Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-09-10
FOUR TRAMPS.
Government Clerks Who Walked During
Their Vacation.

AT HARPERs FERRY THEY POUND MECH TO
INTEREST THEM ~ THE REFLECTIONS OF TIE
RAID OF JOHN BROWN AND THE FATE OF THAT
PIONEER ABoLIrIoNIsT
EOUR GOVERNMENT CLERKS AND A
- kid who were spending their vacation
by tramping through the country after
three days walking along the canal de-
cided to strike out through the country.
The log Of their journey says: At Point Of
Rocks We left the canal, with its hot road,
monotonous scenery and aggravating curves.
In the early morning We passed over Catoctin
mountain and entered into the great farming
district of Frederick county. II WAS a welcome
change, and as we climbed along the cool,
shady mountain road the spirit Of the first day
was reused again and the woods werc made
more or less vocal with song. After marching
three days in the blazing sun with nothing new
to attract attention the shady road, ripe cher
ries, beds Of shy Strawberries and sparkling
springs were doubly refreshing. while the occa-
sional glimpses of the valley below and the blue
lines of the far off Allegheneys beyond were
revelations of beauty. Coming down into the
open country the spires of jefferson were in
II.
On every side are evidences of agricultural
prosperity. Cozy farm houses. with occa-
sfonRi brick mansions. always surrounded by
substantial barns and numerous out houses,
making each farm seem a little settlement in
itself, while fields of wheat Just taking on the
golden tinge of harvest lay on either hand. and
as the breeze touched them waving pillows Of
motion chased each other in the glad sunshine.
AN IDEAL FARMING COUNTRY.
ntv ia farr
try. and in the development of its rural indus
dustries will compare favorably with any
farming community in the country It's fertile
soil and the thrift Of it's cultivators at
tested by the clean. well-fenced, well-housed
farms, good roads and the general air of pros
perity which pervades. George saws il
minded him very much of certain English dis
tricts because the byroads are lined on either
side with trees and because there is a large pro-
portion Of grass land. upon which are pastured
herds of sleek, well-fed cattle. This may all be
true or 1t may be only an opportunity for him
to air his knowledge of foreign parts. The
roads are special feature, and their general
excellence is an indication of the thrift Of the
community.
Jefferson lies upon both sides of the famous
Frederick pike. up which Stonewall Jackson's
ragged veterans passed on that cool.September
morn when they gave Barbara Freitchie her
place In patriotic history. 1t is a village of
bellum style of country towns which were the
pride OF the gentry Of the south. the home of
the owners of the smiling acres that surround
1t on all sides. Both sides of the pike are lined
with noble old trees, whose boughs interlock
and through which even the midday sun can
only struggle in patches. There is a quiet
restfu air that invites the traveller to loiter at
the town pump or stop for a gossip at the
corner store. Perhaps the most striking feature
to person passing the first time excepting
always the features Of ats pretty girls. is the
prlm neatness that appears on every side.
Every lawn Is just SO green, the grass Just SO
short, every fence has the same shade Of daz-
cling white, every graveled walk bordered with
round stones of the same size and pattern and
every house bright with fresh paint. In men,
DRY 1t seems like one of those little Swiss toy
villages, stiff and prim, that, with the Noah's
ark and wooden animals, share the warmest
affections of childhood. If there were a single
house In the town that was not newly painted
we did not see it, and while there were some
fearful combinations Of color the whole effect
was delightful. II was the neatest, cleanest,
freshest village which was found on the whole
trip.
TOWARD THE LINE OF BLUE MOUNTAINS.
Turning here sharply to the left our course
led toward the line of Blue mountains, in which
deep depression told where the Potomac
passed through and beyond which was Harpers
Ferry. Walking on the pike through district
not SO level as TO be mopotonous and not so
billy as to be tiresome. with q bracing air and
partly clouded sky. was positively luxury and
the mile posts seemed too close together. One
OF the finest wheat crops of recent years was
just beginning to ripen and in the big barns
and tool sheds creaking grindstones, rasping
whetstones and the ring of steel told of prepar-
alton for harvest. Harry is ambitious to APP
pear quite at home under all circumstances,
but his unfortunate near-sightedneSs occas-
ionally brings his weil-meant effort to naught
Passing beautiful field of timothy. with long
feathery heads, he remarked confidentially to
the owner who contemplated US from the OBJ
posite side of the fence, that this was one of
the finest pieces of wheat that We had seen
The native seemed surprised and SO was Harry
when head was handed him for inspection.
BY this little incident he learned that all wheat
fields were brown and all timothy meadows
green. This enabled him to recover his lost
prestige a little later by complimenting the
owner Of a late wheat field. which had not be-
gun to ripen, upon the fine stand timothy he
had. That wheat could be both green and
golden in color was too much for near -sighted
city farmer.
This was the first day which actually led
through the country, and it developed charac-
teristics in the party which the days that fol-
lowed only served to strengthen. The kid came
out strong. Instead of Flooding along with the
crowd imbibing wisdom from the conversation
OF his elders, he romped through the fields,
chased butterflies, climbed cherry trees, hooked
green apples and worked off his animal spirits
by annoying every dog on the road. He not
only outwalked every member of the party,
but he. performed gastronomic feats that were
marvellous. He was always hungry and yet al
ways eating. Green fruit, raw onions and
sweet milk made up his standard diet, vet
neither death, nor even cholera morbus, claimed
him.
AT HARPER's FERRY.
After reaching the Potomac at Knoxville we
followed the road to Weaverton and then,
rather than again follow the towpath, crossed
over the mountain to Harper's Ferry. 1t was
a steep road. but worth the effort. From the
top there is wonderful view and YOU have
your choice of scenery, pastoral, river or noun
tain. AT the Ferry We seemed somewhat OBJ
jects Of suspicion, but glance in the glass at
the barber shop showed good reason. The
dust and stain OF four days was not conducive
to neatness in personal appearance. A stop
ping place at last secured on the top of
Bolivar Heights, upon the brazen assurance to
the landlady from ALI that we were nottramps,
ington woman George sought to do the agree
able by protesting personal acquaintance with
her husband, and Willis, not willing TO be left
where the fair sex was concerned, complimented
her upon the intellectual charms of her daugh-
ter, whom he insisted he had met some wears
ago. They were getting along swimmingly,
until she dropped the observation that she was
a childless widow. OF course, the mistake was