Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1884-12-17
From the American Queen
A VIRGINIA STUDIO.

MARIA J. C. BECKETT AND MISS BERTH
Won HILLERN.
j This utter isolation from the world.
Il Tai grand comp psnionship with mountai
heights.
Between whose SUBMITS drifting, trailin
clouds
Pass. like white messengers with secret It'd
ings
AMI greetings, each to each, demand th
/ best
The human heart can otter Of itself
Nature. great-hearted mother, draws m
close,
4 Whispers her consultations. from my heart
i Drives all its petty worldliness, and breathe
Thereon great. all-satisfyIng peace.
The mountain top shall be my place of rest
Perchanco my spirit, cleansed and purifie
By this aloofness from the world Of men,
! This nearnsss Of the world of heavens star,
May here forget the hustle and the strife,
the greedy. souliess turmoil OF mems lives
-GEoReE AMBResE DFNNIseN
StrasbuIg, Virginia, situated in Shenan
doah county, on the line of the Baltimore {
Ohio Railroad, is one of the quaintest ant
most truly typical of Virginia villages.
is located in one of the lUveliest and pic
turesque portions of the far-famed Shenan
doah Valley, and is surrounded by histori,
ground. The battles of Fisher Hill ane
Cedar Creek were fought within short dis
tance of the town itself, and near by is tht
hill from which Sheridan started on his ia.
nous ride.
The country around Strasburg is unusual
ly beautiful, especially at this time of tbs
year, when the fine wooded heights take on
in swift transition the most gorgeous and
exquisite tints beneath the clear blue sky
or the trailing shadows of the more sombre
autumn clouds. Indescribably handsome
are the fall tints, and there is something
very satisfying to lovers of color in the rich
and varying hues of the mountains at this
season. Mountains and hills rise on every
side of the little town; the peaceful and
gentle Shenandoah runs by its side, and the
whole atmosphere of the place is suggestive
of nothing 80 much as repose. The roads
leading out from Strasburg are rocky, mar
row and wild, and are often bordered by
woods of fine old trees. The farm houses
are quaint, often hand-ome buildings,
situated far apart in the struggling untidi-
ness characteristic of everything Virginian,
among the lonely, beautiful hills.
One of these farm houses, situated nearly
five miles from the village, is snoted through
out the valley as being the home, during
eight months of the year, Of the two. we'll
known painters, Miss Maria J. G. Beckett
and Miss Bertha Won Hillern, whose work
and the story of whose friendship is already
familiar to the public.
The farmhouse where they have their
studio is handsome square brick structure,
situated on what is known as the s'North
Mountains, !" in one of the widest and most
charming spots in all the Shenandoah Val
| ley. The road leading to it from the vii
lage is narrow, very hilly and affords many
glimpses of attractive scenery. The house
itself is surrounded by ground of historic
interest. Several unimportant battles and
sAirmishes occurred within stones throw
Of it during the late war, and here the poor
dying soldiers of both armies were frequent
| ly brought. The people who own it are
simple, kindly and hospitable, and have
many thrilling tales to tell of the war and
the incidents connected with it in that
vicinity. Here, shut in among these beau
tiful hills in old Virginia, Miss Beckett and
Miss Won Hillern live and work during the
long summer and fall months.
/ TheirsstudiO was formerly one of the out
buildings of the farm. 1t is little very
grey wooden building, lovely in tone and
color, and picturesquely enough sitnated to
|
In from. of the studio is sturdy apple tree,
behind it runs musical spring, and from it's
windows may be seen the mountains, a
range of the Blue Ridge, painted pale soft
| blue npon the still more misty blue of the
distaut sky. Behind the studio are hand
some woods alive with feathered creatures,
blue, scarlet and golden, darting from tree
to tree, or rushing with their songs through
the upper air. Flowers, as radiant as they
are scentless, strew the bare earth or break
into blossom overhead. The studio is so
unlike the conventional studio, and SO like
an ideal studio that it possesses an indie
finable charm. Its very simplicity and
rudeness make it attractive. 1t contains
but one room, is we'll lighted, sunny, and
is kept in most beautiful order. Not a pic
ture or paint brush is allowed to be out of
its proper place. The walls are hung with
paintings, some finished and some unfinish.
ed, and around the room are canvasses on
easels upon which the artists are now en-
gagged. One side of the studio, opposite the
door, is fitted up as carpenter shop, with
well-made drawers and shelves, in which
are slowed away complete set of carpen-
ter's tools, boards, and all the materials
and implements necessary for the manufac-
ture of cases in which to send away pictures
/ W OAAlDAtlOAo, CtCs 4li6S v Ou aIllerQ QOeS
all the carpentering, and very deftly and
gracefully she handles the tools. She has a
carpenters bench in front of the studio, and
here, during the long summer days when
she is not painting, or off in the woods OF
down by the river sketching, she saws her
planks and measures her pictures, and
makes her boxes with all the skill and ease
of professional carpenter. She is the neat
est aud most precise creature about her work
that one can imagine, and her boxes, in
which she ships all the pictures, are really
works OF art when completed. Not bit OF
wood or corner 10 left unplaned or unfinish-
ed and not nail is out of place.
Both Miss Won Hillern and Miss Beckett
dress simply while at their work. They
wear dark blue flannel dresses, made with
plain skirts and blouse waists Stout broad
soled boots cover their feet, and great broad
brimmed straw hats their heads. They
make an admirable picture as they go about
their work. This is the only costume they
wear during their stay in their wilderness,
except when they walk to town, when they
change their hats for something less pic.
turesque than their E'big bloomers."
The constant walking 'sto town" of these
two artists is the wonder of all the country
people around. Their mail, etc., comes and
goes from Strasburg, of course, and all their
business has to be transacted from that
town, and as they generally have great
deal of correspondence, etc., walk into town
frequently. 1t is nine miles from their
studio and back, and when they have a
great deal of business on hand they fire..
quently go in twice day This makes
eighteen miles walking over the toughest,
widest roads, uphill and down-hill, oveI
stones, across little bridges and fences and
creeks, and runs and rills and many other
obstacles. Both artists possess tremendous
amount of endurance, and look upon walk
of eighteen miles as mere nothing They
can repeat these walks day after day and
do all their painting and other work besides,
aud then not feel very tired. They keep
up wonderful flow of spirits and lead the
most happy, healthful, busy lives down in
their wilderness that one can we'll imagine.
1t cannot help being source Of consider
able wonder to most people, how two wo-
men, accustomed to the delights and refine
ments of cultured society Especially Bos.
tonian,) can spend eight months out of the
twelve down in these Virginia mountains,
away from all congenial society. 1t GER
tainly is great and s6rong proof that they
trulv love their art Harp thov have found