Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-06-06

gathered in the parlor in eager and excited an
| ncIpation OF still greater treat-hopes tina,
were more than realized. neatly printed
card, gotten up at moments notice in the Of
ice of the S,entt,tn -Aetcs. announced the fol-
lowing program:
Meeting OF the National Geographic Society.
Shendun. Va, June 8. lSgl--speeches limited
to five minutes. or to ten if of exceptional in
terest Program: Mr.. Hubbard, president of
the society, opens the meeting. Mr.. Gilbert,
theology of the Region" Rev. DIR. Hovey
''Ihe Caves" Maj. Alvord. ''War "reminiscences
Our sidc:" Capt. Morton, War Reminis-
"Reminiscences Hon. J. Randolph Tucker,
~ Story Mai. Hotchkiss, "Geography and
History of the Valley
No description even one given by an
improved phonograph in combination with one
of Edisons latest ''seeographs Tor whatever
he calls them> could do justice to this meet
ing. and the day must for many year be a
rcd-lctter one in the calendar Of the society.
When hr. Hubbard and Hon Randolph Tucker
| combine forces they are irresistible; when they
are III opposition, and this after IL good dinner
and IN congenid company, it ii Il good speaker
lhdced who can keep them or their audience
quiet
Well. to cut short what was all too brief to
! those present, but what would of necessity
prove long IN the telling. .'thc feast of reason
ana the flow of soul continued till nearly mid
night. Needless to say. all of the speeches
were ''of exceptional interest" and the five
minute limit was in no case enforced.
The STARS reputation for impartial ve-
raclty. however, compels to record the
TACT that the president did upon more than one
occasion try to stop the speaker before even a
scant hive minute interval had elapsed, but it
was clearly evident to all that his only object
was to tell funny story himself. and the at
tempt was invariably frcwned or, rather,
laughed down by the audience under the mas
teriy leadership Of Hon. Randolph Tucker,
who, for his pains. was allowed no more than
seven minutes for Il most instructive tbeolog-
zeal discussion.
Aftrrward, however. he hit back a. Massa-
chusetts 3y attempting 70 support Mai. Hotch-
Kiss IN his glowing statements regarding the
prehistoric extent OF Augusta county Va
wDlch II was maintained (and with apparent.
sincerity at one, time extended to the north
west almost as far rs BeriHg strait.
But the old soltliersGod bless them ALL was
the sole thought that flied all hearts after
each and every story that they told grave CAV,
sad, pathetic or mirthful in a way that leaves a
suspicion OF tears in ones eyes and a queer
feeling about the heart-incidents Of those
days OF fierce, sleepless, desperate, frightful
s,ruSgle-days that saw brothers sworn to take
each others lives, and yet days whose fierce
passion has welded together in a firmer bond
the Union that was once rent in twain and has
from sworn enemies made sworn friends
Maj Alvord, with his cavalry in the valley:
Capt Morton. with his loyal old darkey sery-
ant, Rlchmond;" Gen. Reynolds, with his
graphic description Of the fighting around
Cheat mountain, the death of Col John A.
Washington, the capture of d'Lagnel (who in
turn made his captor captive by an inquiry
after Little All, the curly headed baby boy
who used to play with him when they were in
garrison together long before the war;. Mai
hotehkIss. with his playful chaff about .'tie
Indiana boys at Cheat Mountain where he and
Reynolds used to fire lead at each other, i'll
stead of wit, and where he made map from
"Old Hans kuhnrod $" memory that is as good
as the best maps made today, even from accu-
rate surveys.
But this story, like the excursion, can not 90
on forever After delightfully."- cool night and
an equally delightfully."- hot breakfast and n
most Interesting talk by Maj. Hotchkss upon
the resources and attractions of the region
the party drove over to the cliff again, this
time ali the way TO its summit (along its south
ern slope, climbed the great lookout tower
there, and, under the majors guidance
surveyed the wide landscape stretching
at their feet and breathed in geography,
geology and history, mixed with the
ealth-glying oxygen OF the mountain air. This
cliff, by the way, is 800 feet above the valley
and l,5OO above sea ievel-about the same
height above sea level as the source of the Mis-
slsslppi-and it commands what is really one of
the finest views i'll the entire range. When a
hotel shall have been built here with shafts
sunk down to the cave for a steady supply of
cccl air, As we draw gas from the pipes, surely
an Ideal summer resort will have been estab-
iished.
Little more need be said, except that the
party reached home Ill safety and happiness
thursday evening, and it was the unanimous
vote of .'all hands that the more excursions
like this that the National Geographic Society
gets up. the bigger the place it will occupy in
TIE hearts OF Its members and friends.