Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1880-03-16
For the SPECTATOR.
Mt. Sidney.

MEssRs. EDITORS We had intend
ed to submit, without comment, LalIa
Rookh's letter to the scrutiny and
criticism of your intelligent readers out
side of the narrow limits of our village,
but for the gulping of the composition
by the wonderful Moore"
We were willing that the querist
should form his own conclusions from
the letter.
If a letter, written to your numerous
readers, far and near, acquainting them
Of the condition Of our village, meant
the imploring of contributions for local
renovations, as from that standpoint
only could the public be interested in
such a letter, you (the writer) would be
doing the village injustice.
Or, if it meant the calling forth of
sympathy for "Lalla'' in her forlorn
condition and unhappy surroundings,
who perhaps sweeps clearly around
her door, and causes to be used the
whitewash and paint unsparingly,) the
truth is mighty and should prevail.
Or, if it were intended as public
pun, play upon words, as it could not
have been play upon the thoughts of
a discriminating mind, we would not
desire to divest Italia" of her peculiar
gift, but help to elevate the letter to the
standard of the amusing"
The vindication of "Lallan by the
pen of the adept MOORE" in his criti-
cism and paraphrasing, is but another
effort to rise in newspaper correspon-
dence.
He tells your readers that "as to the
Art Loan Exhibition, we know nothing
about, as the ladies never tell US any of
their secrets"
o, how marvelously strange, that an
enterprise, having in its effect the good
of the community. and the plaudits of
every lover of benevolence, should be
locked up as profound secret in the
BILE! Why, "Can there any good thing
come out of Nazareth ?"
We may have many and all of the
enumerated articles of Italia" we will
not feign deny; but we hope that the
honest efforts and examples of some, at
least, will infuse sentiment of local
reform in others, without inviting from
your public readers suggestions and
remedies.
What village, with all the energies of
most of its citizens, is not beset, in some
degree, with loafers and gossips? What
thrifty beehive has not its numerous
drones?
We do assure your readers that it is
the::want of finances, and not the want
of taste on the part Of our people, that
extraordinary Improvements are not
made. We would adorn our foreground
with perennial trees, were we able to
make everything correspond. And
should the Spring season prove favora-
BILE, we will try to procure the services
of 1.-THE Pied Piper of Hamlein," or
any other one of his peculiar charms
and skillful trumpeting, to rid our vii
lage of it's rats and vermin.
Consider the charms of self will, Mr..
Moore, and if you have those magnetic
influences, come right along; employ
your charms; blow your trumpet, and
receive the thousand guilders.
You, village amateurs, have your
flights of fancy about, and hankering
after the ''Orange Blossom" just as a
particular bug after that particular bios
som. Will not the pressure of public
sentiment induce you to remove to
Florida, and there revel among her Or
ange groves?
We will now divert the attention of
your readers from the exposed whimsi-
cal fancies of Mr.. Moore and Lalla and
speak of the real-our village. We will
not refer to our geographical position
and picturesque surrounding, for that
has been sketched heretofore by the pen
of able writers, but shall notice it from
social standpoint.
We claim for it, first, that for sobriety
of habits, the pursuance of virtuous as
sociations of life, she stands abreast with
her citizens the compeers Of-those of
any hamlet wherein your valuable pa
per is read.
She has sustained three schools during
the winter; two, by supplementary
per capita tax on her citizens the other,
by subscription. The last named closed
quite recently with most excellent ex-
hibition. And it is due to the efforts of
the teacher, Miss M. Keran, as well as
the requirements of her pupils to say
that she displayed a competency and
efficiency as teacher rarely equalled
under the circumstances.
Your readers will find here the daily
pursuits of mechanical labor: the ring
ing of the anvil; the running of the
plane; the use of the awl and hammer;
the plying of the needle and thread
showing to the passer-by that the people
are absorbed IN the busy concerns of
life. Moreover, we have two noble in
lodge of I. O. o. F., whose
examples of brotherly love reflect ray
of light upon the minds'of the would be
and again, the Friends of Tenn
perance, by their persistent efforts under
adverse circumstances, have long since
the sale of ardent spirits in
our village-with a membership. whose
devotion to cause and duty,
has won for them name worthy the
upon their banner.
There are other mediums commenda-
BILE for good that could be mentioned
that would give eclat to the efforts of
our citizens, but are not these enough
% give the village rank and station
among the others of this county?
1t is not our purpose to enter into cor
oondence with Mr.. Moore and Lalla,
wing to orr relationship, as will be