Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-08-20

ministered on Sunday. Surely these noun
taineers are master church goers, and their
clergy, methinks, must enjoy the high ap-
preciation which these old fashioned Pres
byterians and Lutherans set upon their
sermons Such devotion would be a novel
and unslloyed pleasure to the average city
clergyman.
On many of the farms, as we passed
along. noticed artificial ponds, made by
dsmming up the spring water that flows
through the meadows. They were not large
enough apparently for any practical use, but
that the surface, frozen from time to time in
the winter, furnishes farm house with all
the Ice needed in the summer.
The last day / spent IN Wytheville was
Sunday, the 18th instant, when Bishop Whit
tie, OF this diocese, was on a visit to the
parish, and preached two excellent sermons.
He is very animated In manner, and in
teresting and original in style. He is a
brother Of Hon. L. n. Whittle, of Macon, so
well known in the Episcopal Church of
Georgia, and his voice, more than his looks,
recalls the latter to my mind. Both these
gentleman are natives of Norfolk, We.
There appears in the Sunday Telegram
just received by me a statement concerning
Mr.. w. Fl. Baker, Superintendent OF the
me In bringing his name into this letter. /
was spoken to in Abingdon about him by
several persons, and among them DR.. Ruff
ner, and took pleasure In testifying to his
merits as gentleman, scholar, teacher
and school administrator. He knows we'll
that much as / regret, both for my own
sake and that OF the public schools, which
he has so well managed for many years, my
estimate of his qualifications would not per-
NIT me to withhold my highest commenda-
ton for him for the place rendered
him; but l told them that Savannah
could not spare him, and that
we should do everything in our
power to keep him there. 1 know nothing
as yet Of Colonel Bakers feelings, wishes or
intentions, but l sincerely hope he will stay
in good old Savannah. My knowledge OF
this movement to secure Mr.. Baker as
President Of the Stonewal Jackson Female
College, came to me accidentally, for had
gone to Abingdon to see the Normal Iusti-
tute and to meet DIR. Ruffner, | was invited
by this body of teachers to deliver my lee
ture on yorktown aud its Traditions" be-
fore them, and this necesstated my going
thither a second time from WytheVille. All
the teachers, male and female, and large
number of the citizens did me the honor to
attend this lecture in the Town Hall on the
| night Of August Sd. The lecture was re-
peated In Wytheville In the public school
| building August 9th, before an auditory re-
spectacle 10 numbers and intelligence.
Our stay at the Montgomery White Sui
phur Springs and at the Allegheny was only
two days at each place. They are both in
Montgomery county, scarce ten miles apart,
and entirely different in the nature of the
waters, in location, and in natural scenery.
| The former is two miles north Of the rail-
road depot big TunnelD. and is reached by
narrow gauge railway - all down
grade. forty feet to the mile
so that passengers descend gently
/ from tho hf1laida TIT
| little valley Of luxuriant green. The latter
is three and half miles of winding noun
tain road from Allegheny depot, and con-
sists OF hills and valleys closely grouped.
Both Of these are favorite watering places,
and are now full-too full, indeed, for the
comfort OF their guests. The view from
the top OF the mountain, overhanging Mont
| gOmerY, is the widest l have yet seen,
looking northward up a cross valley for
twenty-five miles, and taking IN many iso-
lated mountains, the whole picture relieved
by the background of Salt Pond mountain,
| 1890 feet high, on the top Of which is lake
two miles In circuit, which has come into
existence within the memory Of people yet
living.
never enjoyed ride more than one by
moonlight from one of those watering
places to the other (twenty miles and back.
We were In jersey spring wagon, with
| pair OF fine horses, and the fine scenery,
| good roads, cool and crisp air and the swift
pace we're all exhilsrating. At the Ale
ghany quite Savannah party are enjoying
| themselves. DR., Herndon, and Captain Mer-
GERS family, DIR. Joseph Clay's, j. Stod-
! dsrd's, and j. N. johnson. Dr.. Herndon's
| friends will be glad to know that he is much
refreshed and invigorated, and l think he
| will return home fully restored In health.
| This letter is written from Salem, in Roa
nOke county. where / have been three CT
| four days, and where we shall probably stay
couple Of weeks. Last week the weather
| got back into the nineties, and 1t was very
hot, 1t being also excessively dry. In justice
| to this climate, 1t must be said that ninety
| or ninety FIVE degrees here does not mean
| what that temperature means in Savannah.
| While moving about one feels heated, but
sitting quietly in the shade there is no
dampness In the air. Precipitation, no ex-
haustion or depression. There is a tone In
the air, and as soon as night comes, this
mountain region GOODNESS asserts itself, so
that even when the air is still the nights are
| cool. At home, comfort in our summer de-
pends, day and night, on the breeze here,
when the sun is gone, the air, though still,
is comfortably cool. While l am writing
this letter, now at noon, my window sash is
down and the thermometer stands at
seventy-six degrees. w. s. B.
Salem, August 16