Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1895-08-28
Apan,s outlna on the sMenand0ah.


of ladies and gentlemen coming up from the
ferry above S~hannondale. They were aioot,
and as the ladies one and all had the leis-
urely rolling gate of city danes, we TOOK
them to be visitors at the Springs out on an
exploring expedition to discover what sort
of a country lies this side of Jordan. There
we're only three gentlemen in the company
too few to play the part Of beaux to so many
bellies, and hardly enough to act as body
guard in case the right of way had been dis
puted by stray cow or charging focks of
ferocious Jefferson county sheep.
Now, en- PEASANT, a private word in your
ear brother Billy. Tell me, are you still the
admirer of female beauty that you once
were? For my part the experience OF a
lifetime has shown me the utility of an ear
nest and persistent cultivation of a pessi'
mistic, anti-sentimental, d~evil-take-'em at
titude in regard to the sex as the only safe
aud sure p~reservative of ones peace and
heavenly mindedness but-let US make 1t
two butts while we are about it-but VOW,
brother, Billy, there was one lovely girl IN
that tramping train Of sunburnt beauties
whose face was q poetic aud artistic study.
She was, mind you, none Of your tall top
heavy, broad shouldered, wide mouthed,
Trilby. fad sort of women-bah mo! but
a refined creature whose delicate, clean cut
features might serve as a model to an artist
ambitious of painting a new Madona. True,
there was some lack of repOse. On the
dOwncast eyelids rested a pensiye shadow,
and there was a vague look Of world wearl-
ness in the eyes themselves when she raised
them to look directly toward yOu.-But
there was 40 time for further reflections
our carriage rolled by on its way the fair
vision vanished as fair visions will and
well, now that | think of it, the sweet cast
of pensiveness on that gentle face, so sug-
gestive of sRirapeRe faucies and sentimental
dreams, may nave been all il my own i'm
agination-maybe the lady was about give
OUT climbing that steep hill, or maybe my
rather bold stare of admiration made her
feel tired.
Shenandoah Daughter of the Stars =
What Indian poet of the aforementioned
past, floating on his bark canoe on thy gen.
tie stream, what time thy dark waves dance
beneath the blaze of midnight stars, gave
thee this name Of unchanging s%oftness and
beauty Surely his was no savage mind
with |sensibilities blunted by barbarous war
fare and blurred with the blood of captive
enemies. And yet we cannot forget that
from Homer down poets have been more or
less bloodthirsty at least that they delight
in battles other men have fought.
And now, here we are at the temporary
fishing camp to which we were invited. We
find it silent aud deserted. The boys are
out in the boats trying their luck with rod
and liue-all save one lonesome fellow left
behind to wash the dishes and keep up the
FIRE. First catch your fish might seem a
reasonable preliminary to a tish'iry but
Charles Town fishermen first make a fire.
Such is the power of faith. In the present
instance JeGersonian fsith was moderately
triumphant. The fish fshed for were caught
that is. two of them. First came into
camp that most successful caster Of hook
and line. John l.. He came bearing III
his boots a bucketful or more of muddy wa
ter presented 70 him gratis by the Daughter
of the stars, and in his coat pocket one tool
ish little sucker of uncertain age and pro-
portions. said sucker having dried and
shruuk considerably after it was caughtthat
morning a mile or two up the river. a little
while after another boat came from down
stream with another unfortunate sucker
somewhat larger and fresher. The outlook
i'm the direction of dinner appeared to be
growing hay. However, having been re-
peatedly assured there are plenty of fish in
the river, we still held fast TO our first faith.
At length hope again visited US. A certain
MISUNDERSTANDING chest in a far corner Of
the tent was opened and we saw successfully
produced therefrom a big head Of cabbage,
a sizeable chunk of fat bacon, together with
apples. potatoes, tomatoes, ct cgterd, and the
miracle of q fish feast with only two small
fishes on hand did not, after all, appear an
altogether improbable event Of the near
future.
Il hath been said of old that "Too many
cooks spoil the broth" This is no longer a
true saying at least it is no longer a rule
without exceptions for TO my certain knOwl-
edge there were two or three cooks to each
and every dish cooked at the cooking OF our
dinner beside the laughing waters Of the
lovely Shenandoah. And they-the fisher
men, not the laughing waters did cook IN
this wise Two men pared and fried apples
while three men fried the two fishes, namely,
the aforesaid shriveled suckers two men
boiled the bacon and cabbage, while anOth-
er scrsped the potatoes. and another still
diligently pounded between two flat stones
a pound of uuground coffee wrapped in the
dlshcloth aud then stepped it, the coffee,
over the fire, in S|hannOndale spring water.
so famous for making the best of coffee
One gentleman, "a married man who had in
his counting days been remarkably spOOny,
and had since, from the force of clrcum-
stances. become quite handy with a spoon,
stood by the fire patiently stirring some
thing that looked like baby-sO0thing pap,
but was supposed TO be some sort of Origi-
nal sauce 10 be served with the two miracu-
lous fishes while another, handy with an
ak. split up a miscellaneous collection of
bark aud old rails perilously near the back
hair of a dapper little fellow who with
might and main was slicing tomatoes-Is say
perilOusly near because a chance side glance
of the AK in his direction would have in