Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1882-06-21
The Old Rail Fence.

am told by foreign tourists fiat
while many Of cur fences are re-
fected in those of other lands, the
zigzag fenceis to be seen in no 9th
er country. 1t is typical OF Yankee
land. 1t is known as the snake or
Virginia fence, and as the relic Of a |
lavish era of unlimited forestry.
History does not chronicle the name
OF its inventor, but | have long since
learned TO cherish a profound re-
spect for this unknown individual. !
1t is hard Tor me to imagine in the
person of this primitive rail-splitter
tie picture of an untutolee back
woodsmen, and | never followed the
course of one OF these fences with
out feeling a certain consciousness
that its original builder must have
seen his woik through eyes artistic
aswell as practical.
Tie careless abandon Of ITS lines
"a repetition of form in witch ab-
solute repetition is continually dehed
by the capricious convoluiion OF the
grain, Tor there are no two rails
made in the same mould - and
their gray saiiny sheen, their
weather-beaten stains OF moss and
hchen, and the ever>changing play
of lights and shadows from their
waving weeds and vines, make the
ED rail fence truly an object otl
beauty III our landscape. Often
Lave fingered in It's angles, and
hundred times have l thought /
Of the host of pictures and reIninis-
cences which might fill a book 10 /
tile golry Of fence corner.
Moreover, this popularity Of CON
formation pandcrs to most worthy /
and blessed sbiitlessness happily |
latent in the bones OF almost every |
farmer; for while the plowshare |
Gle ps close along the base Of the !
old stone wall, and the direct course |
OF most other fences offers iee
scope Tor the mowers scylhe or the
reaper's blade, tie outward corners
OF the zigzag fence dodge beyond
It's reach, and thus escape How
often, too, are these lecesees the
convenient storage quarters Tor lie
slon,s and stubble Of the fed, and
as such receive a wide berth IRON
tie newly whetted scylhe or era
die.
Thus does tie old rail fence be
deck itself abundantly with wreaths
and garlands. The refuse stone
piles clotbc themselves in tangles OF
creeping dew berry, cinque Toll, and
ground-ivy; and the round leaves OF
the creeping mallows consphe TO
hide their naktdness. Tall bramb-
les Use and yield theE snowy bios
sons to the rifing bees, or later
hang their purple fruit IN tempting
clusters to the troop Of boys in Their
eager scramble among tie rails.
There are 10 black rasberries so
large and luscious, 30 hazel-nuts
so iull and hoWn, and no flberts
so tantalizii 6 leneath THEN Prickly
pods, as iLose that grow up under
the protection OF tie old rail fence.
1hIe lie rich green beds OF s"oet
fem give out lEeir aromatic SAVIOR
to the wise cd simpler, the eager
small 10y, or even 10 the squlrel
IN quest OF tie nutiy kernels among
It's seed hobs. The dull red bios
SONS OF tie glycine tell Of sweet
tubers beneath tie ground, and the
bright sunHoweIs OF tall artichokes
invite the cid tine search among
their roots.
Here i'll these sheltered angles
the eddying November winds hurl
their flying leaves, and heap the
glory OF the autumn PIE. ent upon
The matted mould OF many autumns
past. Later, the wlistling gales
of winter hurl about lis corners.
Clouds OF drifting Sow bedlm Tie
eve, green's, and drive along t e |
meadow, batiliug with tie army Of
tall gaunt mullens and red capped |
sumacs, and at last are whirlt d |
along these Gather beaten timtels,
where fantastic peaked Alps arise,
aud oveIharging gIisienins cliffs
hem in the rambin gs nils il great
blue shaowed clescen;s whilc and
dazzling.
Here, too, the ice air shall ring
with the shouts OF those same vel
CTS that are known so well by the
rural icuce ilrorgh every month
and season. with their rollicking
Testimonies Of Wild-howcr parties
and squnel hunts and nutting
eAp'oils.-W. Ii. gibson, in Her-
pel's Nagasine for May.