Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1884-10-30
R7FS CHARIESTOWN. JEFFERSON COUNTY, W. VA IL RSD
The Ne,r Aladdin.

Mr.. Blaine's stumplng tour mas III least
proved how little even. .Americanssknow A.
bout their country When he began il with
that glowing eulogy on Worcester, Mass,
the people eoutside,of that'iavoreds pot learned
/ for the first time how unfortunate they are,
and how near Paradise really is 10 them.
Before that few knew of Worcester at all,
the general impression being thatit was
dictionary instead of an elysium.
But the 'people'of the earth'had barely
packed their trunks preparatory to emf
grating to Worcester before the telegraph
wires flashed the intelligence around'the
world that Mr. Blaine had'arrived 'TCold
Spring. n. Y. and that'he'had'there found
the veritable FL Dorado for -which'the early
explorers sought and perished In Cold
Spring was at last'djscoyered the fabulous
/ fountain whose waters bring Immortality
and youth. and'the drinking'of which'is as
beer to -German.' as sweet cider to'the
disciple of ST. John. and rs Bourhnn htters
TO those whose vitals- vearnsfor mo:e search
/ ing drafts.
And the people of the earth thereupon
checked their baggage for Cold Spring in
stead of Worcester. 'whereupon news came
that Mr.. B!ainehaddiscnvered Schenectady,
in whose name alone'there'was more Dutch
beatitude~t golden argoses ofpretzels
/ on white te-foamed'seas' Of bock-Schenectady
which had its existence e'been'known.' would
have rendered entirelyiunnecessary the res
cue of Holland from mithe' waves, and.would
have long ago made the State Of Maine a
solitude sacred to the pine tree .and Neal
Dow.
And the peoples of the e''earth'had no more
than set their sails to become flying Dutch
men to Schenectady than'the wires clicked
the information that Mr.. Blaine had reached
Herkimer and discovered the long lost Hes
perdes. blooming and basking and luxuria-
ting in all the wondrous opucncc OF a
thousand guano beds. and smiling. an amo-
rous invitation to the struggling OF mankind
with all the resistless magnetism OF theSiren
of Mammon, but all the immaculate purity
of white plumed chivalry.
And scarcely had the peoples of the earth
set their faces toward this beaming beacon,
stainless rs q STAR" which rose and shed
luster in the Herkimer skies as serene and
pure as though it might be from burning
pyre of Fisher letters, than the lightning
caught up the glad acclaim and the myrlads
/ of telegraph instruments throughout the
globe sang together, as the morning stars oi
Old. that J. G.. Blaine found Ashtabuia
/ County. Ohio, the only and original gate 10
the Promised Land the lost Atlantis, the
longed-for Utopia, the vanished Arcadla-
the haven and refuge for the goodand pure,
the weary and heayy-laden of all climes,
beckoning with the hand of plenty and the
ewes of beauty to the pilgrims who burn their
bare feet on the hot sands that stretch to-
ward the rising sun; to the millions who
groyel in the dust beneath the despotisms
of Asia and Europe; to the thousands VINO
struggle and strain and starve in mill ana
factory and mine. Ashtabulal ah, beauti-
ful gateway, over thy alabastrian arch Is
inscribed: He Who Enters Here Leaves
Mulligan Behind" Ashtabula! beyond
tbs shining portals the British lion and the
Little Rock lamb shall lie down together and
an Irish potato shall lead them Ashtabula!
through thee we reach the Boulah land,
where men walk as gods, free from even
sunstroke; where all channels are so smooth
that never an anchor need be cast to wind
ward where the shackles fall from our feet
and the bonds, albeit they be as Of railroad
iron. fall from about us; where the only
issues are State issues and two-dollar-green-
back issues-Ashtabula the blessed, the be-
loved, thou shalt rise as pillar OF fire by
night and of cloud by day to the peoples OF
the earth until peradventure thy discoyerer
shall reach Hillsboro' or Greenup, or Shin
dyyille.-LOuisUiHeC C0urier-.joWrnok