Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1881-10-25
YORKTOWN.
A Great Event-A Humorous
Sketch,

Times writes the following article. or
course, things are not quite so bad at
Yorktown as he makes out:
AS the day of the great Yorktown eel
cDration draws near all doubt of the
complete success of the affair vanishes.
1t will be unquestionably an event of
which Americans will feel proud for
many years to come. They will even
feel more proud of it than of the origi-
nal capture Of CORVALLIS, for that vic
tory would have been impossible without
the help Of the French fleet, and i'm
probable without the help of the Feench
infantry, but the greatcclebratiOn which
is close at hand will be Il purely Ameri-
can affair, and it Is safe to say that it
will astonish every European despot
who hears truthful account of 1t.
Yorktown has made the most cnergct-
ic preparations for the reception and
accommodation of its expected visitors.
In spite of the comparative failure Of the
peanut crop, it is believed that supply
Of peanuts sufficient to meet the wants
of twelve thousand visitors has been OBJ
tanned and will be placed on sale in the
streets and shops of Yorktown at prices
that will place them within the reach of
all persons Of moderate fortune. If
twelve thousand visitors reach Yorktown
to take part in the celebration they can
feel confident that they will meet Mt least
twelve thousand enterprsing Americans
of various colors, each one one Of whom
will have something to sell. Even the
native American Indian, with his usual
stock Of moccasins and miniature canoes,
will be present at Yorktown In great
force, and is believed that with ordinary
good fortune, these industrious aborigi-
ncs will collect money enough to make
n handsome contribution to the treasury
of the Land League, and to thus once
more demonstrate that the professional
Indian never loses his love for the "ould
sod"
Our foreign gucsts--thc French and
German gentlemen who have consented
to appear ut Yorktown IN the character
of descendants Of Lafayette, Rocham-
beau, and Won Stcubcn-will be surprls-
ed at the warmth and honrtincs of
American hospitality. They will be ad-
United to all the public performances
free Of cost. They will see the parade
of the Oshkosh Grcnadicrs, the Sheb0y-
gan Iouaves, and the TobacCoville Lam
GERS, and will tear their hair-in private,
Of course-as they think of the wretch
cd figure that the eIlete armies Of France
aud Germany would present In comp0r-
ison with the magnificent militia of the
great republic. Like MorcNu-who, af-
Ter witnessing n parade Of the New
York militia, replied In answer to the
inquiry, "what Ike thought of them. y
that he had seen all the best troops of
Europe, but that he had never seen any
troops like the citizen soldiery Of Amer
ica-our French and Germans will he
compelled 10 admit that the best troops
of France and Germany do not resemble
In the least the gorgeous militia OF Nir-
glnla ahd Wisconsin. The descendants
of T.alayett and ROchambcau ana Won
Stcuben will be fcastcd In the most
sumptuous manner with pumpkln-plo,
pennuta, popcorn, and such other eOta-
blcs as they can afford TO buy from curb
stone merchants; they will be permit
cd TO shake hands with thousands OF
American patriots, and they will have
at least ten thousand distinct opportuni-
ties TO answer the question, "What do
YOU think of this country"
II Is, however. IN the lodgings provl-
dcd for our foreign guests that the hos
pitality Of the American people shines
conspicuously. They are to have, so y
ls said, one Of the very best sheds In all
Yorktown. II was felt that IL woulu
never do TO lodge distinguished French
men and eminent Germans In the kilch
Ell of the hotel, where they would have
10 get up Mt 4 o. clock In the morning Sc
that the servant girls could get break
f,gt, or TO compel them 10 sleep on th'
platform of the railway station, where
| ihsy would be liable to have trunks Ant
boxes thrown on them, or to be stun
bled over by heavy American ciltIens
The large aud COmm0dlOus she'd attached
10 the stables of u leading local C0Ione
has therefore been fitted up for them II
| tho most luxurious style. The wagon
and ox-yokcs Of the proprietor have beel
taken out, and clean straw has been pa
| red I'm the shed for bedding, owing Il
the scarcity Of blankets no covering Ia
been proyIded for the beds, but II I
| Thought that II the Frenchmen ana Ger
mans will lie close together aud cove
themselves with their Overcoals, tue!
can manage to keep warm. A looking
plnss. ak Inches by four In size, has beer
| hung up on one aide Of the shed, and
brush aud comb hung beside it, II wa
nj first intended Ia supply The gllesl'
| with waeh.bowl and two towels--on
for the Frenchmen aud one for The Ger
mnns-hut Ae there II M excellent punll
within ten rods of The shed, no wash
| bowl IL really needed, aud II has beer
decided To furnish the shed with one lnrg
lnrk stowrl. mstcned to u roller ihslea'
of the two emall towels originally pro
posed. In this shed our visitors VIII b
able 10 breathe lhe free air Of the Repub
| lie, aud, unless II should rain UNUSUAL
hard, II is thought that the roof VIII no
leak 10 any serious extcht Patlioll
small boys Of good moral character VII
bp admitted from ioso, clock IN lh
morning. 10 look at the sleeping forcig
nprs for the small sum Of ten cents each
aud but twenty-five uentl VIII be aeke
of any peraon who wishes TO. soc then
perform their morning toilet When W
reflect thnt Of the twelve thousand cN
pcclrd American visitors fnlly ten thon'
aud viii be- compelled TO sleep gllhg,f j
- u N...H