Mexico weekly ledger., 1894-09-20
Down LIN cole Virginy."
A MEXICO LAD AT SCHOOL IN
THE HISTORIC TOWN OF
LEXINGTON.
tirapiiic Description Of the Trip to the
"lthNRs of Virginia" Statues
of two Immortal C0nfeder-
ate Generals lees
Body servant.
Correspondent Of the Ledger.

Correspondence of the Ledger.
LEXINGTON, Va, Sept. 10
Leaving Cincinnati on the c. & 0.
a Mexico boy finds himself in the
midst of scenery to which he is to-
tally unaccustomed. From thence
to Lexington the observer sees
nothing but Jagged rocks, tumultuous
eataracts, long rows of mountains,
their SUBMITS tipped with clouds
or, looking into the distance, the
extended mountain ranges, covered
densely with pines and other trees
peculiar to this country, present
the appearance Of masses Of
threatening clouds piled up on the
horizon. Through such country as
this is the passenger hurled at such
q rate as to permit no thought con
corning the mighty and very ancient
upheavals which produced these
billy ranges upon the surface, but.
as the writer has before noticed
and this district is no exception
their undulations alter the citizens
and one taken from the west to Fir.
ginia cannot help taking cognizance
of the principle so often maintained
in many forms-that surrounding
produce the seense of mankind as
we'll as circumstances the civiliza
ton.
But | do not intend in this com.
munication to moralize or play the
part of a philosopher but to merely
state some facts concerning'shistori(
Lexington" where the writer is al
present Il student. And truly there
are many things within its limits
worthy OF great interest and venera
ton. 1t is yet and will always BIZ
a stronghold of Southern pride ant
enthusiasm. Not that sectional
hatred exists here, Or disloyalty
predominates, but the inhabitants
still cherish old Southern ideas
still cling to old Southland tradi-
tons and venerata the remembrance
of her heroes.
In this "Athens OF Virginia
there are statues of her two immor.
tai citizens, r. e. Lee and "Stone'
wall" Jackson. In the chapel o.
the Washington and Lee University
OF which time'honored institution
he was SO long the president, is {
splendid white marble recumbeni
statue of General r. e. Lee. This
is considered one of the fest pieces
of modern sculpture and was exc
cuted by the famous sculptor, Val
entine. Directly underneath the
chapel is the Office of General Lee.
and cold Toms" faithful care pre-.
serves it just as the General left it,
cold Tom" was the body servant
of the General during the war, and
it is somewhat affecting to observe
the fondness with which the old
negro cherishes the remembrance
of his old master. He is ever ready
with the greatest zeal and eagerness
to tell how ''me and the General
licked the Yankees" Small won
der there is that there remains a
former aristocratic condition which
should keep alive in the bosom OF
the Eirginian the memory of his
ancestors and the renown of the
Southern people in ante-bellum
days. But these aristocratic poll.
cies and this loyalty TO tradition
will not serve at this stage of the
worlds advancement to keep agloW
the fire of modern progress.
Lexington, like some other towns
[ might name, relies mostly upon
the impetus given it by its educa-
tional institutions and lacks the life,
energy and push of a western town.
Bound to its old customs by ties OF
consanguinity it is 10th to remember
those forms and policies which
would place it on an intellectual
basis with other progressive towns.
But this situation of affairs is not
confined 10 the limits of Lexington;
1t is the normal condition of the
South. Not that they are mentally
inferior to their neighbors, not that
they love the new adjustment of af-
fairs less, but they love the old sys,
tenn more.
But Notwithstanding the hardness
OF the citizens this charming valley
town has attractions which few
places possess. Here one sees evil
derces of former stage of existence
lettering to ruin; witnesses the de-
cay of remembrances Of a once po-
liticaI fancy, and heholds the relics
OF past glory remain welded to an
VpGnIhT CAT ii