Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-10-01

LAkJS thus tells Of q days
~ tramp through the val
- % ley:
SSsN Leaving Harper's
= 49, lses.xS. Ferry by Charlestowu
4ShSs-gp pike We passed through
49, a country which bears
- on every hand evidence
Of rural prosperity.
The road is an exceptionally good specimen Of
so-called pike. substantially built, well rounded
and ditched and in good repair. Running, rs st
does, through limestone country, there Is
abundance of material for roadmakiug, and in
its construction brains well as stone have
been used. During the whole trip we found
the character of the roads passed over . fair in
dication of the character of the country and Of
the people. Where they were good firms and
houses were in better condition, hne stock
abounded and the prosperity Of the surround
ing country WAS evident. Where they were
poor or neglected their condition was reflected
In the settlements passed. Good roads are not
only evidence OF prosperity, but powerful fac
tors in bringing it about. They bring markets
closer by making them more accessible, save
time and horse flesh. facilitate business and so
cial intercourse and are really quite as impor-
tant In rural community as good railway IA
cilities.
AN OLD TOLL GATE.
On This pike we found that relic Of . past
age-the toll gate-stih in operation. Every
stretch Of five miles was marked by one Of
these mute protests against trade aud travel,
which few years ago were thought the neces-
sary accompaniment OF good roads. In tho
present instance these dams in the channel OF
traffic were primitive affairs. long pole is
hung on pivot in q forked stick. the short
end balanced by heavy stone. SO that il NAV
swing up and down easily, like an old well
sweep. TO the long end is tied a rope by which
the pole is pulled down to bar all progress un-
til the tax gatherer has been satisfied, when it
is released aud swings up BY the weight Of the
stone on the short end. II is rude. but it works
At the first one an ambitious literary effort set
forth the charges, from which il appears that
'sheap" can pass at 2 cents q head. with other
charging and spelling in harmony. The buxem,
rosy girl who attended the gate seemed at a
loss to classify our party. We certainly were
neither horseback nor in wagon, nor vet could
be classed exactly among animals driven. Such
thing as man deliberately setting out TO 20
anywhere on foot was not contemplated by the
trainers of the tariff, consequently no rate was
levied She allowed us to pass free, but it was
easy to see that she believed that we were taking
an unfair advantage of the county.
ARELIc OF THE WAR.
A short distance from Halltown. on q hilltop
which commands much OF the surrounding
country, there is a monument TO the war and
another to the new order OF things which re-
suited from it. On one side of the road on the
top of knoll, are the walls Of an old stone
school house, which at one time served as
headquarters for Stonewall Jackson. 1t was
the center of sharp fight. aud when the tide
OF battle surged around and over il only the
bare walls were left. Roof, doors and windows
were gone, and the Scared and battered walls
bear mute testimony to the fierce attack and
stubborn resistance that marked the transition
from the old to the new. The beautiful yir-
ginia creeper has grown over the ruins till il
would seem that even nature strives to hide the
marks and memories of the fratricidal conflict
Across the road il a monument with more
pleasing associations. 1t is a neat log cabin
surrounded by trees and covered by a trailing
gourd vine, owned and occupied by a freed
man family. A striking contrast, and set each
Is necessary to the complete picture. The ruin
on the hill and the happy home across the way
are two results Of the war. The last exists be-
cause the first is.
At Halltown we rested in a cool. shady
meadow by large spring full OF and sur
rounded by that choice Virginia product
mint 1t was of excellent quality, the mint
likewise the contents of the bottle carried by
All to counteract possible snake bites but the
decoction did more than tickle the palate. Two
hundred yards away was wheelwright's shop,
and the mixture was hardly brewed before the
grizzled owner appeared in his door with his
leather apron on, glanced up and down the
road while he shifted the breeze. hesitsted as If
in some doubt, and then as a little puff Of wind
bore the stronger fragrance of the mint he
located us. As he came across the meadow
Willis, who prides himself on his ability to read
human nature, and who had studied up on war
facts in order that he might have a never
failing topic OF conversation. pointed him out
rs the first noble specimen Of the confederate
soldier we ha9 met. His step and his bearing
proclaimed his martial training: he lived be-
cause death in the chance of battle had chosen
less shining marks, but his heart was buried
with his fallen comrades and his lost cause. SO
Willis said. War memories did seem to strike
a responsive chord in the old mans breast and
he became reflective at once.
THE BLAcKsMIrHs REooLLEcrroxs.
"Oh, yes, we seed heap O. the war in these
parts. Soldiers was q marching here all the
time, first one side and then the other. and it
kept some of the gentry a hustling to change
SIDES fast enough, cause they always belonged
to the side that had the most men about here
When they first began to talk of fighting the
big families just reared and charged and talked
common folks into Timing the army right away,
but heap of the big bugs reckoned they was
too old to go in themselves. 1 lived up along
BY Squire Massey then, and he wanted me TO
fine, but said to him: esquire. you've got
lot Of niggers, and hain't got none; why don't
you fine and leave me at homer After q
while they came along and drafted me, but,
young Teller, didn't stay long. In Just two
weeks discharged myself, and kinder hid out
the rest of my time. You see ] argued this 9
way: 1 weren't mad, and I always said /
never would fight till got mad, and didn't
see nothing for me to get mad about. just
said them as was mad could do the fighting
Besides that the Yankees that came along this
wav weren't bit particular where they shot
their lead; they was liable TO Spite q mans
innards with minnie ball any time"
Willis could not spare the old veteran drink.
but the rest so enjoyed the discontinue Of the
sentimental historian that they willingly divided
their potions.
Between Halltown and Charlestown the road
runs along the crest Of q limestone formation
and that gives a distinctive feature 10 the
country. 1t is continuation Of the geological
formation which gives tie fertility and sgri-
cultural prominence to Lancaster, York and
Adams counties in Pennsylvanis and Frederick
in Maryland, and wherever il comes to the surface
from Pennsylvania to Tennessee it makes Q rioh
farming country. Its line Is here clearly