Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-08-27
ARCHERs IN THE RAIN.
Ihe D0wnpour Preliminary to the Tourna-
ment ut the Natural Bridge.

ment at the Natural Bridge.
Special Correspondents Of TIE EvRNrso srAR.
NATURAL BRrDoE, August 26, 1891.
And still it rains and rains, and the archers
| smile and joke and wade around like ducks and
| declare that they don't mind it one bit: in
fact rather like 1t and can shoot just as well to-
| morrow. and SO on. But the fact remains that
1t is very discouraging and damp and cold. The
bracing mountain air has lost its charm and
the tops OF the trees are lost in . heavy mist.
Every one thought that the rain would certainly
| stop before the day was over, and Col. Parsons,
who originally owned the entire place, has
promised that it will be clear by o'clock this
evening or he will pay heavy wager, SO they
all feel confident that he will keep his word.
He is a genial old southern colonel and has
Thomas Jefferson. He has just lately sold the
place 70 Boston syndicate, and simply retains
little lawn of about thousand acres or SO.
he has two handsome daughters and u fine
stable OF Virginia thoroughbred. which he
placed at the disposal of the ladiee Of our
party. and promised them o number Of delight
ful rides when the rain over. There are about
Twelve miles Of drives within the grounds over
the widest kind OF mountain scenery, up to the
summit OF Mars Hill and Mount Lebanon and
up and down the glen and round over the
bridge The ladies took their first horseback
ride this morning, and one of them being new
rider the fun at her expense served to brighten
the whole party. The rain kindly held of for
few hours, and indeed gives promise of the
sunshine before very long.
Everybody went to the ball room last night
and there was quite an impromptu dance. The
band is an indefatigable one and played until
the last couple were worn out and went to bed.
AT THE BRIDGE.
A few archers bundled up and started for the
bridge. After registering and dropping the so
cents in the slot the gate was opened and they
filed down the mountain path to the glen. You
follow a tumbling mountain stream under some
OF tho largest arbor-vite trees in the world,
which are said to be at least 500 years old and
then turning to the right you find yourself in
perpetual shadow, with the great bridge far
above you.
1t approaches Niagara in grandeur and ex-
ceeds 1t in height and awful mystery. tits a
single block of limestone with many shades of
color, from deep iron to light whitish gray,
wide enough to span an ordinary city street
and high enough to throw inAhadow the turrets
OF the highest church. The walls are smooth,
as II cut by a chisel. and no sign Of displace-
ment. Under it men look like boys and trees
like bushes" The place is full Of echoes and
the WIND and waters moan eternally.
THE STORY OF ITS BUILDING
has never been told. There are natural tun-
nels and elsewhere assures and streams are
spanned with rock masses lodged in falling,
and with free imagination these may be called
bridges, but there is no awful mystery, no har-
mony no perfect proportion, no natural rela-
ton of height Of pier and width Of way, no
parapets, no twin buttresses, no unseamed
walls. no painted pillars. We wonder if this
was formed by great CONFUSION or by the
slow wearing Of waters or the slower gnawing
for mile to Lace Water Falls, where Cedar
creek leaps 100 feet from the upper level. The
rocks are very white and smooth and the waters
dash from side to side and weave q beautiful
veil OF foam and spray.
THE LOST RIVER
is a subterranean stream that is reached by q
low archway which had been made in the
mountain side. You can only see a short way
into the black caverns, but the sound of falling
water is intensified by the echoes from the
rocky walls SO that it sounds like the rushing
OF mighty river. No one can find the source
ana no one knows the outlet, and it is a weird
lonely stream with water as cold as ice. The
archers boldly started out for the long tramp
up the slippery path. Certainly the pouring
rain is not pleasant walking companion, but
with high gum boots and gossamers they fell
equal to anything.
EXCUSE FOR POOR SCORES.
If the scores are unusually poor this year the
archers will think they have good excuse for
eAch iauuB VI Oh dccOunt OF tne rain. Inc
ball room is the most popular place in the
evening, and the band is indefatigable and
grinds out weird strains az long as a single
couple will stay on the floor.
When the personally conducted excursion
reaches here they will more than fill up every
nook aud Granny of the place. The glen will be
lighted, the band will find some new pieces and
everybody will dress up. II bold Robin Hood
could just step out Of the ages and take look
ut the national archery tournament Of 1891 he
would certainly smile a ghastly smile and use a
little OF his choicest profanity. He never
stopped for weather nor storms, in fact he is
supposed to revel in the worst phases of the
elements
The archery clubs in England are very large
and very numerous and some of them have been
organized for over a century. One club numbers
500 members and has an annual tournament
ut which the prizes are handsome and APP
propriate. The American ladies have no rea-
son to be ashamed of their record, for their
scores have surpassed any OF those ever made
v Epplisb