Connecticut western news., 1878-09-26
IL .sck EnOn springs. Va..--

II .1ck EnOn Springs. Vn.---
 Fms is Il rmlny mprnInr, aud the question of the hour at "Mnp inn" is how to be- guile the time h'tween the eIas of breakfast and dinner. My vagrsnt pen suggests a possible escape from those stereotyped oc- cupatons of a watering place-novels, ,need- les and gossip, and I hope some reader Hs i'd de as myself may fad momen,ary in terest in the description of journey to tb 8 wild region.
 Leaving Washington one murky morning W" We're ,on oul of sight of the big haunt inT dame and equestrian statues, realizing j"y as We sped beyond the uniformi- " of streets, summers full of opulence. Trees, shrubs and tsngl,d vines closed | about the single track, wide fields of corn leaved and tasselled, farmers here and tbere, the low hills broken by rocky ravines, stretch ed into distant mountain chains whose dim outlines are clothed in clouds of mist. This vapory curtain gathered heavier and here we halted, twenty miles from tte capi- tol, where acamp-meetlng was at the height of it's annual enthusiasm; the rain was making swift rivulets along the narrow for est paths, and poured relcntlessly upon the passengers who hasteued from the shelter of our train to join these worshippers ip ''God's first temples" We left tbem, glad that our destination lay beyond; hut had less cause for self congI Istuaiion when, af- ter numerous puff4 and jerks, our engine stood still upon the slippery grade. This occurred more than once in our progress but being summarlY dumped into motion agsin. th,se episodes did not prove actual drawbacks. After crossing Maryland in 8 north westerly direction, we made pTolong- ed stop at Harper's Fevry. which seemed an epoch in the days experience-aford- ing us time to repair the omission of an early bres kfa and 10 begin the war rem iniscences of this section. A small huild- ing bearing the sign "John Browr's Fort" stimulates full rempmbrances of that stsit- ling period. The glory of Harper's Frrry has departed The ruins of the Armory burned early in the contest, grmly attest wars havoc, and with it's destruction van ished the village prosperity. Its vacant houses rising like steps among the hills, with broken crumbling walls, ragged pict- ures of Swiss towns, and the flocks of white goats leaping from point to point high up among the towering rocks add to the for eign aspect of the spot, Jefferson describ. cd the majestic beauty of thls junction of the Potomac and Shenandoah as one of the grandest views in Virginia, and here begins the fertile Shenandoah valley famed az the scene Of Jsckson's exploits and the triumphs of Sheridan. As'we cross ed the fine union bridge over the united riv- CTS. the clouds hoated away above the bazy mountain tops, and the heaven smiled clear and bright upon ns. At one o'clock we i alighted at struggling historic Winchester, where long ago Lord Fairjay maintained his hunting lodge with rustic hospitality, entertaining the youthful Washington, whose merits even at that early date, the descendant of Cromwell's famous general | had not failed to observe. Aud bere when the memories of the chase had grown dim the clang of shot sounded once more against the hillside with more deadly awful portent i as the conflict of civil war surged about the place and the old town was captured and re.captured by the struggling troops. Here stages were iu waiting, the road was firm and smooth, the sun shone merrily, the fields glesmed gaiy and a fresh cool breath swept down to greet us ss we approached the grand north mounta,n. Ten miles from Winchester the elevation sinks to a low spur, rising again beyond and through this cleft we passed, crossing again and agaln the shallow stony bed of tortuous creek as we ascended the hooded heights, until a drive of seventeen miles brought us to thus picturesque glen op the western side of the great range, l GOO feet above the level of the sea. The name of this woodland has a Biblical sgnifi canoe. John baptized at Enou because there was much water, and the same abundance makes the word fl ting, where innumeratle fountains hlde among the messy reccsses of the forest or spa rkle stil unseen huge rocks. These springs were discovered more than century ago and their healing powers were recognized by the pioneers of those days, The ruins