The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-04-13
RIDE TO THE WHITE.
DESCRIPTION o. y JOURNEY TO
THE GREENBRlER.
nm. s,a,t from Richmond and i"o'"'"''
If the snip into the Wes'e'"
n,a .taccr's Experience

The >tart rom istthfh''' w.
- an. ,t,i, into the Nester"
-, o,s stagcr's Experience
m. Interesting and graphic account
-, IN ,he T,r1, TINES 90 some "eeN'"s
,'a o,d.f,shion way Of getting 10 o''
white sulphcr and other Virgin" sp''"7
..,,,cd nleasani memories OF inos' P'''''
,,,o davs. The writer Of tha' az
connt had. however, Just expo
rienced an advantage, not known "
,.eneople. who decade or so before MS
time. had been in TIE habit Of making an
nnal trips to those same fountains oil ne''''"'
When he found himsclf seated IN Tue stag
coach at staunion. patiently ANTICIPATING
tho beautiful drive 80 CloNerdae va
only few hours before that he h'o 'e'n or,
mo-, in sight OF his home. now hunoie''
or more miles away. To nm tno an"
soacc had meantime been annin'''e".
The willing train had rushed along ~. n
tbundcring defiant course, hastenlhb ,crmi-
him down in safety already st ~ tnsinc-s
nus Of half his louxey... .,,s be- regard,
uaho"'"v" 49, 80 IN that 70 was 80
ed a great uiui' p'.i bs qucstione9i- nat
ad'ani9ge m'T me boiicrjudgf him know
49, f,r hs,ceelfi a., which ] speak. nNaia
hr-cmcn and delicate ladies as wen as
sceLers of pleasure managed 10 ke' Vs'",r'
sprincs. before railway Trans "''' ~ ~"
,nerous and convenient as they arc ho" J"
and about Richmond.
GOOD START.
Many wears othe old Eagle Hotel mace
famous 6v events 90 which II ~ not he''7-
sarv 10 refer here, stood on ihe snuih-iue .i
Main street. between Twelfth ana lhiflcenin
1. ..s n, svas me chief hotel Of the city,
10 word. fashionable. in this connection,
10, ,ben being in use. II was the resort oi
tbc travelling public. and on TINS account
ali the travelling agencies hao ihcli vnVV7
under its roof This sort OF locomoiioh Wa
,hnr' dome entirely by means Of stago-coach-
-. ~ ~ fbov were then called. stages. and
bv private cOnYeyanccs Inc tNVcp"vn
,s,s in the sole steamboat line that accom-
modated thetraNol and traffic between l'ich-
m,nd and Norfolk. and the smaller towns
ON the waters of the Chesapeake. Inc cahai
then ended "A few miles above the clty' III
was no light undertaking 70 perform ,n.
Journey from this part OF the oi"le o't.
several ranges Of mountains IN se"IVn ~.
~Ucayen's best treasures, peace ana nS",.,i,
mi n was done. and with more real Dehehl
a. mo yaletudinarian than Is now "'.'nI-
niishod Let us see. then. now our lvio-
i,fhers managed 90 do Wilhoht lahlV'u
tickets. baggage checks, smoke cln"ei7' "-
bacco Juice. Gordonsville chicAeh iesS. 'v' J.
and racket. and possible destruction 10y
some tateful and innocent broken RAN, oi
some other irresponsible agency.
SELECTING THE STAGE SEATS.
Aoer II had been settled that some Of the
family were 20 seek health on pleasure ii
The mountains seats in the stage were To %,
sacnred Thi. had 10 Dee duly settled ana
Maid for at the office M the taeic hotel se'
oral DAYS. and often week before lne lln''
forsettinu out. I'm the meantime tnc lltp"i"
,ious M home consisted in packing mod
erafelv sized lcathern trunk or perhaps I,
I'm smaller one covered with halr. ana
decorated with brass tacks. and llned hh-
side with calicO-cOlured paper. Lazy l"'
oirrs whether Young on old. invariably
carried "A handbook made of sim paper us
nollv adorned outside by gay representa-
lions of flowers. or am Enelsh ioN huhl
mis- necessary adjunct 10 ladies' luggage
originally derived 10. name ana importance
from "A kind of muslin called "nah' import
od nom fho last. and much used al thal
,i,,e law DANES of the better class, ana
,vbich required delicate treatment 70
preserye intact its soft. luxurious iolds. Al
:, later day. when other IKE supsiaice9 n""
superseded the use oi thlS more cN i'en l,, ~
material. the handbook was stiil retained ar
The convenient receptacle Of caps ANA irilis.
and other fight articles of feminine attire.
