Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1884-12-05

power in Virginia after his Illuminating
defeats of the past would make it more IN
tolerable to the Democratic portion OF our
people than the veriest carpet-bagger that
ever rode them through reconstruction
with bayonets at his back
NOTES OF SUMNER TRAVEL UF
A RETIRED VETERAN.
At Alton in the Blue mountains
There now, sit still, I'm not going to
commence about lifting their eternal
heads" indeed, Pm not. Did it ever
strike you, though, how different man
talks when he gets pen in his hand; how
impossible it is for a man to keep his feet
on the ground and use reasonably plain
English without absurd adjectives. when
ne is writing description, of scenery. 1t is a
miserable piece of affectation, yon know;
and they know you know. but they dc lG all
the same. 1t comes, l presume, from
desire to assert the possession OF lmaglna-
| ton. The vulgar name for it is ''hoWery"
| and am not certain that it is not good
name, for the chief business of flowers is
| to please the senses. Y GU will find it popu-
lar with three classes of orators-com-
mencement orators, political orators, and
pulpit orators The first use it because
hey know no better; the second from the
belief that it will catch those who know
10 better; and the third because they find
hat bright coat of paint to religious
sign post Is particularly attractive to tue
| female members of the congregation.
With the first class, 1t is ignorance: with
the second, business. and with the third
mild but we'll defined form Of insincerity.
You will find toe, that. with few excep-
lions, 6owery ministers are-little else.
do not mean forcihly drawn picture;
that is wholly different thing; l mean
gaudy, fowery word painting. remember
at Trinity church in StaunJon once, de-
scription by minister named Tucker, of
a sacrifice made by the Jews at Jerusalem.
Do you know, though that was years ago,
l can see to-day the scene the man drew
standing out in memory. 1t was powerful,
but there was nota particle Of prismatic
coloring about 1t. It was has-relief cut
On granite-full Of power. enduring, and
with touch of eternity about it. Such
picture-drawing is not fowery, and does
not wlther.
[ know that the popular subjects of in
| terest in che mountains are sunrise and
sunset, but for something really worth
writing about, and much more rare, give
me fog spread out at your feet like
white carpet ?? All that is something
worth seeing The valley, mile below.
Is hidden in this gauZy sea, and the tops of
! mountain spurs here and there peep out
like little islands. This white, silent sea,
is spread for miles and miles. Under
meath 1t is life-an invisible wagon
rumbles, horse neighs. man calls to
his peighbor, but the surface is calm. still.
level. You would not be surprised to See
q steamer come putting from behind one
of the islands. The wind presses the sea
into pillows which shift to and fro as
water would. Away down on a wagon
road you hear the tinkliDg of bells and
dock OF Rheep emerge from rift in the
mist and turning, disappear in another
cloud IF it. The fog parts again and a
white top wagon, with four horses. is
seen toiling slowly along. The driver
cracks his whip and The sea of mist slowly
rolls over him again. Annther shifting,
and little farmhouse appears, with
man riding from under the trees. He
rides into the mist and the farmhouse
disappears. A railroad train rusheS
out of bank of white wool and into
another, in complete SILENCE. The white
sea gets uneasy under the wind, and the
sun begins to brighten up the clouds above.
Then the wooden surface begins to move;
mountain-spur makes its appearance
clear against the sky; the farmhouses
silentiy glide out from under the sea;
flock of sheep, whose shepherd dogs bark
you have heard from under the mist. is
revealed. The sea is fast being blown
away. The sun comes out. The whole
landscape is changed and tie great pillows
of mist that have covered it are now thin
strips of white cloud driven across the blue
sky. Once more you see spread out az
your feet the valley, checkered with farms
and orchards, and dotted with farm
houses shining in the sun. The miracle
of nature is over. Let the enthusiasts have
their sunrise and sunset; lovers their
moonlight, but as fof me, give me
mountain fog.
suppose you don't know Maria You
ought to. She was great comfort to me
while was at Hampton. Did love her
All, most truly l have sat on the hote!
porch and watched Maria in her front
yard by the hour. 1 suppose if was to
meet her to-day she would hardly recollect
my name. SO ineonstant is her sex, but
1 left my heart with her. 1t il trus that
she was not conventional, that her skirts
hardly came to her knees, that she could
not write, and that her general air was not