The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-09-15
ATRAMP THROUGH VIRGINIA.
Impressions Of Two New Workers 1srSely
Tod.
The HOSPITALITY IN RURAL HOMES
Every Cottage n Hotel Without charge
Experiences of An Artist and 3o"rn-
aIist In the Historic Places
of the state.


When | told my friends in New York
ia the early part OF tie - ison that my
summers outing would be a walking tour
they smiled in an amused way, but offered
re disc ourIgenscaL A good many OF me IN
were OF the sort those ideal Of an outing
IS TO 80 som where IN a pa:lor car at the
late of sixty miles an hour. With the por-
ter bringing frequent iced drinks from the
buffet.
l5ut they were gifted with tolerant
habit OF mind and had no objection to
mans making an IDIOT OF himself. pro-
yided he didn't interfere with the parlor
car service When i added, however, that
my tourney would be through Virginia,
their interest grew to the point OF alarm
Virginia ia the summer" they sad.
"Thc South in July and August, and on
foot. Don't you know that Virginia IS a
country where even the mineral springs
are hoty'
1t is really strange how little the aver
axe New Yorker knows of any region out
side Of Manhattan Island. When he goes
away al the rate OF sixty miles an hour
he always wants to get back again al the
rate OF seventy. and ne has lived there so
long that his idea OF summer Is 10 sit In
a root garden, In the shade OF detected
tree planted IN "A green painted box ana
contemplate n gauzc vision on the stage.
My dear friends" said |. " If your m
tellcctual outlook extended any PARTNER
South than Staten Island you would
know that Virginia is a State best seen
In the summer.-a country as full Of beau
tiful breezy days as Il is of historic spots
md mint julepS. The hotel keepers have
found it out. and the kinSy red gables OF
their houses are springing up there as
rapidly as the watermelon vines"
such language as this should have con-
WINGED them. ana l think the mention OF
jule2s did make them waver little but
OF the whole they remained unaffected.
They said II / got to Richmond Il would
be by train. which was an easy enough
matter.
AZ ARTIST CAME TOO.
There was another man. however. an
artist. who was tired of the gauze and
green paint kind Of summer. He had
heard that IN Virginia there were long
stretches Of roads showing bright and red
against the deep green Of pine forests,
with perhaps the white succeed front Of
an old manor house cleaning down the
vista. So he put his color box IN his
pocket took his white umbrella and came
with me.
We crossed the lower Potomac. tramped
through the eastern part OF the State,
UP the course Of the Shenandoah, and
then, turning at the Natural Bridge,
walked through the centre Of the state
10 Richmond When at last We stepped
over the rug which says virginia IN
the doorway of the Capitol, and leaned
over that little broken place in the rail-
ing before the Houdoa statue OF Washing
ton. ana so knew thar our journey was
over. We aad not only the remembrance
OF many OF the breezy days. but that
satisfaction which comes when you get
the better Of man who tells YOU that
you are not dong the proper hing.
My idea Of a walking tour is not that
OF the athlete. I nave small sympathy
with the young man who walks as many
miles as possible during the day. rubs
himself down with lniment at night, and
starts ont the next morning TO break the
record he has just made. When we were
asked how many miles we made in day,
and answered that we never walked more
than twenty-five oftener fifteen and some
days none. II was easy 10 see that we
had lost "A chance of making a favorable
impression in regard 20 our powers. But
the charm of such a journey is not in
the exertion. but in the freedom and
variety. \ glimpse Of river scenery
brought the artists color box out of his
pocket. or some sleepy little village, where
fhe boys pitched quoits and the men play
cd checkers all through the day. stopped
us 20 live for few hours in the rural
Virginia OF nifty years ago. We were VII
ling that others should see their names
IN the sporting papers as record breakers.
We loved rather The friendly dish OF
talk by the waysdr. without which the
traveller finds all lands barren. and comes
agan to his home no wiser than he
went"
TIE PRACTICAL SIDE.
This is the decorative side OF the mat
ter. And here are some Of the practical
things we learned The best clothing for
tramp trip is a suit of corduroy. W Itch
does not show dust and is unaffected by
briars Knickerbockcrs are We'll enough
for those who like them, but have found
long trousers which button around the
ankle 10 give better service. TO say moth
Ing OF being less irritating TO the opinions
OF the rural population. The hat should
be a wide rim. light weight. soft felt.
ANY high shoe Of good leather will do,
provided IT fits. IL need not have an extra
heavy sole. and may as well have point
ed toe as a square one. II ii Is only big
enough. For those who can afford it, 1t
Is well 10 have shirts and All underwear
of silk. as they wear better and are lighter
60 carry In the knapsack. If not silk.
flannel shirts VIII do. but the urban out
ing shirts Of madras or cheviot should be
avoided. as they get soiled and sticky in
few hours on the road. In the KNAPP
sack. which should be merely a soft can
vas or waterproof bag. 80 the changes OF
clothiag toilet articles. writing material
and map.
Strapped with II a gOssamcr rubber coat
should be carried. These are rather hard
to find IN the present fashion OF mackin-
toshes. but can be found in some stores
At about a dollar and a half each. and
coat. or blanket VIXEN sitting on the
ground Some pedestrians carry the pack
strapped on the shoulders in military FASH
ion but have usually found this manner
confined to young men with eye glasses
and thin calves. who walk twenty miles
with great enthusiasm the first day. and
10 on by train for the rest of the journey.
TT is carried under the arm. with strap
over the opposite shoulder. It can be east
~ changed from one side to the other,
and II II Is adjusted so that the lotion
rests upon the hip. one hardly knows IL is
there unless IL is very heavy.
This II need not be- my pack contained
everything necessary. and weighed only
eight pounds An umbrella and pocket
drinking cup complete the outfit The
latter VIII be used many times a day. in
wonderings by the limestone springs of
the Valley. or the lithia Of the South. a
flask OF something stronger than spring
water is a good thing to have but the