The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-08-01
2The travels or Ego and Alter.

/ bAGEs AND *, RIGHLY-CULTIVATED G0UN-
TRY--THE OLD AND THE NEW VIRGINIA.
rCorrespondence Of The Richmond Dispatch.I
NV fellow.tramp, Ego. has told YOU, dear
/ Dispatch, OF our safe arrival in AleSandrla.
But he said notttns,' either to you or TO me,
OF his Tong -dreamed-of intentionlof stealing
over to Baltimore by rail to see a pretty
cousin. am proud 30 say that l. did not
find it necessary to 90 to Maryland for such
sight. But Ego went, and l. had TO- wait
nearly week for his return. And when
he did return his countenance was greatly
altered, and the next day, when we should
have set out for the hills, he fell SICK and
lay in bed whole day, meaning and Ia
menting. BY many encouraging speeches,
however, I managed to- get him up and
dressed next morning, and continuing these
hortatory addresses, he was soon induced to
seize his Alpine-stock and take the road
again.
Before go further must tell you of the
pleasure felt in meeting an old Richmond
friend in Washington, not that went there
to see any pretty cousins. On Pennsylva-
mis- avenue 1 felt my hand most cordially
grasped, and strong, manly voice fell upon
my ear "Why. old fellow. how 90 you
do, and where did you come from?" Look
| lD9 uD 1EOul Il SOIICW hdt ousNoStSN SuAS i
recognized one by one the features OF your
friend and mine, Charlie Read, son of our
Reverend Doctor. Nothing would do but [
should see his office, and then his architec-
tural drawings, and make the acquaintance
OF his two assistants. Though not even an
amateur in such matters; saw enough to
know that our Richmond architect in Wash
ington is beginning to drive thrifty trade.
The Hon. S. L. Phelps, commissioner OF the
District, has secured his services in the
erection OF q S pacious and elegant resi-
dence, and from this and other signs /
can't help from thinking that the junior G..
II. Read is on the fair way to fortune and
to fame. Under his guidance I saw the
sights which need no description here.
Friday morning, 25th instant, found us
slowly climbing up the hills overlooking
Alexandria. Here we paused to view Schu-
ter's Hill, the ante.bettu'n home OF the late
Colonel Robert S. Ashby, and the scene OK
some OF tue most delightful hours OF my
childhood. Colonel Ashby's family were
driven from their beautiful home by the
Federal troops early in the war, the rare
old trees and shrubbery were ruthlesslY de-
stroyed, and the place converted into a
| fortress. I had no desire to mark the raw
ages Of time and vandalism, and was almost
sorry for even the hasty glance that showed
how greatly everything had altered. I was
| told that this residence, which was once the
synonym of healthy locality, has now be.
come, in its barren and scarped existence,
a very hot-bed OF disease.
Bearing off toward the north, we took
the old Leesburg turnpike, and for miles
and miles we kept the strajghtest road we
ever followed before. We were ever going
up and up, from one plateau to another,
and as soon as we mounted the highest
point we had yet seen, another higher still,
far off in the distance, shooting off abruptly
into the dull. heavy clouds, seemed to mock
the hope that we would ever reach the
height OF heights. The day was dark and
gloomy, and the country neither attractive
nor thickly settled, but we tugged on and
comforted each other by reference to pretty
cousins both in Virginia and Maryland. AT
Bailey's crossroads, five miles from Alex
andria, we began to strike rolling and
h.ghy-cultivated country, smooth meadows
banked with new-moWn hay, fields OF tall
and graceful corn, and every hillock
topped by decent and well-kept
house. 1t was unnecessary to inquire, for
we saw at once we were getting into the
new Virginia-Firginia settled by northern
people. So unmistakable are the signs OF
these new settlers, that in passing along
the road, il the Old-Virginia farmer were tc
be seen at all, we could say with singular
accuracy where his land began and ended.
I.Oid Virginia never had his house white
washed or painted, the rotten timbers o1
his ancestral porch were propped up by un.
lplaned posts from the nearest grove, the
worm eaten roof afforded q fair scope o
the heavenly bodies. the rich garden.spot:
were oyergrown with weeds, the crop:
badly tended and generally failure, anc
THE uncultivated fields flooded with au ugly
stubby underground. With him decorative
|:art finds no place or encouragement. The
lretinements OF life, the cosy, comfortable
|fhome-like adornmentS and convenience
farewell simply
"Unwept, unhonored, and unsung.7
With new Virginia, however, things are es
santially different. From house to barr
Everything is in penfect order. The people
do not seem to exist merely to eat and drink
and.Sleep. The culture OF flowers, the pres
yeneesf paint and hright colors everywhere.
theYegularity with which the crops are laid
out, tie certainty OF success, the neat, clean
sppearance of the field and meadow--al
showisLat good taste may be combined with
ttnift, land that theeareiul cultivation Of the
sod does not necessarily preclude attention
to chose snatters that relieve and delight the
eve. mitigate the burning rays of the sun
and afford pleasant racreation when the Sc
we're @onk OF the day is deue. This con-
trast is certainly not in favor OF the
old resident of Virginia. But let it
be noticed that description here Is
made of 0utward appearances. The old
Yirginnn eaa't adapt hinself to the new
order of things, but he retains thesam cor
dial hospitality, the same kindly regard for
strangers, the same tout ensemble. that char
acterize Virg1nians wherever they so. Our
Herthern settler Will tell you all you want to
know, but he'll not ask you TO lingef and
tell the news; or, IL you drop 10, he'll
not ask you to dinner, even though he has
Inst: :risen from his table and sees You are
tired and hungry. OF course there are ex-
ceptions. but In general these things are
true OF both classes in those walks OF lite
where neither wealth r0r advanced educa.
lion abound. Eel. s,5ss sssss.. i ~.
Falls Church is one of the most beautiful
lila ,ges we haye ever seen. 1t occupies
IhnIt two thousand acres OF land, and is.
,omnossd OF tastcfully.buiIt cottages, each
paving on! tie an extensive lot for yard and
.arden. !. Fl,,Wers,s birds, shade.tr0es are as.
ociated in our memories with this pleasant