell like full sunburst in the new
land. Her womanhood was fringcd by every
thing that makes woman lovable and attrac
tive, and there are hearts to-day which are
Swallowed somewhere in this country with
the face of that singularIy sweet girl which
they approached, dored and worshipped to
no advantage.
SOCIETY WAS STARTLED
to learn one day that this model man and
wife had separated. There followed ramors
and coniectnres and whispers, but the secret
no hearts ever knew save those which had
made the household like light on a hill.
He went away into the mountains and up
into the sulches, and from his snow hut
under the signing pine trees he sent back
ever and anon some sweet and sad fragments
of poesy which are as tender as any that
have been sung by more gifted tongues.
Once year lie came back with the imprint
of the forest upon him; with the smoke of
the wigwam op his brown face, and the
glance of the stricken deer in his eyes. His
clothes were rude and tattered, and his hair
fell in silver streams upon his shoulders.
These visits were made to his children, and
they always met him tenderly, gave him
fol, &c <ho:u md hon,
the broken-heated man would turn his foot
steps back to the mountains, disappear, and
before the leaves turned, another plaintive
echo would come floating back from the
bound gulches, to tell how lonesome
the poor man was. But he never met his
wife after, nor did either ever seek the
other. 1t was the old compact of the Orient
s'You go your way, and I'll go mine." And
they kept it. During this time society used
its endeavors to WOO him back, but all in
vain. The ice of the mountains fell into
bis soul, and he turned away from all the
world except his children. That he was one
of Gods noblemen no other evidence is
wanted than this-that in spite of his great
calamity, in spite of the sudden wreck
OF a brilliant life, in spite of great
sin which lie may have committed, he
was always the same higi-born man in his
manners; always courteous and gentle as
woman; always ehaste and pure in every
word that he uttered. And at last, when
the world turned upon him, as it did, be it
said to its shame, and laughed at him as he
tottered through the streets to meet his
children, OIL his yearly pilgrimage, the man
OF white hairs and tatters would lift his old
snow-be aten hat and bow to those who had
fawned upon him and licked his feet when
the flood of sunshine was upon him. He
never uttered a curse or an impure word
it he did, it was whispered in the forests
and linked it with some prayer whicd he
uttered alone.
1t is said that
AN EVIL GENIUS is TURNED LOOSE
upon some people in this world, from the
pursuit OF which there is no escape, aud
who work is never done until the sins of
the third and fourth generation arc avenged.
The daughter of this household married and
was deserted by the man she loved, who
became vagabond and an outcast, and cut
his own throat in drunken fit. She and
her widowed mother are living a lonesome
and secluded life in western town, both
prematurely old.
When the indomitable old Lee stood with
his starving invincibles before the gates Of
Richmond, disputing the ocean of victorious
legions under Grant, the younger son Of
the household laid his life down in sight of
the forum where once in years gone by the
old man of the mountain had held the flower
of the south spellbound with his impetuous
eloquencc. The leaves of the wilderness
have turned yellow upon his lonely grave
these many seasons. The other member of
the family, who had all Of the sire's elo-
quence and grace and accomplishments,
went south after the tiger strife was over,
and marrying a beautiful woman, COM
menced the practice OF law. In almost a