Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1886-04-28
GFor the SPECTATOR
BUsTLEBURG, April 81, 1885,


Mr.. Editor
The present generation, residents of this
neighbOrhood even, will, on seeing the
above name, wonder where it is, whilst the
remainder of the county never heard of it.
James B. Trimble or, as more Familiarity
known, "Bonaparte'' Trimble, one of the
most remarkable men of his or any age, in
his mill, wagon, and smith shops, &C.,
made Bustleburg. A small volume might
be written of his past history, but space
with you is the consideration. The mail
from Swoope's, two miles off, is carried
there by one and another for the conven-
fence of number of families.
Dining with Mr.. Jas. Gilkeson, now SO,
whom we have known from our childhood,
we saw tall, venerable-looking man pass
ing, going there for the mail of Mai. Way
land, his son, and his. own. 1t was Mai.
- Stuart, late of the vicinity of Browns
burg, but now citizen of Augusta for the re-
mainder of his life. He is 80, and except
rheumatism and some difficulty in hearing,
is remarkably preserved. He is a first
cousin of Messrs. A. H. and G.. B. Stuart.
1t is a treat to hear him talk of the past
On my speaking of the neighborhood, en-
bracing the head of Middle River, he said
with feeling: "Sir, ifyou will go to the top of
the hill, few hundred yards from us, over
looking the VIM. Moffett, VIM. M. Tate,
Jacob Baylor, G. W. Swoope's farms, and
sweep the horizon, with radius of five or
six miles, it is the garden-spot of Virginia"
There is as much truth as poetry in his re-
mark. Just as we met him, we encounter
ed in Middle River, drinking, 40 of the
finest cattle seen for many day, William
Sterrett's, of Rockbridge), on their way to
Crab Bottom, to be grazed. Many of them
weighed 800 pounds, and in the Fall will
not fall much short of 1900 pounds gross.
the late DR.. Thos. Moore, whose first wife,
Moffett, was of Augusta, his mother a
daughter of Rob't Wilson, N. W. of Lex
ington. Augusta must make big effort to
come up to Roekbridge in this line of hus-
bandry.
Two years ago in Dec. past, as we be-
lieve, Robert Grattan Gilkeson, brother to
our host, was carried through your town,
from o portion of the old home, just below
jennings Gap, to Tinkling Spring Church
to be buried by his wife, q Shields. Chas.
Grattan asked us how he got the name of
Grattan, as he was not related to him, so far as
he knew. We couldn't tell him. We can
now, but it involves an interesting bit of
the history of the part Augusta played in
the "Whiskey Insurrection," too long for
narration here, and which we hope to give
you elsewhere.
OCCASIONAL.
*Mr Sterrett is famed among his neigh
bors for having pet of some sort. From
calf, the largest animal in the lot, from
his tremendous horns, might be taken for a
Texas steer. When asked in the Winter
after the health of his pet, replied ''For
six weeks he ate every day seven gallons of
meal" with hay, &C., in proportion. He
weighs, as the writer saw him. over /, 900
pounds.
These cattle were in charge of Mr.. Lu-
ther Alexander. whom we introduced to
Maj. Stuart, and, strange to say, though
his mother was an Alexander, he met this
one, relative, for the first time.
You'll find her smiling night and day.
Although at times she is not gay.
And should you wonder why you meet.
This constant smile, regard her teeth.
She only laughs those gems to show.
Which SOZODONT makes white as snow.
Laughter Lends New Charm
To beauty when it discloses pretty set OF
teeth. Whiteness, when nature has sup
piled this element of loveliness, may be re-
tanned through life by using fragrant So
ZODONT.