Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1880-11-09
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER o, 1880.
TAZEWELI..
A Dash Into the Blne Grass and Limestone
OF the CIlnch Valley.

MED Hon. ID. +. Bailey on an excursion
TO Tazewcll G. H. Politics were at the
bottom of the purpose that led us thither
but the reader may well believe that
pleasure was by no means ignored.
Breathes there man with soul so dead,
and so forth. The man or woman who
has ever been in razewell can complete
the quotation aud make the application.
At Glade Spring we did the usual i'm
possible thing Of making connection
with u Saltyille train. OF course the reg
ular train had gone, but accident favor
cd aud we found material train about
10 leave and we were soon at that splen-
did hotel kept at Saltville by Capt. An
drew Starrett, who met us as we de-
scended from the train, and declared it
to be his solemn belief that we had not
yet been to breakfast. He was serious
about 1t, for he was never anything less
than serious, and, with that that smooth
ness Of manner, which has taken him so
elegantly through this world and and
would, II necessary, carry him through
half dozen more, he bore down upon
IFS until We admitted he had struck the
nail upon the head-that we most posi-
lively could not tell lie about 1t. We
had not eaten since the previous day.
We were soon ut the table. Bailey
swears ny 1t was the finest breakfast of
Ills life, and ! do not mean to gainsay so
truthful member Of the House of Dele
gates. The fact Is Bailey does not know
how 10 tell Il lie But there is one diff
ferencc--a matter Of veractity between
Starrett aud his two guests of that morn
Ing. lie declares, upon honor, the bill
Is paid. We declare, upon honor of
course, that the aforesaid bill Is not paid.
In an hour the splendid pair of bays,
owned by Mr.. John G. Watts Of 1aze-
) well, approached the door drawing his
elegant doube-scatcd spring wagon and,
introducing himself to us, Mr.. George, n
rolored Readjuster in-the-cool, asked us
10 step IN and we were OF to Tazewcll.
We passed DR.. Berry with his dry boom
of walnut logs, and the old Saltvillc bat
tie ground, where 10 years ago the liv-
Ing had fought over the graves of the
dead. We crossed Buffalo ford, passed
Broad ford, saw John Poston, met Hon.
Chas. Shannon, who declared from his
Saddle he'd be DANCED II tho Democrats
did not mcan to give US thunder before
another week, we pissed Laurel Fork
Gap, With its colony Of bees, that for n
century haye strcakcd with their wax
and honey the ovcrhanSing rocks a
thousand feet above the stream, and then
we touched the sacred soil Of Tazcwcll,
In Poor Valley. AT the ford ut foot OF
Clincb We met number Of wagons load
I'd With walnut logs from the Clinch Val
Icy. We made bold to ask the men If there
we're any Keadjusters In Wards Cove.
Stifening his legs In his stirrups he In
Quircd, "wbat IN the hi we asked him
such a question us that for ?" and after a
painful pause he added, "You know
damned well, or ought to know there
aInt any other sort there" Baily lifted
his hat first to him, and directly we were
eating the beautiful blue grapes that ey-
crywhere, from Poor Valley to Wards
Cove, line the lower margin Of the road.
II isa curious fact that one at the point
alluded 10 has TO cross Clinch mountain
about twice. Away 10 our left some five
miles the mountain had, sometime pre-
vIous we think, parted and sent one Of
ita pronga some miles upward into Poor
Valley, q branch Of which lies between
this prong and tho mother mountain
This shore valley Is drained by cypress
aud laurcl bound stream, called Tumb-
lug, that runs In contrary direction to
the general drainage Of the county until
II reaches the stream IN the main Poor
Valley. In this section lies finely TIM
bered, vast area OF very thin, rocky land.
Bailey was captlvated with the Wow OF
II from each Of tho mountuln summits
that allowed II to III IN poetic panora-
ma OF wonderful beauty. Iio dctermin-
ed at once 10 stop and purchase II. l
suggested 10 him that the land was a
little thin ~ we'll 40 q little rough aud
that churches aud schools were not not
ed for thoir proximity, and that he
might become little lonesome. hut he
said II would produce Rcadjusters ana
short horn cattle, and that he could live
and be happy In such n place. believe
no wishes that land yet. In fact know
he covots II. Merely IA diversion (not
by any meana for the reason that init
plc hath charms to soothc tho savage
brcaSt'J Fowler at this point sang al
few snatchos Of Burns High
land May, while Harris applied the WHIP
until we dashed through damp ana
cold dying cloud on tho final crest OF
Cllnch mountain. We drew our over
coats about us and, with unanimous
shiver, we turned our horses down mo
mountain until, at an unexpected turn,
Wards Cove, with all lts resemblance 10
the Garden Of Eden, flashed upon oui
vision. oh II was n picture OF glory.
Don't nsk IA 10 describe H. Bailey SAID
"g,minr, and came near leaplng out