The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1892-07-28
CORRESPONDENCE.
Communicated.
Cliftons VS.. StauntOn.
CLIFTON FORGE, VA, July 25, 49,

CLIFTON FORGE, VA. July 25, 1892
MR.. EpIToR:-The writer accented
the invitation of the "Cliftons'' to ac>
company them to Staunton last week
and witness their match game of base
ball with the Y. NJ. G. A. nine of that
place. Some of your readers will perhaps
be interested in knowing how our boys
were treated on that occasion, hence this
communication.
Staunton boasts of her high order of
civilization and refinement: naturally
then we were anxious TO he ON our good
behavior, and especially SO as the invita-
ton to our Club came through the ac-
credited official and representative of
the Y. M. G. A., whose extreme sense of
propriety induced him to take the pre-
caution to forewarn the visitors by the
following admonition contained in let
ter to the manager of the .Cliftons':
P.S.-You are Of course aware of the nature OF
our organization, the Y. M. q. A. and will take
the necessary steps to prevent any obJectiona
bic conduct on the grounds. / will see that our
men perform their part. The last game we
PLAYED, the opposing team brought number of
half drunken men with Them We disapprove
also of betting, and will prevent it. wherever
possible
With these reminders before us, of course,
we went prepared to behave as we'll
us boys from a country town could be-
have in large city, thinking too we
would learn something of the polite civil
tiles of high life. Well, we learned it;
INT it was not exactly what we were
looking for. The Committee that met
us at the train didn't meet us, and the
reception committee was not receiving
that day: SO, upon our arrival in the
City. we were SO completely LOST and
helpless that we were obliged to seek in
formation from the police force which
happened to be standing near the Sta
ton. OF him we enquired for the finest
hotel in the City, and were informed
that it had never been built; we were.
therefore, obliged to sweep down upon
less pretentious house with all our
hungry gang, where we caused consid>
cradle alarm, not being expected. But
/ they did the best they could for us under
| the circumstances
| When dinner was over we were anx-
| ious. of course, to get glimpse of the
| Y. NJ. G. A. Club that was to compete
with us; we, therefore, formed a syndi
cate and employed colored boy to pilot
us to the ball grounds.
| At the entrance we were met by one
| Of the opposing team WHO wanted to
know how many entrance fees we were
going to pay. The Club had no money
and begged off; the umpire, however.
borrowed quarter and settled with the
gate keeper then and there. The "Clif
tons" then proceeded to the diamond
and announced what they were there
for. They haven't formed the acquaint-
tnce of the Y. M. c. A. Club yet, though
they would possibly remember some of
their faces should they meet again.
The game was called and the scorer
| from Staunton was rendered chair and
umbrella, while the visiting scorer stood
in the broiling sun with book in hand
until one of the "Cliftons' hunted up
IN old barrel for him to sit on. Of course,
ii you have but one chair it should never
be given the visitor. "Chairity begins
at home"
AS the game proceeded the audience
gave expression to the esteem in which
they held the visitors by continuous
ieers. sneers and Kisses, and an unceasing
indulgence in remarks intended, we sup
pose, to be wise and witty, but which in
the rural town of Clifton Forge would
he deemed coarse. ill>bred and vulgar
But then we are not familiar with the
conventionalities of good society and
may. therefore. misjudge. The Y. NJ. G..
A. nine and the crowd in attendance
were continually finding fault with the
visiting umpire. Indeed, it was thought
at one time he would be lynched, but
the catastrophe was averted by resort
to diplomacy. The personal and indi-
vidual comments made with reference
to the visiting players was something
new too. When the game ended, our
boys found their way back to the train
MS best they could and felt jubilant when
Henry johnson pulled them into .old
Clifton Forge on No. 1. The boys are
wiser. They learned much; but we
would advise them to still exercise the
old time Virginia courtesies and civil
ties when they receive strangers, though
the custom may be out of date in the
larger cities. RAMBLER.