Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1895-08-21
For the SPECTATOR.
FROM APPOMATTOX.

The good housewives have been and are
drying apples, with the determination, if pos
sible, to dry enough for two winters use, for
fear that next year will not be a fruit
year. Apple brandy is being distilled in large
quantities too. Apples are carried in enormous
quantities to the distilleries daily. There is a
distillery near the village, that belongs to Ben
Wilson, young man. He was born of poor
parents, and raised in restitution, but, full of
energy, he went ahead, and soon got a piece
of land and set up the distillery on it, which
is desirable property.
There lives near Spring Mills farmer, not
very old, who lost his mind in consequence OF
the premature death of his young wife, whom
he adored. He was sent to lunatic asylum;
his children to an orphanege; and his effects
sold by order of court. In three or four years
he recovered his mind. and was allowed to re-
turn home to his farm. He has since been
keeping bachelors hall, and his farm under
his good management, looks like we'll kept
garden, and is, in fact, nice, clean one. He
has two pets which use in his yard, which has
no enclosure, all the time. One of them is
yellow cur, and the other a black hog-big and
tractable. The hog acts, and minds its master
as dog does, and will not go into the garden
or the corn-f field both of which adjoin the
yard and neither of which has any enclosure
1t amused US nightly the other day to see the
cur and hog standing beside each other with
their heads toward the gate as though pre-
pared to repel US, if we tried to go in.
Many years ago man and his sweetheart ran
away to get married in North Carolina. He
took the lady on his horse behind him. Arrlv-
ing at witty farmers near North Carolina
the man enquired the distance to the
boundary. The farmer understood his bust
ness and offered to perform the ceremony
The man had no money to recompense him
for the service, but he offered him his saddle
bags, which offer was accepted. The man took
out his newly made brides clothes and tied
them up in handkerchief. The happy hus-
band returned home with his blushing bride
behind him on horseback with the bundle in
front on the pommel of his saddle, fully in
| the belief that the knot had been tied in
| North Carolina. The farmer enjoyed the joke
for many years afterwards. and, at the same
| time, rejoiced in the possession of the saddle
| bags. which he valued at five dollars.
| The party given by Mrs. Ollie Thomas to
| the young people and their guests in her ele-
CANT apartments, four miles below here. was
a delightful affair. About $50 the guests be-
gan to arrive; and the parlor and porches were
soon filled with gleeful crowd whose laugh.
ter SO scared theowls, foxes, and other noe
turnal providers as to cause them to retire to
their inaccessible abodes. The guests were en-
tertained with vocal and instrumental music;
the hostess, aided by her accomplished daugh-
ters did all in her power to help them enjoy
| themselves to their content. At late hour,
delicious ices, and cream with many kinds of
cake, frnit, &C., passed around, were heartily
partaken of. In short, the evening was a
most pleasant one to them all. Among them
were Misses Sallie D. Chamberlayne and Mat
tie Lou Williams of Staunton. 1t is due the
hostess to say that her hospitality proverbial
| The party at last reluctantly set out for their
homes, satisfied that the evening had been
well spent-a repetition of which would be
hailed with delight
| DR.. ]. B. .Shearer, President of Davidson
College, n c., is visiting his aged father neal
Spout Spring. H. M. c.