The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1878-02-14

CHIPS GATHERED BY THE wAYSIDE-
CORDUROY RAILRoADs-ICEs FLAVOR
ED WITH ANXIETY-vEAL AS AN ARTI-
GLE OF DIET.
felt premonitary symptoms OF trouble
ahead before | started out on that cold
Monday morning, so early that all your
little town lay fast asleep and well tucked
in beneath the pure, white blanket OF snow
which had been spread down so softly a few
nights before. | shivered, and halted, and
half determined to ''back down. as the
school boy says, and take later train; but
didn't, for of all things, hate to be call
ed 'swomanish.'' Mind you, that last sylla-
BILE isn't l-y but i-s-h, and there is a
wide difference made in the meaning by the
termination you give a word. | confess to
shrinking from those curt little speeches
one hears so often from the heroes OF
creation: 'sJust like woman-never knows
her own mind.' mo telling what she
will do, hasn't any decision so bundled
off, every creature comfort carefully looked
after by my hospitable friend, and | waited
patiently while could, impatiently when
had to. in the little room with the straight
backed settees, designated ''The Ladies'
Waiting ROOM at the station. A whistle
and puff, puff, puff, greeted my list ening
ear at last. and hurried into the car, all
the time feeling that the whistle sounded
cold and as if it had lost faith in itself.
| had heard of the all steel new rails Of
the road and settled down for 4 quiet nap
sure OF no bouncing. Alas for hopes built
upon information found in advertisements
Il that railroad is not a corduroy one |
would like some one to rise and explain how
the company manages to give each passen
ger so much shaking up to the mile. and
that without extra charge May be it isn't
any extra wear and tear on the rolling
stock so is thrown in to break the monoto-
ny, but it is pretty rough on the ones being
entertained. s
All, but one forgets the io1ting when the
mountains are reached! Aches, pains, and
all impatience disappear at sight OF the tow
ering heights which rise almost perpendicu-
lar OH both sides of us. Only the river
winding about, its narrow channel some
times almost cut off by the rocks which
have been detached and have fallen from the
heights above; only the river and the little
strip of level which the engineers skill has
planned and the patient workmen have
constructed for the road bed. Now we pass
from the glad sunshine into the darkness OK
night, for we do not climb the mountain,
but 60 under them, and the long tunnels
seem like interminable caves where one
may step out and be forever lost to" human
sight.
''No need of crossing the Rocky Noun.
tains to find fine scenery remarked to
fellow passenger 'sNo. indeed,'' was the
reply, 81 am sure there is heaps o. scenery
lynn all around here" And it is q kind Of
scenery which is heaped up, pile upon pile
higher and higher, until it seems as il the
very sun in its rising might reach down and
kiss into warmth the cold, gray stones Of
the Hawks Nest. gaFt
How many people in Augusta have made
the trip through the mountains? Not all,
l am sure; and just SO sure am I, too, tina:
any one with spark of admiration for the
wonderful works in nature can lily afford to
lose the pleasure to be found in ride from
Coyington to the Ohio river.
Huntington is reached at last. Eagerly
peered out into the darkness to get look
at the city which, has fallen so far short of
the promise it gave at its birth, but think
the gas wasn't lighted, for failed to have
my vision gladdcned by so much as sight
of barber pole.
No time to tarry, for we We're behind
time, and the steamer was screeching sail
Did you ever, dear readers of the VIR-
GILMAN, make the trip from cars to steamer
when ice and snow carpeted all the way
from car step to gang plank? II not adj
wise you to, make an Inclined plane Of some
Boards and, after some freezing rain, take
lunch basket in one hand and shawl strap
in the other and try your luck. 10 appre
ciate the reality you must practice in the
dark. Luckily for me my feet had not lost
all the cunning acquired when wars lass
at school and spent all my intermissions
sliding on the ice, so | was able to accom-
plish the quarter mile, or less, in safety. but
had i reached the boat standing on my head
instead of my heels it would not have been
remarkable.
Boat reached, stateroom secured, settled
down to eat my supper in peace, satisfied
that my eyes would open in Cincinnati the
next morning; but disappointment lurked
at every corner. Fog came down and shut
the world out as completelyas the rocks had
done in the afternoon, and mornings light
found us nine miles from Huntingdon
Then, too, While we had slept Jack Frost
had been busily at work shutting up the
gates through which Ohio's, feeders come
tlicReiiihg up the ice in the broad river it,
self, and even mpudently clogging our
boat wheels under our very noses. By ten
O'Clock we had made six miles more then
The boat was hauled up and tied, and all our
impatient inquiries could elicit from the |
clerk was the information that we could 60
no further at present couldn't tell how 4
long we would have to stay; tied up there |
six weeks last winter and might be row.'' |
Finally We heard they were to pay off their |
help and that the passengers were to be put |
ashore that we could get down to Tronton |
in hacks and from there by stage TO Ports
mouth, 30 miles away, where we could take
cars for Cincinnati
Maybe didn't appreciate the beauties of |
in winter while Iswas pulling |
out shawls, robes and every conceivable wrap
I Vas possessed Of preparatory 10 that
stage ride. Maybe I didn't wish my courage
had been stronger than my pride and had
waited for later train eaad bought tick
ct reading B. 4 @. instead of c.. & o.. By
The way, wlata difference one letter can
make.
Just as | had worked myself into cond-
ion Of philosophic complacency, word came
that -we-MeEe-te be Transferable the Tele-
graph n new strorU steamer and 90