Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1880-07-06

population of more than hundred thous-
and. and since the Turkish Sultan.
Selim, marched into it nearly three |
hundred years ago it has been one of the
provincial capitals of the Turkish en-
pire 1t powerfully affects the imagina-
ton to remember the personages who
have figured here-the great kings and
who have here held their
courts and celebrated their triumphs-
Persian, Egyptian Greek ,Ro-
man, and Arabian. From Damascus
Benhadad sent forth the hosts which
"smote lion and Dan and all Cinneroth
and all the land of Napthali." In the
trenches of this city the troops of Tig-
lath Pileser once shouted as they ad-
vanced to storm its walls. Its streets
once trembled under the tread of the
Macedonians, and in its gardens Alex
ander inhaled the fragrant air of the
morning. Here the fierce Tigranes
1aigned until his iron sceptre was bro
ken by the Romans under Metellus.
Here Pompey received homage from
the ambassadors of the neighboring
kingdoms. Here the pleasure loving
Omayades held their gay court. Here
the Egyptian Tutunides and Fatamites
reigned for more than century. Be-
fore its walls the Crusaders planted their
batteries and suffered successive defeats,
Here the savage Tartar, Timour,
achieved one of his great victories and
enriched himself with the spoiIs of the
captured city. Of I trip in any of my
historic references, your readers will eX-
cuse mel have no opportunity of
verifying dates, or of correcting mis-
| takes.)
Enthusiastically too, Damascus is full
of interest to the Christian student
Elijah and Elisha were probably as ia
milar with it as with Jerusalem. Dur
| ing the time of the rival kingdoms of
| Israel and Judah the Damascenes made
| frequent invasions and profited by the
| dissensiOns of those who should have
presented united front to the oppres-
sor. But need not say that nothing
connected with the ecclesiastical history
of Damascus so fills the mind and heart
of the traveller from our country as he
approaches this city, as the visit of st.
Paul, and his miraculous conversion
an event second to none in importance
in its influence on the Church and the
world since the beginning of the Chris
tan era. To-day [ have walked from
end to end through the streets which is
still called "Straight." I think it was
Mohammed himself of whom it is rela-
ted that when he first assembled the
mountain from which Damascus and all
the verdant plain about it bursts on the
view, he exclaimed, that he was not
worthy to enter such paradise on earth
, and then another paradise in the skies.
I can well understand how one familiar
only with the arid sands of Arabia would
, be transported by the vision of Damascus
with its emerald groves and blooming
gardens, gay with innumerable flowers;
and l can comprehend too the feeling OF
| Naaman the Syrian, when he cried out
, "are not ALBANIA and Pharphar, rivers of
) Damascus better than all the waters OF
Israel? ?" The Jordan, with its turbiG
, flood, does indeed suffer by contrast with
the clear, swift ALBANIA, one of the most
, Egypt is the gift of the Nile, so Damas'
Gus, in certain sense, is the product Of
the ALBANIA, for it is owing to its refresh.
, ing and fertilizing waters, divided neal
: the city into six different streams, and
{ thus diffused over the plain on which
4 the city stands, that Damascus owes its
, chief attractions. Without these life
r giving waters Damascus would stand in
: plain ofyellow sand provided it coulC
2 exist at ALI instead of rejoicing in its
2 present surroundings ofluXuriant groves
, of richest green, and gardens where
J flowers of every hue delight the eye anC
: fill the air with their fragrance. One Of
F the favorite pastimes of the inhabitants
r is to sit in the shade of these gardens or
the banks of the ALBANIA smoking the
: aUarqileh and drinking endless cups o.
| coffee. made a little experiment in
this direction myself, and can testify tt
: the excellence of both of these Damas
Gene refreshments.
:, My friend, Mahloof, also obtained adj
, mittance for me into two Or three of thu
private houses of the city, that I nigh
J have the opportunity of studying al
: oriental interior. Nothing can be il
stronger contrast than the bleak, disma
exterior of private housein Damascus
a and the luxury and comfort of the ar
: engagements within. The plan of all Q
, an open court, paved with marble, al.
ways graced with fountain, and on thu
| four sides of the court the apartments o
e the family, the largest of which is the
: reception room, in which is divar
= running around three sides, against thu
wall-with Ottomans and cushions scat
2 tered about. The ceilings of these rooms
t are often very highly ornamented will
carving s and the walls covered with
various fanciful designs. w. D. H.
DEATH OF AN AGED LADY.-Mrs
? Lucetta Diggs died yesterday near Ar
, rington Depot, in Nelson county. Sh'
was upwards of one hundred years old
and had been an invalid for long time
1t was only last week that her daugh
| ter, an aged spinsuer, died at the same
place. They belonged to one of the ole
J colonial families of Virginia.-Lyoch
burg Virginia. 23rd.
| No Hospital Needed.
g No palatial hospital needed for Hol
S Bitters patients, nor large salaried tai
! ented buffers to tell what Hop Bitter
will do or cure, as they tell their OWL
' story by their certain and absolute cure
: at home.-NeaO York Independent.
: "Pious old lady: Gust think, Rose
! only five missionaries to twenty thou
sand cannibals !" Kind-hearted niece
GOOD gracious, the poor cannibals will
starve to death at that rate"
BOOKS, STATIONERY, &C.
=<--<-