Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1895-05-30
COMMUNICATED.
DuFFrELps, w. VA, May 25, Il

DUFFIELDs. w. VA, May %, 1893.
EDITOR REGIsTER-Some young ladies
and gentlemen of this placerecently took
trip, by conveyance, to picturesque
Harper's Ferry and vicinity, which
proved so pre-eminently a pleasure
iaunt that the party, professedly actu-
ated by generous willingness TO snare
their enjoyment with others, but In re-
alitv, as the selection shows, moved by
an unholy desire to square up some I'M
known grudge against the readers OF the
REGISTER, commissioned the writer to
ask of your courtesy space for Few oil
the incidents of the trip. However, it is
our purpose to Illustrate the attempt II
possible. and even though this account
prove uninteresting 1t may recall TO
many of your readers similar occasions
wherein they themselves were actors,
gaZed on the same inspiring scenery, and
partook of the same hospitality. If so,
their sympathy with our party is assured.
The day selected, May Is, dawned
threateningly but soon cleared, and we
started, congenial party, most agreea-
bly, chaperoned by Mrs. John F. Melvin.
The exhilarating drive along the pleas
ant roads, unusually beautiful at this
season. brought on a reaction OF spirits
which were somewhat cast down in the
early morning, and it was a. jolly COM
pany indeed that passed down over Boil
war Heights, through the Ferry, direct
w to Mai Green's splendid hotel in the
very midst of the Blue Ridge. Here our
reception was most cordial, the atfable
proprietor placing the spacious building,
capable of accommodating two hundred
guests, entirely at our disposal. We in
spected the building, took short stroll
through the grounds and then repaired
to the dining-room with sharpened APP
petites, and some baskets of dainties
which had been taken along were dis
posed of in manner which doubtless
caused our worthy host to congratulate
himself that we were not regular board
ers. Having received permission to use
the piano our musicians were instructed
to make theirs selves useful and the light
fantasies were now very much IN EVIL
dence, waltZing through the corridors.
At three we babe our host adleu, going
to the Club House, which, as its name
implies, was built by a club Of Washing
ton gentlemen, on "A bluff overlooking
the Potomac. The scene from there is
magnificent. However, as ladies are not
allowed to enter, we did not linger, es-
pecially as some of the gentlemen had
been surprised casting covetous looks
through the windows at some decanters
of wine temptingly displayed in the din
ing-room, so they were hurried away
and now passing again through the town,
past charming Lake Quigley, over the
heights to the Lockwood House. LeaV-
ing our horses we clambered over the
cliff to the rock where the author OF
our Declaration of Independence stood
when he remarked that the view was
worth a trip across the Atlantic. Said
trip was by no means the pleasure eX-
cursion in those days it is at present.
Words fail one in describing this scene,
and it requires no great stretch OF the
Imagination to see Jefferson standing
upon this eternal rock and drawing from
these sublimities Of nature the inSplra-
ton embodied in that immortal docu-
ment. But if the scenery is sublime III
is also romantic, and whatever its effect
may have been upon the great Demo
crat we are inclined TO think 1T may
have been somewhat different with
some of our party, for, owing to the eN-
tremely careful driving" of one OF our
young men, couple contrived to get
separated from the company and were
found by the rest, tete-tete in this charm
ing spot Results? Who can guess?
From here we went to the Hill Top, a
fine hotel recently much improved,
among the attractions of which is an
elegant dancing pavilion. Our party
left much impressed with the beauty OF
Harper's Ferry and the hospitality OF
its inhabitants Lunch on the island
and "a drive home by moonlight, some
what fatigued indeed, but charmed with
our days outing-and our story is com
plete. II.