The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1883-03-15
Messy Creek Items.
[Reported for the vIRaINIAN.


On Saturday we made flying trip to our
old friend, Thos. S. Hogshead, Esq. In his
house, we observed amongst other rare bota mic
specimens, an orange shrub or bush consisting
of four (the original one haying died. each,
seven or eight feet high, which upon inquiry,
were ascertained to be IL years old. Having
the curiosity to examine it somewhat closely,
we found it, to our surprise, to be thickly
armed with very sharp therns from three to
four inches in length. After seeing this tree
thus so completely equipped with arnacr it
might readily be imagined that the lAlsine IS of
gathering oranges in the southern groves may
not be altogether SO pleasant as one might at
first suppose it to be- Our idea OF climbing
after oranges suggests thick gaun1lets and
buckskin breeches as very necessary accom-
paniments.
1t was our first visit to the cities of Moscow
and Parnassus. As we passed through the
former, we thought of the Kremlin of another
Moscow, and the grand confiagration. which
wrapped its towering summit oyerloo' cling the
sea of surrounding fire. And then we thought
of Napoleon falling from the giddy height of
his power, and turning his gaze, for the first
time, from the ruler of universal empire TO
the lonely exile of prison house in far off
sea-girt ISLE
And as we rode on through Parnassus, we
thought of the Delphian temple and oracle of
another Parnassus. We thought of that splen-
did people, whose Spartan courage, whose
Athenian eloquence, whose Homeric verse,
whose noble language, whose inlmitable
sculpturings and paintings, whose architectu-
raj magniticence and mathematical genius
whose unsullied courts and infiexihle justice
have challenged the admiration of mankind
throughout all subsequent ages.
The good people of Messy Greek are once
more, at least for a while, free from two ter
ribly sore evils, bsd roads and bad politics
Both, thank goodness, have dried up Every
body seems to be contented and happy. Ey-
erything betokens another year of peace and
plenty. On every side are seen life and bust
ness activity. Rev. F. G. Raley filled his
pulpit on Sunday. preaching from Acts XIV
chapter, latter part of the 25th verse. His in
FAINT son who has been quite ill for several
weeks, is to-day but little better There are
yet hopes of its recovery 1t is under the
treatment of DR.. T. II. Brown, of Bridgewater.
We worshipped with the Thinker congregation
at Pleasant Hill, elder Jacob Thomas preach.
ing from 10th Psalm, 126th verse who was
followed by Elder Kline with a short exhorta-
ton
The Dudley Bros. sold few days ago to
Mr.. McNeal, of Hardy county, lot of cattle
(6l) at As dollars per head, thus realizing from
the sac, the handsome sum of nearly three
thousand dollars.
The wheat in this section is looking very
well, and there is at this early date fine
prospect of an abundant harvest.
Miss Bella Kingan, who has recently been
visiting her uncle, Mr.. James has now re-
turned to her home at New Market, Va.
Prof Everett has succeeded in raising |
singing class at the academy. He gives two /
lessons each week. The officers are Mr. VIM |
Sillings, president; Miss Rosa White, secre- |
tary and Miss Bette Reeves, treasurer.
Our cabinet maker, Mr.. James, is over !
stocked with work 1t is noticed that every |
marriage in our vicinity puts cheerful smile !
upon his face,and at the same time most well |
come visitor into his pocket.
The exact date in May for converting the |
Lexington Presbytery at this place. has not
yet TRANSFERRED. Our people generally are
looking forward to the time with no little in I
terest.
1t is said that the principal of our school
has in contemplation grand exhibition to
come of at the academy at the close of the
session. AS such exhibitions entail vast
amount Of extra labor upon the teachers, we
hope this entire community will aid in getting
up an affair which will in every way be cred
liable TO the energy, the intelligence, and the
taste of the citizens of old Messy Creek and
its surrounding neighborhoods.
The latest letters from Florida indicate no
material change in the condition of Mrs. For.
rer. They were preparing for a start home
ward, expecting to stop in the meantime for
a while at Ashland, Ga.
Disease in various stages and shapes, all
however superinduced by deep cold, prevails
hither and thither, all oyer this section, but as
yet its two most dreaded forms, scarlet fever
and diphtheria, have not appeared in our
midst.