The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-04-08
OLD VIRGINIA STAGES.
x,oxyrTrON OF MODE OF TRAVEL
FAMILIAR FIFTY YEARS AGO.
,,.princtpai Lincs and . Glimpse ut Fer
,onares Well Known In Those Days
Extra Billy Smiths Route.

"a ~ MILAN Pope DaDnty. Hi"N0 e'N'
RS most accomplished gentleman ana
Us, has Joined the company or historic
"a distinguished NirgnianS incidentally
..sned by him in that communication.
- he entitled 20 such select compan-
t-.hio: for in the oft-quoted phrase OF
l.,r,rn0r Wise. ne was Nirginian intus
-, an ccrtc. After the death of Hugh
,,sir Crigsby there was perhaps no man
d. che state so thoroughly verscd In its
.~.l5uarian lore. lie was brimful or II;
..-ftlie Monkbarns. And how pleasing
ID. lie dispensed his stores In the article
,,ferrcd 10. what vivid and inviting
,i,tgre did he paint Of the hostelries and
ti.,lfaces Of the olden time For how
.s,v OF your older readers did he strike
rhord that awakened In the chambers
- che heart echoes from bygOne and
f.--often era That was a graphic touch
.ifl which he depicted the gOrscously-
rsintod stagc-coach drawn by four. and
o'fcn by six horses: freighted within and
Without with passengers. packages ana
,~inks: the self-important driver, osten-
,slorsly fourishing his whip. and greeted
hv an expectant throlg OF loitererS al
he arrival at the wayside tavern, for
q change OF horses. or for dinner, fur-
r.shed with n lavish profusion OF Niands'
com which there was never missing me
"a Virginia ham, "triumphantly ridihS
mon bed OF cabbage as president
TYLER was wont 10 say.
That IS a picture that does indeed be-
long 10 the past How have the rail-
-oads and steamboats, swept the stage
coaches and the country taVerns out OF
lyisfance. and almost sout OF memory
IN, the man OF middle age. they are
known only by tradition. while TO the
youth OF the present day description
~ them seems Ike a chapter out of the
dark ages. The entertainments and prodl-
eies Of tho Arabian Nights are not more
wonderful than the metamOrphoses and
marvels wrought by the steam-englne.
1he Marvel of Rapid Transit.
whether all this rapid transit and light
ming locomoton has increased the happl-
ress Of the human race H.. i'm the minds
of many. a debatable question. This much
IS at least certain; 81 has broken UP one
most pleasing phase Of the social lie on Olu
N.r.inla for whose loss all the rapidity
and convenience and comfort Of modern
r,vel can never make full requitaL Con-
slar for a moment. some Of the Virginia
.f.rc-coachi What delightful c0mDanion-
SHIN dld IL Afford Representatives. from
Che better classes. weil-to-dO farmers, pro-
fe-sional gentlemen. and the more er- r.
r-.siug mcrchants-were among It's hdpll-
uai patrons.
81 these alone but the members Of
congress, and public men Of this and OF
She other Southern and Southwestern
states. were mainly dependent upon this
MOD. 90 travel In their journeyinss 10 ana
frm the federal capital. These latter
travelled the two principal thoroughtares
al, fh. state. The one through southwest
NrrInia TO Lynchburg. and thence
through the Piedmont section 10 Washing
f... almost the entire route being IN full
r.ea OF that lofty undulating ridge which
takes It's name from the heavens that
bends 10 battle It's SUBMITS in its own
e.tt blue. Travellers from Tennessee and
Mississippi took this route for Washington
and the northern cities
The other, and the more frcquented, or
ns two principal thoroughfares entered
fta State az Danville, passing through
charlotte. Prince Edward. Cumberland,
Fluvauna. Louisa, Spottsylvania and star
ford Along this route travelled the way
mrers. the Carolnas Georgia ana Ala
fnma 10 was over this route that Gov
ern0r William Smith carried the malls'
naI DO was Stanley. Of North carolina,
nho focularly dubbed him with the sub
sad " extra Billy from his frequent but
4r.lvs rneritOri0us applications TO the gov
e-ment for extra compensation Nhal
,atar.aining and instructive discourse was
often to be heard in such company I'D
those fournoyings extending through many
day. What entertaining "reminiscences OF
prominent public men, and notable nap
rcuirgs in the halls Of Congress. WHAT
pleasing interchange Of courtesies and OPP
r0rtunities Of conversation with men or
culture and requirements. And then WAal
variety Of the loveliest landscapes 10 DE
seen upon earth. Mountains recedlns'
range after range. TO the limit Of human
vision. endless succession or neid ana
forest with spacious and tasteful man
slons crOwning the commanding emin-
ences. laughing rivulets and the broad
b0soms Of the many noble streams that
traverse the State.
The Rev. Paul Whitehead In one or As
descriptive sketches OF Virginia, some four
ar five wears since. mentions that travel
lers we're accustomed 10 alight from the
stage az certain points between Amherst
Court House and Roses Mil, ten miles
distant. 20 enjoy the views that were
famed for thcir surprising loviine5S |nd
grandeur. The holder and granoer views
Del. need TO the Piedmont route; but ne
routes through middle and lower Virginia
presented landscapes less eNhilarat'ns
perhaps. Tut in some respects equally at
fractive. and even more pleasing TO the
tranquil contemplation
The dark pine forests that abound IN
these sections Of the state were Pro
ro1nced by Watkins Leigh to be tnS
most delightful objects IN nature WIN
fr tho DEPTHS Of these stately forests
the awe inspiring silence is broken only
hv the soughing OF the wind like the 10"
Urge In some solemn temple. Here th'
GENTLY undulating and more level coun'
try opens larger stretches Of landscape Il
the view: here the rivers broaden as t1ey
hurry on 10 deliver their tribute waters
10 the sea; ard here In the earlier set
tied sections there was wont 10 greet inc
eve from the windows Of the sia"c
coach many a historic cOuntry-seat, anc
many a spot rich IN patriotic and legend
ary interest while now and then the te
dum OF travel was broken by enifanc
into one 81 the many towns and cities Of
the old Dominion that date their exist
cnce from the colonial era And then an
enjoyable change and relaxation marked
The arrival az the commodlous wayslce
ina where the night was 20 be spent,
afi where the cordial busting landlord
pressed upon his guests the bornties
or DIS table and in many instances me
polished cN.Nties that pointed him or
as hcioleing 60 The class Of the gentry,
come reverse of fortune having driven
i.m 10 this resort as means OF liyeii-
hood.
lie Was Gentleman.
In ouch Instances. the worse for wear
Ills habiliments. he stll maintained The
!nefaceable stamp and style Of toe gen
teman Where a stop was to be made
Co.