Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-11-14
ON A VIRGINIA RAILWAY.
Scenes and Incidents of Southern Travel.
Most Accommodating Trains.
TSpecisl CorreSDondeucA I

Scenes and Incidents of Southern Travel.
Most Accommodating Trains.
Especial Correspondence
New YORK, Oct 2S-Availing myself OF
the stop over privilege of that useful and
elongated slip of paper known as through
ticket, not long ago, RECALLED my vision for
three hours with the ever growing archi-
tectural beauty of Washington city. There
is always something new or improved at the
| national capital Within its corporate limits
more than 600 buildings have been erected
during the past twelve months. In the same
period Georgetown and the suburban district
added $50 wooden ediices to the tax lists
Rough and carved stone or costly brick
houses are rapidly finished in all parts Of
that grand American legislative residence,
where fine grained marble and granite have
long struggled for supremacy in its adorn-
ment. Frame dwellings are becoming nota-
BILE in the District Of Columbia from their
scarcity. Washington's elegant state named
avenues, spreading over the landscape like
a gorgeous fan, reveal miles of palaces
These are the homes of salaried officials, poll
ticians, diplomats. military and naval vet
Grams, scientists. prosperous haunters of the
lobby, and opulent government contractors.
Their social influence is knotty problem
for the curious.
A walk to and around the Capitol increased
my establishment. In the worlds terrace
work there is nothing comparable to the
widths and reaches of that splendid espla-
made, from whose angles is seen panorama
Of river, island, town and tower, fairly out
rivaling the vantage ground in attraction.
A pleasant Saturday afternoon was thus
whiled away. My night destination was
Richmond. AT the railway station they had
told me there was an accommodation train
south that left Washington at one minute
past O'Clock. l became part of its live,
first class freight. 1t was by all odds the
most accommodating way train that had
boarded in thirty years. The distance from
Washington to Richmond is 116 miles. By
flashes bitches and spurts we covered it in
five hoursl Our single parlor car was COM
fortably filed with joyial folk, who made
ready acquaintance with each other. If /
were to tell one-half of the extremely aged
and suspiciously rusty stories related to our
merry company by the judge, the doctor and
the colonel, there would be no type space
left for more instructive narrative
Among US was little Virginia maiden of
6 or Z years. She was a runaway from
Petersburg, who had fortunately been met
by gentleman Of that city. as she wan
dered, bewildered and amazed, up and down
Washington's principal highway. The ven
turesome child was bright and intelligent.
Her story was told with vivacious artless-
ness. 1t seemed that she had favorite aunt
who resided in Washington, and whom she
longed to visit. This desire was uncontrol-
able. That very morning the little girl had
taken from her precious money box enough
silver to pay her fare one way, and trusted
the rest to good luck and the well remem-
bered amiability of her relative But she
only knew her auat's first name and Wash
:ngton has, today, many beautiful, young or
elderly matrons called as was she who gave
birth to the immortal soldier chieftain, whose
family name the wealthy and superb city on
the Potomac bears. So, in her neat muslin
dress iaunty straw hat, and bare feet, the
waif from Petersburg sought her Aunt
Mary" in vain.
Hungry and tired, she greatly rejoiced
, when her fathers friend and neighbor
stopped and questioned her on Pennsylvania
avenue. As he was returning directly home
he brought the child back to her parents,
telegraphing them that she was safe and
would be in their arms at midnight. The
passengers took lively interest IN the wee
maiden when they heard tie story. With
dignifed emphasis the judge remarked that
she was quite heroine. Opening their
lunch baskets, the ladies tempted her with
choice dainties. A kindly faced woman said:
"You did wrong to leave home without
permission Are you not sorryl7
''Yes, indeed am, for l didn't see auntie.
after ali"
At this unexpected yet natural reply. there
was a general laugh.
wont your mother be angryf' / asked
the little girl, who nestled confdingiy in
my embrace when il came my turn to pet her.
20, no siri" she quickly said. Mamma
doesn't scold me now | have never been
scolded since my brother died.
It was the one touch OF nature. We feel 1t
everywher that earth's children are. The
earth Of the perhaps too fondly loved boy
lad unsealed founts of affection long closed
to bis neglected s,ster. The sad, sweet story
of Florence Dombey was partly repeated on
IN accommodation train, in classic Virginia,
between way stations.
The wheezy locomotive pulled Is YEARLY
through Alexandria and pest Windsor and
Woodbridge We stopped At Qauntico TO
take breath or water, l don't know which
Going to the rear platform OF our car, saw
a.. ,1ativaS NJ r-.z and IL