The Evening critic., 1884-08-04
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA.
Tho Charm It Possesses for Travel
ers on the Virginia Midland a.
ChesnDeaIke a Ohio Road.


CHARLoTTEsvILLE, VA, Aug, 2, 1884,
Special Correspondence ofTHE EVENING Critic.
would not do injustice to railway mana
gers, as possibly happened when spoke OF
the railway service and accommodations at
Charlottesville, the venerable little city. at
which the Virginia Midland from Washing
ton intersects the Chesapeake Il Ohio from
Norfolk and Newport News. From this point
interminable passenger trains made up by
these two roads, 60 West to oil the countless
and unequaled watering places of Virginia and
East Tennessee. Travellers should leave
Washington on the perlor oars OF tho Virginia
Midland at $40 in the morning rather than
sees villages and hills and valleys made his
torical by countless collisions between
Northern and Southern armies. culpeper
was ary IN war as
day through four weary years, and
in that old oulpeper tavern BY tho roadside
soldiors would hardly credit II, but sat at
table there garnished with every dolicacy
which farms and gardens OF reproduced In
duetry and educated agricultural toll can
At Charlottesville, most fortunately, passen-
gers are detained an hour and a-half. For
nal, dollar was & driven ina cSupe to the
see the quaint old dormitories and professors'
residences and the rotunda, Of which Jeffer-
son was practically the architect. Meanwhile
ing were transferred from the parlor-car 10 a
magnificent passenger coach, In which they
were conveyed quito mile to tho doorway OF
another Virgtnia tavern" very like that at
Culpeper Court.House.
Tho car and locomotive stand patiently
before the door while travellers dino leisureiy.
Every description of fruit and every vegetable
produced in Virginia burdened the tables OF
tho hotel. The mutton and beef came from
the great stock farm OF Mr.. Fieklln, In honor
OF whose brother, Ben, great Western county
OF Texas was named. In fact this famous
stockraiser, whose broad acres, bounded on
the north by charlottesyille, lie In a beautiful
son, Inherited the wealth OF the Texrn who
most generously supplied Comanchos with
stagc-coaches, mailbags and scalps OF adven.
An hour and a.half In Charlottesville does
not enable one to visit Monticello, four miles
distant, pronounced here Montechello, be-
cause, as one good old gentleman was telling
me, Jefferson followed tho Italian pronuncla-
tion, and we follow Jefferson In all things.
But an hour and ahaif Is most dellghtfully
good people tell OF grand old mon, soldiers
and Statesman, whose lives and deeds Invest
charlottesville with share OF sanctity In the
eyes and memories Of the children OF Virginia.
II is most fortunate for travellers that there is
no splendid modern structure aud dining hall
at tho railway station, and the great corpora
lions owning these railways should never
build one, and at least two hours more should
be spent by every wanderer brought to Char.
lottesvillo In ascending the lofty mountain,
whose summit is crowned by the home of JEFF
ferson. Tho old domicle is plainly visible
from the veranda OF tho hotel In which we
rested so delightfully."-. Ficklin's farm, necked
with cattle, 10 expanded In the valley below;
the sun drew nearer the dark blue summit OF
mountain ranges In the West and We were
dreaming lazlly OF those who had watched the
same sun sink one hundred years ago behind
tho same "everlasting hills" when tho loco.
motive, growing impatient, breathed heavily
and then called aloud.
Half an hour later We were In the very midst
OF the Alleghenies, vending our devious way
among the mountains of Virginia.