The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-05-30

Tho Beautiful southwest--Historio In In
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Tho Beautiful southwest--Historic In In
II the 'merry. merry Zingara' may be
privileged 10 sing Of THE golden ciiine
| of her nativity. surely representative OF
| southwestern Virginia, even without the
| passport OF a light guitar should be
| hardened for glow and thrill OF exulta-
| ton as she steps forward to meet the
daughters OF the Old Dominion.
Perhaps the superabundant ozone OF
| our bracing atmosphere engenders that
| devotion to our mountainous section
which is so evidently Characteristic OF
| our people. and so weli-founder that the
| proverb has long been registered upon
our hearts and added 10 our creed,
"Who drinks draught from Staley's
creek,
| And goes away returns next week.
Upon the cobble-stoncs paving the
| aforesaid creeks meandering channel,
| none have discovered, as yet, an inscrip-
| ton like unto
Drink. weary pilgrim. drink. and pray
| For the sad soul Of Sibyl Grey,
| Who left this cross. and WE'LL
| nevertheless, poetic fancy and sanguine
| imagination, after dreams in the moon
light upon its banks. assert that its rip
| ping waters murmur In unmistakable
! language.
| Drink, lOve-caught stranger, drink, and
| stay
| She will surrender some sweet dayf'
| And, drinking. he falls forever under
| the spell Of destiny, albeit this is the
| banner local-option town OF the State.
and he'apparently limpid beverage might
| horrify the seeker after truth through a
| microscopic But, like the discreet Brah-
| min, we break our microscopes. resent
| the impcrtinent suggestions OF Paul Prys
| and Sanitary Committees; for Ephraim
was Joined to his idols. and We are re-
| solved TO adore Staley's Creek. forever,
| and all the surrounding coasts thereof.
And why should We not proc aim our re-
| gard for IL when. even lin the beginning,
| God saw that His handiwork. here. was
| good. and Il has had 50 many subse-
| quent ages, caresscd by the smiles Of
| Heaven. In which 10 ripcn into perfection.
| The very name "Staley," r. an old and
| honorable one among us and, while the
| creek, itself. cannot be relied upon as an
| ancient landmark. since its idiosyncra-
| cies nourished by the melting SHOWS OF
| the ravines. through which Il flows re-
| fuse 20 mark the same extent Of land for
| many successive years. yet We sec in this
| variability only a freakish contrast 20
! the staunch and true family whose name
| II bearsi
ROMANTIC scRNTRY.
Time and space would fail me TO de-
| scribe the romantic scenery along its
| whimsical route back TO its source In
the eastern hills. o. how memories Of
| pleasant days CLINT the sunshine upon
| its current Old camp-meeting days upon
| the grounds where. now. are heard the
| shouts OF plOughmen. the lowing OF
| 'Dccp-udder'd kline in yernal meads"
| the plOvers whistle. and the bang Of the
| sportsman's gun, instead of the "old-
| time religi0n.' Days OF childhood girl
| hood, womanhoOd, days Of picnics drives
walks, fishing for the shy. speckled trout
| and brOnZcd "hOrnics:" remembering.
| schoolgirl rambles after the lovcliest
| wild flowers that ever blOomed, and the
| most gorgeous leaves autumn ever paint
| ed; chinquapin hunts and the amazing
| finds. then what a supcrfOctatiOn OF
| cfestnuts, butternuts, walnuts. service
| berries, persimmons. haws. paw-paws, fill
| betts, or fazel-nuts shell-Darks. wild
| Strawberries, raspberries. hucklebcrries.
| blackberrios. and all the small fruits In
| ginerl." as our professional gatherers
| catalogue theml What is the need Of
| casting 4 shadow over happy remem-
| brances by a suggestion Of the constant
| outlook and haunting dread Of "rattlers."
racers, and copperheads. which. provi-
| dentially, We never met except in a Gagged
or defunct condition OF harmlessness2
| Rats and mice and such small deer"
were the most dangerous game we en-
countered, though we often heard blood
| curcling references TO "bar-trackts."
seen in the midwinter SHOWS: but we
| prudently RETAINED from pleasure eX-
ertions' I'm the wildwood. AT such sea-
sons unless for an occasional "skeet"
upon the natural rink at THE Bend"
and then we were always in "goodlie
| complnier
Detrimental SPOTS TO VISIT.
o, what an embarrassment Of riches
falls to the share of some especially IN
the vicinity Of Pop the question Falls"
and Lovers Glen''-While leanness OF
soul and poverty Of life are Inherited
| by others, as cherries cabins built upon
| the ''rockribb'd hills" denoted But thrift
and unthrift viii furnish contrasts while
| the world stands. and novels frequently
| point the moral to the fable Of the
| ant and tho graSshOppor. Assuredly.
| questions of utility and Of political econo.
my, may be satisfied upon this protean
stream, as well as those OF sentiment
and aestheticism, for, like the mills OF the
| gods, restless wheels are grinding for the
| public good, as the many neat, new cot
tages attest.
Among the larger and older homes Is
the hOspitable residence of Judge Robert
| a IiNi'HdiA1oI lot many years lIrfl-
Der Of the Court of Appeals: near by.
that Of Col William G. Pe1ileton. who
was upon Gov. Camcrcn's stan. and Is
well-known in southwestern Nlrginia's
political Affairs also. the home Of Mai.
a. g. Pendleton. Supt. of Public Schools.
and many others of local IN pOrtance.
SOUTHWESTERN HOSPITAL.
Growing the superb elevation. east
ward of these, are the several BUILDINGS
Ct the Southwestern State Hospital i'm
Itself a city that Is set upon a hill
which cannot be hid" Although 1t has
not been in operation a full decade. aid
its progress has been sadly impeded by
insufficient appropriations from. the Leg
isiature. this institution mas already
lten Of inestimable importance 10 our
beloved State. providing a comfortable
reIleat for insane unfortunates, under
the wise government OF its worthy
boards; OF its two supcrintenlcnts. the
late Dr. Harvey Black. and his success
or, Or. Robert J. Preston, so ably second
60 by the assistant physicians who have
been associated with them, viz. Drs. APP
person. Herman. Brady. Buchanan. and
Wilkinson. and by the efficient CORDS of
lesser officials. Special mention should
be made OF the purely benevolent worl,
OF the noble band of Kings Daughters"
composed of Christian ladies' beneath the
asylum roof whose quiet, but indefatiga-
bic ministry OF love has solaced, as God
only remembers. the weary hours OF
many darkened lives, languishing under
disease and lOmesickuess Ne couId lin