Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1880-08-07
Letter from HIrpcr's Ferry.

sing. The old Cat Bird, that warbles his
mathis and chants his vcspers under my
window daily, has taught me this lcsson.-
He was Matched in America, but his trill i
such good imitation of the Mocking Bird,
that | think he must have descended from
that old English family: perhaps he has not
forgotten his identity, yet he warbles his
praises to God in his simple way, even tho
( his ancestors were great v0calists.
But my letter il not intended rs a treatise
on Ornithology. Orology is the scicecc that
4 genial friend of mine here has insisted
upon my gaining inspiration from. 80 You
now haye,hC whole matter in 4 nut-shell.-
| am Il poor bird that is enly able 10 'caw,
cav (wh te tho'.) Wei, 4 have promised
to write this letter - much has been said
about YOU. Harpcr's Ferry; and what more
can say? Shall ] touch the tender cords
/ of memory. end vatt you back T. the haley
on DAYS a. the SWcc, long ago, when The old
/ Armory Bell pcalcd icrth its dins-dong and
rladdepei the heart of the little bright-eycd
( children. that waited So fiithijiily on the
surrounding hills for papa 10 come home?
( Right el.d WIS the weary tOi,rr & sec the
merry smile If greeting Oh the innocent
/ .acc, of his loved Oiies n, he stopped 10 re-
!
haired sire n, he slt in his easy char. can
recall all those hallowcd associations, and
live over asan. i'm dreams, what once was
real. lis onlv memoiy's Nen that rings for
( him now. aad yet It's echo brings To him the
hearty laugh and clasp of hands Of merry
hearted comrades, who, day after day sang
worked and talked toecthcr Rd; the sound
of the bell Is hushc'' and on the marble
slabs in the Old Cemetery on the Hill you
will find the names of many Inscribed, who
/ will never again respond, until the last roll
is called. Often while sitting in that Old
Cemetery | have thought what a sublime
SIGHT it will be when the dead are raised and
Christ comes in the Pist. Jist Below the
Old Cemetery JciItrson's Rock peeps over
the Ferry; and many little barefoot boy
makes his dime by inducing the tourist just
up the stone steps 10 this immortal rock,
and back again 10y John Browns Fort,
pointing out rs good measure, Washington's
| face on the rock os the big old Petried
| Turtle. at the mouth Of t.,c bridge which
looks rs if he had climbed out OF the water
to sun himself, and, perhaps, get better
/ vicw OF the rev Bridge over the Shenandoah
| The walk over this Bridge, and TO Loudoun
/ Heights i bewidcringly bchutiigl and Is
really the fayoritc resort of the tourist
/ Some NAV well wonder how these Heights
are ever approached. To those who believe
in the darwin theory" or belong to the
Antelope family, just cross the Bridge, and,
( if YOU are thirsty, get drink at the Spring
/ mt the foot of the Heights. There is really
an art in clah'bcfing ~ T. this mountain
top. One must follow the zig-zaF path over
/ immense rocks covered with lichen; but
patiently trudgc along and one will be almost
! unconsctoi,s of the ascent. Just on the
summit. in The swee; May-time, the Trailing
/ Arbutus and Crow-roOt grow under the
shade OF the scanted pine trees. From this
point, looking Westward, far in the distance
can be seen the hazy topped Allegheny
! Mountains, pencilcd against the sky and
( resting upon the summit of the Blue Ridge,
reminding one of the great Tower of Babel.
! As far as the eve can reach the undulating
! hills. verdant wales and crystal waters OF
/ Shenandoah Valley form alOvely picture,
| painted by The hand Of God" Eagles
/ Rock rests on the summit of these Heights,
standing out in bas-relicf as if it were
some old sentinel guarding the willows and
/ ferns nesting among the rocks and sand
/ banks. and kissing the waters below. Look
/ ing upon the Potomac, we see the beautiful
| Railroad Bridge, clasping, rs it were, the
| hands of Maryland and Virginia. Mary
/ land HEIGHTS loom up before us; and many
merry time sc hayc spent climbing over
/ It's rugged sides. UP TO the Stone Fort, and
/ back again 10 Mrs. Cnsold's where we sat in
the shade of the apple trees and drank the
cold milk from tie old fashioned spring
house near by. Sitting on Todd Dukes
I tl,..
we have the lOvlicst view of Island Park,
rcposing TRANQUILITY in the bed of the Poto-
mac. This Park comprises two lovely en-
erald Islands, resting sidc-by-side, and scpa-
rated only by Il small crystal stream
Clustering around both you will see many
minute islcis. reminding ono Of lovely
family group.
Sometimes | wonder if the original Eden
had brighter waters and grccner fields than
this old Vallt9 Of the Shenandoah, or did
the moon smile more swectly at the love
scenes of Adam and Eve, than it does now
at the bright lads and assies of old lIarper's
Ferry as they make their y6ws,-cither false
or true. IIarpcr's Ferry long sc can sit
and reve IN thp beatty Of thy picturesque
surroundings. IN bctlar 7ays we knew thee,
and now. even tho the glory of thy youth
has faded, just as this evenings sun first
crowned the hill thin saak behii.i, leaving
the golden-tintcd clouds in the West TO gra-
dually fade away into the gray mists of the
honr, and we welcomed night so We now
clasp thy sable mantle aio'nd us, and love
thee still. rar in the distance we sec the
| great fiery eyes Of the evening express coll
ing arornd the curve Ike some monster ser
pent who has made his home in Jno. Browns
Cave near the Tunnel This reminds me
that the evening dcws are falling, and am
chilly, s6 eooa-night, old town; one must
rcst even tho thy name is rendered iramor-
tal by thy beautiful scenes and historical
associations respectfully,
NfRCfNIA.
fianer's Telry. july 26. 1880.