Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1879-08-02
s-on, A:czandria to Harper's Ferry.

ItlH3g EiVTiltg, -o.u toStsu'i ICCuo Us s'tW'
ly cIiubiog UP tic hills overlooking Alexandra.
Naro re pau:ci 10 vitw Scater's Hill, The
aDte btun homs OF III, late Colonel Ro5ert S.
Asbby, ard the scerc If some Of the most de-
Iieh,tul hours Ct mp childhood. Colonel Ash
| b. family were driven from their besutiful
home hy the Federal troops e6rly n tue war,
the rare old lrses aaG shrubbeIy were ruthless.
ly destroyed. aud til. place converted into
fortress. | had DO desira to mark the ravagcs
If time ard vandalism, ard was almost sorry
for even III, hss!y glance that Showed how
greatly .veiytLiCg hid altered. | was told that
his residence, which was oIce III, synonym OF
healthy ltcillty, has now become, 10 its bar
ren aud scsrpcd tXstetc "a very hot bed of dis
| tasr.
Bearing # toward tie pcrh. We tock The
| old Lsc:barg turnpike, and Tor miles and miles
Wo kept he stral2htcst road We ever followed
before. We ware ever going Up EEd Up. from
enc plateau to another, and as 5000 as We
muuu!.d ha highest point We had Jet seen,
another higher SILL lar eff 10 the distance,
Shooting eff abruptly into the dull. heavy
clouds, seemed to mock the hope that ", would
ever rssoh the height Ct heights. The day was
trsotve Eor tn csIy sstted, bu. We tugged 90
AID comlortcd eauh other by reference 10 pretty
c0usllS both ln Virginia and Maryland. Al
Bailey S crIss roads, five miles from Alexandra,
We began 10 strike rolling and highly cult
waited country, smooth meadows banked with
new mown hay, and fields Of tall and graceful
CORE, aud every hllIock topped by dsc.nt and
we'll Kept house. 1t IVES unnecessary 10 in'
qure, lar $50 saw OF once Wa were getting into
the new FreiDie-Flrginia settled by northern
people. So unmistaketle are the signs of these
lew settlers, lhut in passing along tho road, il
the 0 Virginia farmer were to be seen at all,
VIC cJu'd say with singular accuracy where
his lard began and ended. Old Virginia never
bad his house Whlo washed or painted; the rot
ten timttri OF bis ancestral ptroh were propp2d
UP by urpiained posts from the nearest grove,
the worm eaten roof afforded fair scope CT the
heavenly bodies. the rich garden spo!s were
ovcrgrown with weeds. the crops badly tended
and generally failure, and the uocutivated
fe!s fl 'oded WIKI 90 ugly, stubb7 uudergrowth.
With him decorative art 6ods no place or en-.
c1uraetment. The re6oemouts tt lits, the
cosy, comfortable, homo like adoramspts aud
conTeoIoucas art-5ell simply.
"UGwapt, unhooored aud ursucg.''
With rcw Virginia. however, things are es-
Il
thing Is 10 perfect order. The people do not
sttm to Exist merely to cot and drick aud sleep.
The culture ct tl)wers. tho presence Of uaiot
and hilch: co!c;s cVtrJwhere, tho regularly
with which the crops arc laid GU, the Certainty
OF success, the neat, c'ean appearance of the
h:!d REd maadow-tl show that good taste
may be combined with shift, and that The
careful cultivation CT the soil d)cs not ntces
sarI'y preclude attention to those matters that
relieve AID delight the eye, mitigate the burn
ing rays CT the suo, ard afford pleasant recrea
lion when the severe work If the dsy is DONE
This contrast l. certainty not in favor of The old
resident Of Virginia. But let it be- noticed That
descrntlon here is made OF outward appearance.
The CID Frelnian can't adapt himself 10 the
new order OF things. but no retains tho same
cordial hospitality, tho sama kirdIy regard for
sirargcr7 n" sam, tou. ensemble. that chal-
acteriZ, Firpinians wherever they 60. Our
northero settler will tell you oil ytu want to
know but hc'I not ask you to lioger aud tell
the news; Or, l(you crop 10 boil not ask you to
dinner, ever though be has ust risen from his
taoIe aud sees you are tired AID hungry. Course
there are tSctpiious, but 10 general tn ese things
are true OF 10th claEs!s 10 those walks of life
where neither w!allh nor adv i9ced education
ahnutG.
Falls Church is one uf tho most beautiful vii.
| lagos we have ever seen. 1t occupies about two
Thousand Hcrss Of land. and is comuosed of tsto.
fully built cottages. each having lite IN erten.
ave lot for yard and garden. Flowers birds
shadn trees IT s. suclAted in cur memories with
th'a pleasant lille v!lsge, with its tao or three
nunIro1 hoUsoS, newly painted and wh;tewssh.
CO. oashlnE IN the gay sunshine. Hero the
nerlhe1ns settler, and the oficeholder from WASH
ington finds el.cr his snort ride Of niue or ton
| ihi!e5 IN the evening his homo peaceful and hsp
ny: amid tho honey suckle snd the srbutus
For several mlics beyond Falls Church tho
famo beautiful scenery extends After that IS
tho Lorthern settlers become fewer and fower.
lhe country gets reugher and wilder, a1d before
| i@hG We rea'iGa We have taken our farewell cf
Sirglr ms improvtr.. Ainigttfalt aftor good
DAY "slK, we lind ourselves opposite Al unat.
tscuVe lar, where To are compelled to spend
the night. The landlord received us grsciously,
snd' having given us simple meal. eecortsd MS
10 room, or loft, which contained bed with
ono sheot. but no chairs no ptc1er or basin, no
LOOKING glass. no-nothing, But we had long
SINCE learned not to be oTor nice. and hastily
oo"ing out tho Light, we took to bed, and calm
~ com posed ourselves TO sluep. Next morning
NINE hest With e1ccrable cslmneas snd sstistsc
ton inquired how wo had spent tho night We
ieH a. II we could have choked him, but we
s'oSe" As II no one had spoken recently. Then
6sgan the tug ct War, We were poorly prepared
fo7 walk, aid tho rosd was bad. Occasionally
Wo got somo pretty views, but for tho most par
tho WY sppsared provokirgly straight, and ,he
ot!iy luhb We cOuQ Think OF Was
Over the hills aud far away"
Buns IT'S long lane that has no turning, and
II the way was unusually tedious, certsinIy The
terminus was exceedingly glorious No man
| can approach the old town of Leesburg without
!eeinS all his aIthe,ic nature thoroughly arous.
| 3D. The scenery is not sublime. 1t does not |
excite emotions of awo or wonder. But the lie. |
ment OF the beautiful enters into everything !
Inc te ids waving with corn and grass, the roll
ing hills, the deep quiet pasture lsnds, the mum.
Drrless catlle in long, green meadows, bcauti. |
lu:!y situated cottages shaded by the ok and |
asEon, tho S'gzag fence covered with Virginia |
csespcr; pursuing its msudlin course, tho quet |
dell and sequestored glen, and
me &c; Gecent church that topped the neighbo,ng
inese NIL II they DO not apparent at one sweep.
!lon and In tho most unexpected way. Leesburp
IS me newest town we have ever seen consider.
itg lis age, 1t was in existence when the nnfor.
t4nsto EraddCek passed through that section of
,girfIlnls, and tho house where the brave Eng-
llah General stayed isstil pointed out, Tho fact
faPn s,.k