The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-08-05

4 ing close to t'its !banks. fHaying pierced
1.-THE Blue Ridge at Harper's Ferry, It cuts
through the short bills below, and further
! on the KittoctIn Tor Catecton) bills ); while
away on towards Baltimore we. could see
the Sngarloaf rear it's lofty head. Turning
beycndthe river! our eyes rest lovingly on
\ the soil OF old Virsinia'; and. seen from
hefe.,her country does not suffer by com:
liparispfi with her sister States. Here we
look back for many miles over the road that
we had travelled, and the retrospect is very
satisfying. As our eyes cross the Blue
Ridge, looking down. we note that without
aturn ofhead'or eye eweean see into all three
States. Turning OH, wesee the Shenandoah
hugsing' the mountains for many miles, It'll
tit disappears In the distant valley. But our
circle Is not complete until the eye sweeps
orerthe counties OF Jefferson and Berkeley,
up the Potomac, and again along the ridge.
As I'VE look at these beautiful counties we
sigh that they should ever have been torn
from Virginia. We look at them closely,
too, for through them lies the road that we
were to travel that day, and the prospect is
very pleasant. We could have seen further
into the Valley had the day been clearer,
but while the haze made our view less
clear and extensive it lent an air OF dreamy
unreality TO the scene that was very charm
ing. While we fingered we were suddenly
enveloped in clouds, and thus warned We
began TO descend. g." &''r'
Stoppngin Harper's Ferry merely long
enough to get our breakfastand express our.
,baggages ne set out on 6nrssai aikafns 1anfaias-,
burg. GAS our road lay near tHe Baltimore
and Ohio Sfailroad we 3Wefe7 continually
amazed atfbef great amount of freight that
the road is transpofting.s We were told by
a reliable rersofi' connected with the road
that as many as a thousand carloads Of
freight came east in a day, and that they
could not obtain enough cars to transport
all the grain and cattle that was waiting.
There was little striking to relate on the
way that day, for although waving corn and
fruitful fields, and neat, substantial farm
houses, are very pleasant to see, they do not
make very thrilling reading. We stopped
and asked for dinner at one OF these plain
but weIl-to.do farm-houses, and were very
kindly received, and ate very substantial
meal. Ontaking out my purse, and asking
the charge q being treasurer that week.
was told that didn't owe him anything, as
be never made money that way. TINS sort
Of hospitality among plain people IS not
found in many parts of the world. re-:
member when on a walking tour in Ken
lucky that we considered the plain people
very hospitable, but they always charged
for meals. AS we neared the vicinity OF
Martinsburg, the familiar outline OF the
North mountain was the first object that re-
minded me that was approaching the home
OF many years OF my childhood. After we had
crossed the Opequon, bathing in it as bad
so often done, every spot, every turn OF the
road, was familiar. Passing between two
gently-Sloping hills, one OF them crowned
with the county fairgrounds, the other win
beautiful cemetery, we began to enter the
town itself. 1t was strangely familiar ana
yet strangely altered. What were these gas
and water-works doing here? What is the
meaning of these two handsome hotels that
adorn the public square! In fact, since the
Cumberland Valley railroad has been built,
connecting the town with the great railroad
system Of Pennsylvania, great stimulus
has been given to the growth OF the town.
The great shops OF the Baltimore and Ohio
give employment to a great many people;
the fine water-power OF the Tuscarora is put
to hard work; the surrounding country is
rich and we'll cultivated, and, with its fine
railroad connections, Martinsburg has
every prospect Of prosperity and lmpor-
tance. 1t now numbers about 1000 inhab-
itants. We called on my old friend OF the
Statesman, who received me with kindly re-
ity. He had been reading our letters, and
had copied those portions Of Alters letter
from Fredericksburg which relate to
Madam Washington. Washington passed
through here in one OF his Indian cam
paigns, and in my boyish days many
relics OF Indian warfare could be found
in the fields. The people here still speak
OF their enjoyment At seeing Banks's rapid
transit through the town, it being Tie first
time that they had seen soldiers actually
running before their enemies. am not
very ancient, but feel so when 1 SIT here
and talk to grown young ladies whom had
known when scarcely out Of their cradles.
But such is life. have not said much about
the people OF Martinsburg, for feel so
nearly connected with them all that it would
i'll become me to pay them those compli-
ments which they 50 richly deserve. One
thing will say, however, because til a fact
that is often overlookcd-during the war
there were no people in the whole Confede-
racy WHO gave their all more chcerfuliy to
the cause they loved than some Of the brave
sons and noble daughters OF this border
land. and il they could they would be in
O!d Virginia to-day. Yours truly,
Eco.
WHERE SAMUo Cor 4 FALL Forney's