COMBINATION or SPRINGS.
The stages which were TO convey our tray
oilers were large. heavy vehicles. strongly
built and swung upon nOop springs by sub
etantial leather straps. I'm shape they Were
roundish. rather than square even Ea,s
PAINTED Outsi ie. ana usually hneu illSiu'
with red morocco or some olhti nli-h'-O'i'
crnd material. They afforded ample room
t.if
more outside near the driver Alhoush 'nl-
WAS their regulation capacity. they WERE
frequently made q carry fifteen or more
Messengers. regardless of the comfort
those who had first secured seats. Inc Da-
cage of all these was carried ON a rack :"
The rear of the vehicle, secured uhuel
heavy loathcrn apron fastened down n'
a,rars smaller articles and bandOONe'
wore put ON the top OF the stage. secured hl
a railing and another leathern cover. lh'
mail.bae was carried IN front. under th'
seat of the driver. who was Responsible l'
it, safety Each of these Stages acquired
after time, sort OF personality oI n"''
ricty ia accordance Win us fortunate
unlucky career as the case might he. Hence
IL snmei,mes became eXpcdient 90 remoN
ono of I tcm from OH certain line % NOR
remote one. if pcrchance, 10 had been tn
subject of an occasional accident. lt"li
became supcrstitiOu-, and could not DE- in
duced 10 travel in 10. Others nave pce'
known 20 continue service ON "a single hn
for forty years. and so became veterans I
safe and faithful travels. This ludiNdualil
WAS made more conspicuous 10y oulsio
decorations. and the universal custom
giving them attractive names.
UNwurIN0 IRONY.
Thus 10 one. whose panel bore weli-eN'
cuted illustration of his penlous ride va
.,iVeu the name of "NaIeppa,' another wa
called the antelope In unWtiins IRON.
amor fhat neetest of an the ruminanis. 40
other bore the name of the douehil Gnu
..Black Hawk and still another ma i
uorsOnated the LADY oi the Lake.
driver. Of these vehicles we've always sul
nlied with "a long tin non. now gone 'ut
i,se al ihe sound of which passengers WEI
chcercd i'm view of approaching "a lla'c
refreshmont and rest. While the ialuii
traces gave earnest of encouragement 10 u
tired teams, who also knew the meaning
tha welcome signal. Its notes were soft ni
nlainfive. particularly when heard az do
lance. have listened with pleasure 20 o.
music ol Alpne horns and % the voice OF q
famed kemti-h bugle. but never have y
hoard coualled the melody of this premaiu
instrument as ii- notes We're once gwen o
upon the moist air among the mountains
were heard floating away from the uccNH
the freight boats along me winnings
james river
OLD STORY on THE MOUNTAIN.
Instead Of the passengers going 10 u
co,ch N came for them. Between two al
3o'clock i'm moruing after having been
me nostoiiice 10 receive tue mailbag, q
arrival of the numbering vehicle was h'
aided hrst by the sound OF the driver ou-
1.~rn and then hy the vibrations Oh u
ho,se. III IL rumblcd zap 20 It's front. liz
had been kept burning az a window OF c
latter 10 satisfy the tyrant of the team that
WAS expected. 40 time was lost M ge!til
aboard. The occasion. now particular
recall. was when it became my duty To-
cort an excellent old lady "oNef the hi
and Ear awav." After sundry enquiries
reoar1 to the dOciiity of The horses, q
nrospects OF a good day and the state oil 1
81 "a. "A Il