Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-06-22
side, and 1 should not care to meet those
hungry. wolfsh eyes in the dead Of night,
and en- the mountain tops

hungry, wolnsn eyes In the ueau OF nlgnt,
and en- the mountain tops
THE TRADITIONAL CHURCH MOUSE.
There is little church standing here, on
| the old Valley turnpike, which bears an in
teresting story. 1t is the old Augusta
meeting-house and was surrounded by a
large breastwork in the days before the In
dians were driven westward. But my story
is not with the pioneer times, nor of the
past. To-day, this very hour, up among the
rafters of that church live one of the most
ancient and interesting families there is,
perhaps, on the face OF the globe. Think OF
it'll Up among the rafters father, mother,
grandfather, grandmother and the great
great and noble ancestry for generations un-
told have here lived and thrived. What
thew live upon, whether it be bats or owls,
or the nightly offerings OF some ghostly pre-
decessor, has been all mystery to the good
people OF the Shenandoah. But there to-day
the lean old mother suckles brood OF hve
strapping young ones. Here is the original,
traditional church mouse; but I'll be gol-
durned." ouoth the rustic, 'ef the amt the
fattes' church mice the is in the land"
1 said it was a mystery about the manner
of their livelihood, but it is no longer. In
the yard without there is a burying ground,
and the bones of hundreds of old Christians
repose there, or at least did. For leading
from the old church there is q hole down
and down through many cavernous under
ground passageways, and there every night
the feast is spread, and this ancient family
gather around and raise their eyes in thanks.
They are not poor. nor will they ever be as
long as the old graveyard is being replen-
ished. Think! think of having your big toe
nibbled off, then served up in nibbles
and passed around until all have nibbled
sufficiently.
WAY UP ON STONY MAN.
Up the water course and up the noun
tains back of Luray to Stony Man is ro-
mantle ride, and there is, perhaps, one of
the most beautiful views in the world. The
Valley of Virginia in its entirety stretches
beneath and before you, the mountains look
like hills, and the tIniest specks imaginable
are the cities of Winchester and Staunton.
But people quickly tire of the descriptive,
and nothing more need be said than that if
the view at Harper's Ferry is worth q voy-
age across the Atlantic, surely this is worth
a trip from the moon. Few heretofore have
ever been able to make the ascent of these
mountains, but now a pretty road is taking
the place of the old Indian trail, and no
one goes to Luray but who wishes to climb
Stony Man.
Up on the top of it all there is being erect
ed number of novel cottages and hotel
which promises much. But most unique of
all is to be the method of transportation to
and from Stony Man. You are to be
whirled up and up in a balloon, and landed
on the tip of the highest mount. But when
you get there and learn the traditions OF the
place. you must go and sit some bright
night by the lower crag, which will be
pointed out to you, until the night is half
gone, and hear that little. shrill, tangled
cry float up on the wind from the gorge be-
meath, and think of the beautiful Evelyn
Belle.
Some say it is the wind, but the wind
never sounds that way.
WILMER WELLINGTON.