The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1879-01-09
Virginia Scenery.

A GLOWING DESCRIPTION OF SIGHTS ON
THE CHESAPEAKE AND OHIO RAILROAD.
Correspondence st. Louis Globe-D emocrat.l
NEWPORT, KY, Dec. 81, 1S7S.-He who
has never seen the mountains Of Virginia in
the winter can form no conception Of the
wild lovliness and sublimity that will over
whclm him when he gets the view. have
just come through them, and it is u journey
that, once iLade, can never be forgotten.
Though with one end OF its tenderest chords
ineXtricably fast in Richmond or the piny.
woods r gion Whereabouts, my heart was
raveliing out with every flying mile; though
the weather was fearful, the road somewhat
shaky, and the cars uncomfortable though
land and snow-slides detained us, and we
had to lie over twenty-four hours in tia last
doIe full loblolly hole OF civilization. Hunting
ton-yet, in spite of every veNation and
tribulation, the trip over the Chesapeake Is
Ohio railroad through the mountains was
magnificent beyond description or imagina-
ton. Zen thousand glorlcs and beauties
never seen or dreamt OF in the summer daz-
zled and delighted the eye at every turn
giant crags, savage rreclpices and gorges,
rushing torrents, and mad, foaming cata--
racts, all glistenjng Respondent in the gor-
geous costumery and jewelry Of winter.
The majestic old mountains looked like long
PROFESSIONS Of Titantic ghosts, sheeted, SOL
emn and grand in their solitude. and cold.
The cedars and pines waltzed by in dainty
dark green robes, with white tarlatan over
skirts fresh from the looms of Heaven. Ey
cry leaf was tipped with diamond-surpass-
ing gem; every twig and fibre cleaned
pendant crystal; and sometimes the whole
front of cliff, where the stiata Of compo-
nent rock ran parallel, was iiounced ledge
above ledge, with fringe Of long, delicate
icicles, that
oUTSHONE A MILLION PRIsis.
Frozen Undines haunted every stream and
glinted through every grove. Royal Irises
sparkled every where. All the amethystine
gates and sapphire walls Of eternity scarce
daze che new come earthling's unaccustom-
ed eyes with more endless and overpowering
variety and splendor OF radiance.
Far up in the Alleghanies, where every
fountain aud cascade was frozen, and the
mighty Ice stalagmites, like tall cathedral
towers and spires, flashed and glittered amid
the evergreen foliage OF pines and frs, CO.
dars, laurels, ferns, and moses, midwinter
and midsummer met and shook hands In
sublime and wenderous fellowship. New
River, swollen SO as to hide all the huge
boulders, which are the marvel OF every tou.
rist. ragged and roared, tossed, tumbletl, and
whirled like prolonged Norwegian mael
strom and the ceaseless thunder OF its surge
was vast organ accompaniment to all Ma
lures myriad-voiced chorus-the hoarse
chanting of the storm, the sighlrg Of the
wind. swept trees, the wailing OF the rain
sleet, and the babbling melody OF countless
minor streams.
Here it was showing and bitterly cold,
while Just on the other side OF the noun tain
| the sun was shining, and all the brookleti
dancing mcrrily on their clear winding way
to the sea. Here for three hundred feet
down regular stairway Of stone in the deep
mountain side plunges mad sheet OF water
dashed into lather.likc foam before half its
headlong race isrun. And here, near the
! Hawks Nest, wild little torrent leaps oyel
| the edge Of precipice
Two HUNDRED FEET PERPENDICULAR
in the air, and long ere Its strikes the ston!
basin below spreads out in mass OF feath'
cry mist, recalling the far famed "Brida
Veil'' Of the Yosemite realm, while strug
Cling sunbeam caught in its liquid meshe
dies like an aerial dolphin in blaze 0
many-tinted pain, casting a rainbow arc'
across the brow OF the ehasm.