Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1881-09-08
Alexandria Gazette and Virginia Advertiser
a Driyc Through the Valley.

N DFtsc QurOuSD the Ras!Sy.
correspondence of tho Ale1sndris GazolLe I
HAPPY CREEK, VALLEY OF VIRGINIA., Sep.
CA moonlight drive "tlrorgA" thc Blue
Ridge, Tor enc c)uld hardly call 1t lover" as
You g. tho road from Markham via Linden 10.
to Warren c,ualy. Near this last usm ID place
q depot 90 tho old Manassas Railroads. q
long stretch. of almost levt, but rough turn.
ike. making the water shed dividing the
tributaries Of the noble Potomac and Shonsn-
loah livsrs-bardIy ten feet apart. This Ger.
Iiage road, Ibid out when tho days of engin ser-
ing Wtra but little more than 10 its infancy. at
lesst 10 this Wild and remote country. but
about. would rank we'll with those, common
for there is hardly hill worthy of the name.
low, Weird light from the full moon, CASING
around ono almost wonders if bis Satanic Ma.
jos!y has not iadeed den near by. Soon my
ooble -Huuter-cams Gu. upon the
Great Valley Of Virginia. at Happy Greek.
Shades Of departed heroes if it is permit.
ted W TO Jaw" each other 10 yJn unknown
world, will not tho uakentd ones soundy blrste
tho luuty' who. in days of tho bug sga, laid
of such awful hilIy roads 10 gently rolling
countries; whereas Ibioe, though thy nsncs
are long Ellos forgotten, amidst wild, rugg,
mountains, is MIC, drive-lovely land of tie
tourist.
Tho Happy Creek Mansion is thr1o naatIy
Fquare stone buildings, united by grand halls,
| aud built after tho sye OF soms old Eog,h
BarOnlal home 1t was erected at tho c!0so Of
tho last century by James Marshall, brother
OF our our great Chief Juetic,, be having spent
miny years of his life 10 England and on thu
| continent. lie. too. was o lawyer and, cCmicp
up from the lower country, bought tract OIL
fivo thousand bcres of tho Lord Fairfax giant
| about ono hundred and fifty years ago. Fol
| many years these lands would produces forty oi
| nifty bushels OF wheat per acre, aud it seems
| that this much landed" IlligIss dreamed 81
! furnishing food to the starving millions ac:os,
the 'as. Almost q c,nturg his descendants
have dRelt as very pliccls upon their grind
slre's Fortunate investment.
A sad. sad change has como over this lovely
land. For many weeks 20 rain has fallen fr III
the blue and cloudless skies, and the ferco ard
blazing sun hiss left hardly blado OF greer
grass to be found. lis sad. indeed, to $50 The
lrots. and even hardy strlb5. dropping snd
fading. their dead and eere leaves h)atlrg 10
the ground as it bitten by the blasts Of wintos.
Field at,er fald will not make tao barrels of
corn per acre. Hardly farmer will buy auy
cattle to wibtcr, not having more than proYen
der onough for his homo s,ook.
Woul it not DO we'll for our government IL
give these sorely stricken people 'vacnion'
on the taxes question
Bot within doors mtr, lively sgroeably ard
chstty people canoot bs found anywhere on this
grand and glorious foot stool.
A dive Ut an hour takes Vi pear the ton Of
the Bne Ridge. to tho Justly C |. b a!ed Bel
mont Whey yard. 90 enterprise of a siupo ind
vldusl, that will show bis handy work 10 g,ne
ratIons to como. Tho grapes. Notwithstanding
tho drought, will oompars favor J. With those
that travellers laui 30 highly 10 fair ltals' 3
sunoy land.
No pen could trusIy de!ctito the Visw to b..
soon from the road, dry as it is-irnui Tho rug
ged mountain side, The valley. moth aud south
as far % tho tye cln reach. dotted haia and
there with towns and villages hk, sguiklrp
Jewels ln their lovely settings.
Never can | forget the glow. tha halo that
came over the iacs of tho awect tnaiinn from
the Quaker City as she gszsd uDcu llr puaoo
ful sosue that lay at her feet
On God 10 Hsaeeo, forget no. thy pso
pie; wo are 10 the palm of Thy hand thy
will DO done, smsu. ErrN.