Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1899-09-14
DESCRIPTIVE OF OLD FORT.
4 Picnic Party Visits lt-Some Historic
Facts.

| Churchyille, Sept. 9.-It seemed tc
US that Dame Nature understood oul
Wishes on the morning of our picnic.
AT any rate she beamed upon US in
one2of her most cOngenial moods Tie
cl0udless dome above our heads, the
summer breeze sweeping over the sun
lltslills. the grateful shade-inviting
ussSo cool retreat. the rippling river
at our feet. the bubbling spring with
ltsf clear, cold Water. Could there have
been found nicer place TO serve IA
tempting repast to IA hungry apprecia
tive throug. Well, the grey haisei
faafron-a pleasing element in the
make up of all archaeological and
chatted, and thoroughly enjoyed every
thing. The bellies and beaux' were de-
lig hted with, the dinner. and the tots
they were just charmed with the
place, the people, and especially the
dainty viands. They romped and
played and wished they could only
have another the next day.
The Old Fort. In sight of the picnic
grounds half hidden by trees, we catch
a glimpse of this noted place, now
hoaD with age and approaching the
end of its third century. Under the
blazing August sun we set out with a
party to visit it. The walls are built
of blue lime stone. much of it in fair
state of preservation. Some portions
of the rear wall is badly perforated by
insects. The odd little windows, per-
haps not more than IS inches square,
admitted little light and less air, are
still! perfect. The oaken floor, now
worn to perhaps half it's original thick
ness, is ridged with the ravages of
time. so also is the heavy door with It's
old time fat headed nails. The joists
overhead though black and discolored
by age, are yet marvel OF workman
ship.
The huge chimney occupying about
one-third the space of the ground
floor, with its diminutive fire place is
of curious construction. A ghostly,
spiral stairway led to the apartments
above.
The extreme modesty of the young
bachelor proprietor debarred as from
making tour of the interior-much
to our regret.
AS we wandered around the old pile
and climbed upon the weather beaten
porch we saw to our surprise the rude
register, the names and dates inscrib
ed upon the smooth surface of stone
and mortar, some of them dating
back to the beginning of the seven
teenth century, doubtless some of the
more lofty ones much earlier.
The ancient lettering is cut into the
solid rock, by fingers which have rest
ed in eternal repose" for more than
two hundred years; perhaps chiseled
there by some fleeing pioneer who bit
the dust from some death dealing tOma-
hawk when this old edifice was yet in
its infancy.
The knarled and storm beaten trees,
the fragmentary fence, stand cracked
and leaning.
Well, forcibly reminded as, that all
on this terrestrial ball, is stamped with
the word decay.
The struggling spring now choked
with muck and brush, could doubtless
tell of the dusky faces that have look
ed down into its tIanspareAt pools.
Perhaps the inmates of this grim
old fort have looked out upon this
peaceful slope, and beheld the state
by roebuck, as be bounded over the
sward to slake his thirst in the crystal
wave, yet flowing in sight.
The indescribable witchery about
the place speaks only of the forms and
scenes of
''The beautiful isle in the river time
We call the long ago.