The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-08-16
rst,G correspondence Of the Dispatch. !

The grip Of the drought is broken.
There has been rain up and down the VAL
ley and from the Allegheny to Richmond; /;
more OF II between the mountains and
Louisa than further eastward, and it was
more sadly needed there, Judge. The
corn will yet make a tolerable crop maybe.
though wise old farmers are inclined to
doubt il.
Judging from the Rivanna and other
tributaries OF the James, the citizens Of
Richmond-unless the reservoir is unu-
sually well stocked with clear water-will
soon have to return to their mud diet. Our
reputation for bad water is great and grow
inc. Many strangers have become preju-
diced against the whole city of Richmond
merely from drawing glass OF city water
in hotel and looking at the mud. They
don't think much Of a community that can
live on that.
They do not know that il is healthy and
how palatable il is in combination with ice
and other things.
THE SPRINGS VIEW.
The generous rain which has so glad
dened the hearts Of farmers and frightened
the face OF Nature is not altogether ap-
proved by springs proprietors. They Ike
a shower or two occasionally TO settle the
dust. but anything like " a settled rain " Is
an abominatiOn in their sight. 1t has been
cool enough anyway in the mountains this
summer, and a prospect OF days IN ana
davs out OF rain is hOrrid. 1t hasn't yet
occurred though but whenever 1t does,
it means fires in the roons. grumbilng,
romping children cooped upin the porches,
few fresh arrivals, and many departures.
This ram began in the mountains west OF
Staunton on Tuesday. 1t came up rather
suddenly. There was q sharp thunder
clap and then some copioIs showers. To-
day the rain has been coming down steadily
from a sky that looks as leaden and sullen
as IL il were determined TO deluge the
earth. But when the rain is over it is eX-
pected that the weather will be warmer.
The weather-wise said that it was so cool
because il was so dry. Some other folks
thought that it was so dry because 1t was
so cool. City people believe that it was so
cool because there was so much AIR stn-
ring, for the prevalence OF pleasant breezes,
dav and night, was a feature OF the
drought.
THE SEASON.
The season in the mountains began late,
but since it set in has been very prosperous.
believe nearly every place is full-about
as full as it ought to be-though doubtless
the enterprising proprietor will make room
for few more.
And vet hardly any place has the num-
hers that the lady and gentlemen amateur
correspondents who furnish the newSpa-
pers with letters.make oul. These gentle
souls are so good-natured that they like to
give heaping measure. still The season,
take it all around. is tirSt-rate.
Richmond seems to have emptled ltsclf
along the line of the Chesapeake and Ohio.
and vet | doubt il you miss from your
streets the absent ones; but it is to he re-
membered that OF those now in the noun
tains ladies and children form the great
majority. Men folks are comparatively
scarce. dancing men folks particularly.
n1scrssION BETWEEN wICKuAM AND JONES.
At Hanover Courthouse the Richmond
train from the West was this evening
boarded bv such crowd-mostly blacks
that the other passengers were curious to
know the cause. The answer 10 inquiries
was that it was court-day, and that there
had been a discussion between General
Wickham and Mr.. Jones, the candidates
for the Senate for the district composed OF
Hanover and Caroline. The crowd, it was
said, was quite large, but would have been
larger had the friends OF General Wickham
been more generally informed OF the ap-
pointment. General Wickham opened,
Jones replied, Wickham reioined. and
Jones closed the discussion. Wickham
nailed the assertion that he had tried to
impose upon the people of Virginia the
obnoxious clauses OF the Underwood Con-
stitution, and showed that he worked upon
Grant TO cause him to have them submitted
separately. so that the people might reject
them.
A well-known citizen told me that the
Democrats were powerfully cemented as a
result OF the speech. | asked him if &c
had heard Of any Democrat who would re-
fuse to vote for General Wickham in his
fight against Jones, and he said, moi
one" Jones's plan is to make the whites
believe that Wickham is such Republican
that they can't support him, and make the
blacks believe that Wickbam Is so much OF
Democrat that they can't support him.
He occupied some time in explaining his
own record in response to charges thal
have been made against him again and
again. and for once at least i'll the Read-
ulster caucus when he was candidate for
Judge OF the Hastings Court OF Richmond.
Mr.. Jones has money to spend, and Is
working hard. lie had the colored voters
brought out very well yesterday. There
was a band OF music brought from Rich
mond. Those who heard him speak say he
is very smart.
But il the Democrats and anti-Mahone
Republicans OF Caroline are anything IKE
as solid for IV;ckbam ~ they are In Han
over Jones will have to lament that ne
threw away time, money, and talent on his
senatorial candidacy. CHESTER.