The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1883-02-15
A Quiet Corner of Augusta.


mat which has grown up on the Blue Ridge
8 miles east of Sherando, and TO which / re-
ferred in your last issue True it is,that when
MIR. Butler first settled there, there were sew
eral families living in rude cabins stuck along
on the mountain side and that these people
for the most part, were destitute of honesty
religion, good manners and virtue. To rear 6
family as it should be reared, surrounded by
such class, was no easy task but Mr.. B. was
equal to the emergency, and now, at ripe ole
age, he sees his children occupying honorable
stations in society. He has succeeded in hav
ing the places, occupied by those who were 6
curse to the community, filled by those who
reflect credit alike upon themselves and theil
neighborhood As an illustration of the class
| referred to above, have it from Mr.. B. thai
there lived family near him in which there
was lunatic. This lunatc was allowed tc
! roam at large about the premises, and was
about 80 or 40 years of age. On one occasion
he found the carcass of a horse. of which he
ate so heartily that he died. His death was
the signal for tearing down wake and burial
A jug OF whiskey was procured, all hands got
drunk and prayer-meeting was held in the
house. All night long the songs, exhortations
and prayers of these heathenish people re-
verbrated among the surrounding hills. Next
day the corpse, followed by drunken friend
and neighbors, was carried by drunken pail.
bearers to a steep hill side and buried. Mr.
b. pointed out the grave to me. All that
marks it are too long, flat mountain rocks SET
on end at the head and foot. 1t would require
a considerable book to contain all of interest
that have learned in few weeks stay in this
neighborhood.
1t seems impossible that such changes have
taken place in less than a life time. Filthy
novels Have given place to plain but neat, COM
Portable houses. Squalid poverty has fled be-
fore plenty. An idle, incorporate, ungodly
and vicious population have been succeeded
by an Industrious, temperate, God fearing and
virtuous people. All this in the face of the
fact that not until within the last three years
past have these people enjoyed any of the ad-
vantages of schools, such as have been en-
joyed by other localities. Nor have they a
school house at this time-the school being
taught in part of the dwelling house of Mr.
Thomas Carter. All religious services are
held in the open air in summer, and in private
houses in winter. 1t is not rare occurrence
for young ladies to walk to Sherando Is niles,
to preaching and return the same day.
During the war most of these people ex-
perienced rough treatment; as being opposed
TO secession, they refused to fight. thereby
bringing down upon them the wrath of the
G. s. government. Their goods and chattels
were deprecated upon by our soldiers who
were in quest of deserters ,and by the deserters
who took this route to shun the more densely
populated regions. Twas at Mr. Buffers
house that Gen. Jno. G. Breckenridge made
his headquarters for the night on his re-
treat before Hunter This army left but little
fencing or forage on Mr. BIS place.
The people seem pretty well informed on
the topics of the day, although only one news
paper is taken in the whole neighborhood.
But when you learn that that paper is the
VALLEY VIRGINIAN and that the subscriber
is easy
There are now living within miles of
Hump back nine families. The heads of three
Of these families are young or middle-aged
persons. In the other six families are eight
persons whose ages average between u and
rs years, and three whose ages average between
IS and 6S. There has been but one death in
the community in IL years and that was of
lady over 60 years of age. | suppose the great
height above the sea-level added to their tenn
life has much to do with the healthy condition
of the people.
All crops that are grown on either side of
the mountain can be grown here. Peaches,
apples, grapes, plums and many other kinds
of fruits abound in season. Bears, wild cats,
catamounts, coons, opossums, squirrels, rab-
bits, turkeys, pheasants and cartridges are
found in great numbers. The streams furnish
trout in large quantities. Chestnuts are car
ried out to the different stores by the hundred
bushels in good seasons. Walnuts, hickory
and hazel nuts are plentiful-eyery youngster
laying up enough to keep him cracking all
winter. There are more berries of all kinds
than you can "shake stick at" Truly this
is land of'milk and honey" ROVER.
The Scarlet Fever.
1t is as unnecessary for a child to die of the
scarlet fever as it is that it should be blind
with cataract. Let us see. At any time be-
fore the body has finished its Intellectual strug-
gle we are able. to help it, not by wonderful
medicines, but by the knowledge of anatomy,
and the application of common-sense. We
consult the sympathetic nerve, and do whatit
commands US to do. We must give this child
salt when it wants it, we must give it acid
when it has fever and anxiously Graves it-not
vinegar, but lemon juice, because the first CO.
agulates albumen and the latter does not, on
account of the surplus of oxygen which it
contains. To initiate the soothing mucus in
the intestines, which is now wanting, and to
give some respiratory food at the same time,
we add some gum arabic. To restore and re-
lieve the injured nerve. we apply moist
warmth. In practice we can fulfill all this
with the following simple manpulatlons:
Undress the child and bring it to beG at the
very first sign of sickness. Give it, if it has
already fever, nothing but sourish warm lem
onade with some gum arabic in it. Then COW
er its abdomen with some dry flannel. Take
q we'll folded bed sheet and put it in boiling
hot water wiring it out dry by means of dry
towels, and put this over the flannel on the
child's abdomen. Then cover the whole, and
wait. The hot cloths will perhaps require re-
peated heat. According to the severity of the
case, and its stage of progress, Precipitation
will commence in the child in from ten min
utes to two hours. The child is then saved
it soon falls to sleep. Soon after the child
awakes it shows slight symptoms of returning
inclination for food help its bowels, if neces-
sary, with injections of oil, soap and water.
and its recovery will beas steady as the growth
of a greenhouse plant, if well treated.
Of course, if the child was already dying.
nothing could save it, or if it has already effu-
sions in the lining of the heart or brain ; it is
much better that it should die. But ii the
above is applied in due time, under the eyes
and direction of a competent physician, will
guarantee that not one in hundred children
will ever die of scarlet fever, know this will
startle some of my readers especially those who
have lost children already, but shall go still
Al. =. II