Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-07-25
THE ROCK ALUM.
A Phantom Bail mud Otber Features
OF the Season.

OF me season.
Correspondence Of the Richmond Dspatch.l
ROcKBRDGE ALUM SPRINGS, July q. 1888.
The season at the Rockbridge Alum il In
full TIDE OF success. We have over four
hundred guests, woile crowds are pouring In
daily. Great improvements have been made
in every direction, and new shooting gal
lerv and ten pin alley have been erected.
The initial ball OF the season took place
last night, and as the visitors were all re-
ouested 10 appear as phantoms, It was, OF
course, very shadowy affair. The long
procession looked like NirgIPs description
OF the Names marching before the father
Aeneas, although our hair, like that worthy
herO's, did not stand on its ends. On the con-
trary, all was merriment. There were TAI
ghosts. short ghosts, stern ghosts, and love
sick ghosts, all marching on with "soW and
measured tread" but when the band struck
IN a merry waltz even these stern spirits for
got their dignity and joined in the reyes.
After little while their claims TO life (Which
az first appeared only in the shape Of No.
G. and 8 shoes peeplng from beneath the
sheets) became more apparent, and by II
# was evident that all the thrOng had reached
the land OF the happy.
A few days ago large bear was Killed on
one Of the neighboring mountains, but as he
was unsentimental enough To die at the first
shot no chances for glory were allowed the
nimrods. We had bis flesh served for din
per. and although the identity OF Brun
was obscured by variety OF French sauces,
| nevertheless much enjoyed the dish. IL is
a pity that nature has made his flesh taste so
much like beef-steak, as one hardly knows
which is which, and after eating piece oil
steak aud imagining all sorts OF romantic
things about Dayy Crockett, he finds he still
has his bear flesh 10 eat.
| never weary OF listening 10 the topics OF
conversation which are dlssected upon the
verandas. They embrace all conceivable
subjects. from glowing accounts OF some old
lady's slyerware at home TO the never-dying
theme, baseball. No gentleman Is BIT to
converse upon the yersnda unless be has
several wears information about all the lead
ing bSl.teams.
| notice that It has become a prevailing
practice among the guests, and especially
the ladies'. to use tho broad almost excu-
siycly. Those who a:e not yet perfectly
able to give the broad sound to this vowel
are trying IL desperately, and Will soon
doubtless master 1t with quite an " English,
you know" accent. am told that ali our
Virginia people used it fifty years ago and
Ulku1 eAlu NlilE W IL besh'ShJt "iN NN'h ~
Gloucester. in General Tallaierro's neighbour
hood, no other pronunciation ever has been
known. A wave Of New England spelling
books almost swept it out OF Virginia. and
now the tide Is slowly making up in It's
favor again. A statue OF HYgea
has been placed over the spring-house. II
u certainly appropriate as she breathes her
beautiful charms into those crystal waters
and reiuvenstes all who drink. ThesprIng-
house gives vent 10 another style OF conyer-
sation, for here the ola gentlemen assemble
in the sunshiOe and pour into each others
ears the woiul story Of their bodily ainents
aud their future hopes with the aid OF this
"iountsln OF youth"
Ia few days we will have an increased
number OF guests, and merriment aud plea
sure will carry the place by storm. The num-
Der Of Richmond people Is rapidly growing.
as the following list on last weeks register
will show: Mrs. +. r. Glasgow. Dir. Frank
Glasgow, Misses Glasgow, MIR. ElrIdge
Hatcher. Mr.. 5. b. Hughes and wife, Dir.
w. A. Crawley, Mr.. A. Il. Moore, Mr.. o. A.
Hawkins, Mrs. +. j. Piece, Dir. j. NJ. Fltz.
Miss lone Crutcbfield, Mr.. c. Warwick,
MIR. j. NJ. Whitfield, Mr.. A. JudsOn Watkins
and wife, Miss Elise Watkins, A. j. Watkins,
Jr., Miss Cornelia Watkins, Dir. j. L.
Roberts, Mr.. j. b. Winston and family, MISS
Mamie B. Winston, r. b. Lee and wife,
Master Ronald Lee, Master Joseph ID. Lee,
Miss Mamie d. Lee. Miss Florence NJ. Lee,
Master Hampton Lee, Miss Hildegarde Perl,
Mrs NJ. 5. Smith. and Mr.. Henry Smith.