Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-03-17
SIGNS OF THE TIMES.
Frogs Hold Aish Opera and nocfs ol
Wild Geese Fly EOrthEafd.
FIRST SEASON SNAKE STORY.
A TAieving Black Caught and y
Rather xiIled-Westcrn Seekers
for virginia Homes-Tramc IN
creasfng.
ocorr,spondence Of the Dispatch.)

fcorrsspondence Of the Dispatch)
ALTON. VA. March ls-The frogs are
holding high opera down in the ice-ponds
and marshy bottoms. The hoarsa old
basso leads, and the little silyer-voiced
tenor. way in the slimy ooze. answers
h,clx The chorus, "Jug O rum' jug o
rnr,, knee-deep. knee-deepT breaks on
the s,ll night ARA mysterious inter-
pretation Of nature, surer than a Hagers-
town almanac.
Two aocks OF wild geese have passed
over Rockhsh Gap; the first pointed ike
a long crook. flew straight ahead for tne
,ens and rocky coasts Of Maine. the
second flock was too low. They broke
column among the clouds and III In an
open field. Presently, the leader, with
more sense, ten to one, than an average
congressman. had them formed again.
and. keeping his big "a close pehind
him, went north all right.
CAUGHT IN THE ACT.
An old colored woman near here has
been missing the eggs from nest under
her wood-plle for some time. she.
watched. and the other day caught the
thief a big black-snake. hagrante delicto.
He was quickly dissected and relieved OF
| three eggs In good condition, which
| 'auntie" economically set under another
hen. This Is the first snake-story OF the
| season, though Mr. Jim Cook Killed a
| rattler while ploughing on the mountain
| side last Tuesday
To-morrow ia 81. Patrick s-day. Many
| believe the saint Is a myth, and never
| existed. Ancient Celtic manuscripts say
| no did. and tell OF his life and works
\ among the heather Irish or his day. 81.
| patricks sermon at Tara, when he used
| the shamrock as symbol OF the three
| In one and one in three OF the Trinity.
| Is well known. We or later times, anu
| not of Erin's Isle, venerate his memory
| as the guardian protector against bugs
| and are planting potatoes to-day. st
| Patrick never saw an Irish potato, but
| we hope he win look kindly down and
| bless us with n full crop, free from po'
| tato-bugs.
The snow yet lies in the mountain
| gorges. but the green grass. and the hya
| cinths, and the daffodis, the early cro-
| Gus. and the young onions are peeping
| up from thelr long winters nap. And
! what does Amelie Rives say2
THE spring is here; the spring Is here
l
HAPPY BRIDES.
o. best and last, Four marriages In
our midst attest her sweet discernment
They were fortunate brides, too; or shoule
have been, II happy Is the bride th'
sun shines on" Exactly how to recon
clle that proverb with the divorce sta
tistlcs is a puzzle. IL cannot be that thu
Divorces were all married in rainy
weather else we'd never have a drought
| But our steady, sensible young peopl'
| are not built that way. One couple, th'
| richer. went on a bridal tour for a sta,
OF two weeks. The others. just as happy
| and hopeful. have gone to their humber
homes to begin together life's Journey.
SOME ONE NEEDED.
A plan is being talked OF here to form
| some kind Of local association fo
the purpose Of promoting immigration
| or 10 furnish information to those look
ing toward Virginia for settlement. Lot
OF people In the Northwest are wantlni
to pull up and seek other fields. Som
one IL needed to look out after thes
buyers, for they are, Of course, golni
to investigate where the conditions nr
: the most friendly and favorable. \ part,
Of sixty-fve gentlemen from the region
In and around Chicago and farther West
came In last week on an excursion. Tn
= body Of them went on east, TO NewpOr
| News and Norfolk. Only two OF ther
are known 10 have bought land In Pied
mont Virginia, and two Will settle owe
the mountains.
Traffic on the Chesapeake and Obi
railroad IS increasing at a gratifying rate
and the management is much encourage
at the outlook Large shipments OF bark
tobacco, corn, and other produce is locke
4 .a,I.F IA
better roads. A quicker pulse Is alread
reported in all lines Of business along th
road. and our merchants here and inanC
are putting In big spring and summe
stocks for the trade.
AFFECTED THE SALE.
r The sale OF butterine in the cities ha
greatly affected the profit, even on goo
mountain butter. our merchants hav
lost in handling It, and, though butte
, is scarce 1t does not pay just now
| produce IT,
: But we are not out of dried-apple
Way back on Ennis Mountain the,
lives an aged white woman who Ia
| been expecting for some time TO Ia
aside life's cares and burdens. She Is
"fore-handed" body as the condition {
! | her little farm and surroundings prov
| Some ten years ago she had a dream
! and VISION" AS she calls II, OF a Will
| pigeon, bearing a note which read: NAL
? | all things ready" She obeyed literally: 3
| lected the text for her funeral. where 81
= wished TO be buried, and had her cofil
| made II Is Of plain. old-fashioned cherrl
wood, clean and dry, and In winter vi
utiliZes IL as a receptacle for dried-frui
(; | The old lady Is healthy and bids IA
to pack down a good many more crops
e | the coffin before she has other need OF
WEDDINGS.
Mr.. Henry Heldebrand and Mi
Blanche Rhodes were married last Thun
day week.
Mr. w. T. Edwards and Miss Lu
Quick, and Mrs. Mary Martin and II. I
= Bridgewater were united In matrimor
Wednesday. March 18th.
. "Self-denlal" services are being he
. each night at the chapel.
> l. Miss Mary j. Goodloe Is visiting h
sister, Mrs. Towles Downer. at Lindsay
Mr.. w. J. Crump. OF Richmond, Is regi
, tered at the Alton.
: Mr. Samuel +. Garwood has moved
. the farm Of the late Captain Paul, whi'
Is now owned by Mrs John q. Spott
OF the Royal Orchard"
Mr.. Hamilton Is operator here for
few days. while Mr. Zeke Hall is atten
ing the Goodman trial.
Colonel G. f. Doyle, superintende
OF the Chesapeake and Ohio railway,
Z his private car, and a party OF friend
n are at Alton. Yesterday they visited q
Royal Orchard" (Mrs. John c. Spoti
farm, on an inspection tour, and W
J, return to Richmond to-day.
THE GOOD TEMPLARy OBJECTS