Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1901-07-26


make circuitous and rapid cam
psign go off without hitch. Sailing
along over the romantic, historical
and beautiful country through which
the N. " w. runs, climbing noun
talns dotted here and there with
beautiful towns and ore industries.
we thought-though it had been
our tenth trip-that there were no
sights more Impressive and likely 10
invite another and still another visit.
With Mr.. Scherer as our cbaperone
we left the comfortable Pullman and
started on the three mile mountain
climb behind spans of sturdy noun
tain horses, arriving at the Bridge i'm
time to view from Mt. jefferson the
sunset on the Peaks of Otter. No
painting of Swiss mountain homes
is more rustic than these handsome
modern buildings of the Natural
Bridge Company as they nestle on
the sides of the mountains, some with
the towering cliffs for canopy
almost. The table is served in a
most excellent way, and these, with
the courteous treatment of Mr.. Pax
ton, the manager, aud his attaches,
made US sigh to stay there always.
Here a thousand years might seem
as day, and the twenty-four hours
we passed there sped as u moment of
time. We were not driven to these
conclusions by the report of droyes
of bears crossing the mountains near
here. After getting where we could
see late newspaper we learned what
narrow escape from an ole Virginy
grizzled hugging our girls had had.
Who can describe this won
derful work of nature-the Natural
Bridge! We led party of fifteen
over it and not one knew that they
had crossed it until attention was
drawn to the fact-so wide, rocky
aud tree-turreted is its top over
which the county road runs, No
picture we have eyer seen can convey
the slightest idea of its awful gran
deur and immensity. To one who
has seen them both innumerable
times this great Virginia attraction
SURPRISES the splendor of Niagara
The night and day done. our friend
Scherer arranged for the return of
the various members Of the party.
Here disintegration began and
sad good byes were said. Some
among them us-turned our faces
northward, and others to the South.
Basic City, at the crossing of the
n. & w. and the g. q o. was
reached, and we got off to travel
eastward some continuing north ward.
Supper at Basic we bundled into a
Q. Il o. train bound for Charlott.s.
Vile, aud the next twenty hours of
our time was to be- spent along this
great line that has done so much for
the Virgiuias and whose chief Off
Gals We'd with our n. & w. friends
in making smooth the way of We
poor editor. stopping few hours
at Charlottesville we were enticed to
run out on the electric line to Jeffer.
son Park-just beyond the Univer-
sity of Virginia--where magnificent
summer hotel rears proudly amid the
surrounding park. A drink Of good
sulphur water, few minutes ut
dramatic entertainment and u few
listening to string orchestra made
the time pass swiftly by until the
hour for the return to town came.
And, by-the-way, taking the "Apple-
dore" at Natural Bridge and the
Jefferson Park hotels as criterions il
has become the fad to employ ladies
for the orchestra and beautiful
young ladies at that. Quite an adj
ditional attraction, think you not,
reader?
On the +. f. V. East FLYING
Virginian) train of the Chesapeake
" Ohio We were again wairling
eastward. leaving the magnificent
Blue Ridge mountains in the back
ground and revolving thoughts
around them, bred of the awe from
passing through the long tunnel
that lets the great travel of east
and west through this otherwise
natural barrier, the way of passage
for the great Shenandoah and Pied
mont Virginia. When emerging
from the tunnel coming eastward the
view from this altitude over Eastern
Virginia is majestic in the extreme
either by sunlight or moonlight.
Up above the clouds at times, envel-
oped in them at others and finally
getting below them, we look back
and see the cloud capped peaks we
had been among. Beyond. and many |
miles below, the great counties of |
Piedmont with their grain, tobacco
and frnit burdens, loom up to the
view.
But the inner man was beginning
to engage our attention and soon /
the worldwide known Gordonsville
chicken and coffee stayed the appe-
tite until Richmond was reached |
and breakfast served. Here we were
Joined by many Richmonders who
were going to the seashore to spend
the day. Among them was Mr.. Jno.
ID. Potts, assistant general passenger
agent to Mr.. Ii. w. Fuller, The
atter's courtesies to the press were
;pon this occasion augmented by
hose of MIR. Potts, who generously |
.avored us with Pullman seats since
,ur coach had gotten crowded. !
Through Williamsburg and the
amiliar scenes along the route, to
Newport News and Old Point, we
2ed--our first glimpse of the blue
or nearly a week. AT Norfolk We
ound the good little steamer Essex
nd the rest of the story is short
tut there was nothing "short" in the
manner of Capt. Long and his crew
o the wayfaring newspaper crowd.
NEWS ITENTO G