The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1900-02-01
FREDERICKSBURG. VA, THURS
The Beauties Of
The RaDDa1aDD0Ck.
INDUSTRIES AT sHARP's.
Pleasant Pastimes Personals and other
Notes.
Correspondence Of The Free Lance }

| Correspondence OF The Free Lance )
Sharp's, Va January %, 1900
Though our village is well.knowr
to many of your readers, there may
be some among the untravelled and
those Who have neglected the study
of the geography Of Virginia, whC
can't exactly locate us, so few ex
plsnatory notes will, we trust, be ex
cusable under those heads.
We are situated here on the lower
RsppahsnnOck, close to the point
where It's waters unite with those q
the ms sjestIc Chesapeake, and our
location is conceded generally to be
one Of the prettiest on the river, 50
noted for the beauty Of ITS
natural scenery. On the front
we cah gaze on All expanse OF
water, stretching for four miles, and
on the otn r shore wasbiog the beach
of our congenisl vis-a-yls, Essex.
while farther down in sight lies Mid
dlesex.
The oyster business here, which is
always iiue, has been unusally -four
ing during the present season. The
oysters are prime, plump and plenti.
fal, the culls being equal IN ze and
flavor to the primes taken from the
waters in many places On our pier
there are some dozen houses, 10
which the bivslves are shucked, pre-
pared and packed in barrels for ship
ping, which furnishes employ TO
about a hundred men daily. To a
visitor the rattle OF the shells, the
songs of the men at work, the clatter
of trucks aud, above all, the roar of
the artesian wells. which necessarily
pour down into its own the immense
streams borrowed from the river
depths, canuot fail to lend the i'm
preston that unusual business ac-
tivity exists here.
The large packing house formerly
operated by Mr.. Gus Kriete, of Es
sex county, is now owned by Mr. Eli
Sharp, under whose supervision it is
being rapidly transformed into a new
and elegant building, which when
completed, will be utilized for oyster
canning and packing purposes.
Several recently erected buildings,
have added q new lustre to the sp
pesrsnce Of our town, among them
very handsome, modernly appointed
cottage, ,sty led and owned by MID. w.
G.. Sharp. situated on an attractive
lot which slopes prettily to the
water'S edge, aud occupied by the
charming family of Mr.. Chas. Nc.
Carty, formerly of Roosevelt, New
Mexico, now residents of this place.
The weather has been so mild aud
balmy, and the river so alluriug in
its beauty, that rowing parties may
be seen almost daily gliding happily
oyer the waters, while the songs of
rowers blend NELL huously with the
splash Of the oars, as they gleefully
ride the crest of the waves. Several
Of our young ladies are becoming
quite expert in this branch of athlet.
les.
A few evenings since, a merry
party of young people chartered a
wagon and pair for straw ride to
an entertainment some twelve miles
distant. AS is generally the verdict,
rendered by participants in this hilsr-
ious aud popular form Of sporting, q
lovely time was the result.
For some time no little interest has
been manifested by the people Of this
vicinity in those msrsuding creatures,
known as gypsies, who have been en-
camped on picturesque spot not far
distant, for about three weeks. That
they have not failed in the attain
ment Of their obj ct,viz-"gsthering
silver as they CO." is manifest from
the crowds that might be seen in the
camp daily, who go there for the pur-
pose of purchasing private seance
with these endowed pieces of feminin-
ity, some Of whom are exact repro,
ductlons of the hob.goblins from
the thoughts of which we used 10 |
finch end tremble when described in
our nursery stories. There seems to
be something peculiarly fascin ating
to them in their mode Of life, and
they are undoubtedly happy and free
from care. 1t is ludicrous to note
with what credulity some of our
young people view them since they
have told them 80 many "true
things"
Mr.. F. G.. Walker, who has been
spending some time with friends here,
left on Thursday via Baltimore, for
Lexington, KY, where he goes to re
sumo the study of law in the Univer
ity of Kentucky, where he has been
a student for some time past.
On Thursday Misses Gertrude Gar
ner and Margaret Downing made the
trip on Steamer Richmond to Tappa.
hammock and back.
Miss Nena Hill left yesterday foi
Rockingham, N. c., where she will
spend some time.
Miss Irene Van Pelt, who has re-
gently became an slumns in profess
onal nursing OF Philadelphia hos
pitsl, is at home for the remainder of
the winter.
Rev. W. N. Claybrook, rector Of
Culpeper Parish, is visiting at Mr..
P. Y. Barber's.
Five pianos in the village were re-
,ently tuned by Caul6eld, of Balti-
more, and now no one could likeu our
to ''swset bells tangled
put Of tune"
We wish the Lance prosperous
future. X.