The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-07-22
THE CHAMPION WALK.

| ihf. WALk.
ALEXANDRIA, July 10, 1879.
Dear Dispatch: 1t was with heavy hearts
that on Wednesday last your tramps left
the old town OF Fredericksburg. With
| heavy hearts, did say? Rather with no
hearts ut alive had left them there. We
| have necer (huSh, now, Won't back down
| from that) had more kindness and hospitality
! shown us in the same space OF time, we
have never been more feasted and toasted,
and, above all, we have never seen 50 many
lovely and interesting girls in the course
| not OF this tramp only, but OF all our earth
ly pilgrimage. 1t was harder to leave when
| the time came than if we bad kept straight
on through without ever tasting the joys
that were so soon snatched from our lips.
But se we did. Passing up the Rappahau-
| mock, and noting. as in the James at Rich
| mond, the sudden change OF the stream from
a deep, quiet artery Of commerce below to a
rapid, noisy water-power above, we came
TO the extensive FIcklen mills, and crossed
the bridge to Falmouth. Barely pausing
here, we climbed up the steep hill, took one
| farewell look at Fredericksburg, and then
pursued our Journey. We only went few
| miles that day. stopping at the house OF a
gentleman who gave Us some information
rather damaging to the resdjuSters. He
himself was as completely ruined bv the
war as any one I ever heard Of. Return
ing to his home. after the war, that
he had left beautiful and luxurious. he
found part OF the house thrown down and
the rest nothing but bare bricks and bare
fields. Starting in log cabin, and keeping
out of debt, he has gradually worked up, till
be lives now in q comfortable and pretty cot
tage. Having always met his own obliga-
tions, he believes in the State doing the
same. He says that there never would have
been any readiusters in Stafford if it had not
been for q few demagooues. The head and
front OF them pays $3.50 taxes! The party
is composed almost entirely OF men who
have forcibly readiu their own debts
aud of ignorant men who have been mis-
led. They have actually been persuaded
that by the McCulloch bill the State is pay
ing the former six per cent. and three per
cent. besides, making total of nine per
cent. on the entire debt!
Thursday morning we left here and con-
tinued our course through Stafford. We
passed through the site Of the old town of
Aquia. Nothing is left now to mark the
spot except four old stone chimneys, one OF
them completely covered with beautiful
viucs-a beautiful allegory OF Paul's SUBJ
| lime sentiment, "This mortal shall put on
| immortality"
We stopped for an hour or so at the house
| OF Hon. George Moncure, whom we were
fortunate enough to find at home on visit.
When we got to the ChopawanSic we found
not even log to cross On. Taking of our
shoes we forded the creek, and after short
and pleasant voyage we landed on the in
hospitablc shores Of Prince William. I call
them inhospitable because there was no
suitable place on the bank to sit down and
put on our shoes. We got them on, though,
and proceeded along very desoate road
through the woods to Dumirics. 1t
was so little travelled that we would have
thought we were in the wrong road
but for our faithful guide, the tple-
graph. We did not see human being
from the time we entered the county till we
got to the old town. "The shades OF night
were falling fast. when we entered the O d
cemetery at Dumfries-for here we had con-
cuded to spend The night. We had lunch
with US, and so we ate our supper on gra-
nite.topDed table hundred and forty years
old. We sat awhile among the old tombs,
aud one began to repeat Gray's Elegy. AS
we went on our surroundings seemed to
give it new and deeper meaning than it
had ever had to us before. We then sought
suitable place to spend the night. Select.
ing the best place We could lind, we
stnffed our satcheiS with leaves and com.
no.ed ourselves for the night. My com
papion soon fell asleep, but l was not SC
fortunate. The ground was very hard,
and we had drunk q great deal OF cold tea
during the day. And so lay there with
one hand on my companion in the healthy
sleep OF vigorous manhood, and the othel
on the tomb OF one who had slept the sleeE
of death for the better part OF two centu
ries. Not trace OF name or date remained
TO rescue him from Oblivion. Never were
surroundings more peaceful. The star!
shone with uausual lustre. Right over
head was Vega, the Sirius OF the Nortn
Altar and Arcturus wed with each other II
brightness; Cygnus, Scropio, UrSus Major
and Cassandra bespangled the blue can
opy with diamonds brighter than those
of earth. while over all and through all tht
Galaxy stretched its broad, white arms
With these surroundings my thoughts re
yerted to the old colonial days, when those
around me gazed a. these same stars, ant
worked and wept ard lovedand prayed.
thought of one on whose tomb the single
word "yoyage" could be deciphered, ant
T hoped it had landed him in the haven O.
rest. With these and other thoughts wa:
occupied; but was to. be left to these
peaceful melitations? No. ] sbiver wber
think OF that experience. Weird. uncan
nv music filed the air. Dim, shadowy
figures, with !. long skeleton limbs
fitted through the air. and my sou
. sunk within me, for l knew they had us
..They? What, you don't mean gho- =
Oh, MOI Mosquitoes, J. drew on my gloves
wrapped my head and wrists in handker
chiefs, till / looked like ghost myself
But it was no 60, It had been too lone
since they had had q chance at o good nU'
corpse, and they were not to, be bafied
!, Presently Alter, thoroughly aroused, pro
posed that we should 60 into the churct
which is in process 3od erection, on the site
3 Of the old, historic one., The sanctlty
OF the place protected US for the; rest
OF the night, but the floor was hard
and we didn't sleep very comiortably
!. Alter says he heard me say, wen, its al
very well for one night, but as rule give
7, mo house. I" AT 4. being cold, get III
!. and went out to walk around and get warm
I ,ried to get up some gymnastics 10 TN
ltrees, but they were failure. Before sun
!. rise Alter came out and found me taktns
notesamong the ,toD5s. Thus ended ou
frst right In q graveyard, and 1t WILD 20.
last ore, ioith our. consent. Eatingdhe reg
ofs our lunch, we started out ct guar
!. ter To- 81 O'clock, and walked four niue
!. no the house Of u zebul0n a: kanke5
where wes took breakfast. From w
old gentleman, whose four graaqPassns