Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1902-04-09

right Why not have the roads and the
bridges. tooy Some of your people may not
know IL, but Clarke is second to no county
I'M Virginia l may so further and say that,
for an ? sual extent of territory. no county i'm
the United States can excel her. Some time
ago, in expatisting upon the beauties and
advantages of Clarke, some one asked me
how ever obtained my consent TO leave il.
Inc question was poser, but l replied that
supposed my departure must have been
due to an "unfortuitous confederation of un-
toward events" AS my interrogation was not
supplied with the latest edition of lexico-
graphy. suppose ne has not yet been able
to determine why l left the land of my
nativity / will remark, parenthetically,
that, some of these good days, il is my pur-
pose, If for not more than n few weeks to see
the spot of all the earth TO me most dear
Yes, Clarke is beautiful county, She
deserves the finest bridges and the best roads
IN the State. II makes no difference from
what direction she is approached, she has all
the grace and lovelineSs and beauty that
should be attached to the very queen of
counties. Alphabetically, there are few sec
tons that excel that part of Loudoun that
borders ON Clarke, but. crossing the river at
Castleman's Ferry and proceeding i'm the
direction of Berryville, the landscape has
all the loveliness of very garden of God"
Upper Fauquier has a Statewide reputation
Tor beautiful farms, but. crossing the noun
tain at Ashby's Gap, and the beautiful Shen-
andoah at Berry's Ferry, proceeding to Mill
wood, and the enchanting scenery, with its
bewilderment of beauty, who will not be
prepared. TO say that Clarke is the gem of
pureSt ray serene" that sparkles and scintil-
lateS upon the proud breast of dear old
Virginia? Like some of the other writers
ON the bridge and road question, have no
idea that sufficient tax could be derived from
my belongings TO buy nail to fasten a
plank on either bridge across the Shenan-
doah, but the discussion has awakened
memories that cause me 10 declare that il
there is county in all the domain Of the
universe that deserves to be known to the
outside world, that county is Clarke Not
long ago | was rash enough to say 10 a cit-
zen of Clarke, whom met in another part
of the State, that if Clarke were as well
watered rs Fauquier. Rappahannock. Madi-
son. Greene or Albemarle, she would be the
finest county in the State The reply was:
1T would he the finest county in the state
If there were not a drop of water in It." So.
with that quotation for my text. l think
can say with force that there is every reason
why bridges should span the sparkling
waters of the Daughter of the Stars" and
the best roads should meander over the
finest soil ever kissed by the sunlight and
watered 10y the dews of Heaven do not
claim sainthood, but there is one good quai-
lty that possess, AMI that is an unyielding
love for the county OF my birth Even now.
/ stand, in imagination. AT the Bears ben 90
looking down at the beautiful valley beneath
before the rude shock Of war came Ia mar
the beauty of the lovely homes thar dotted
the landscape How charming the respect,
Since the beating or the sword into the
ploughshare and the spear into the pruning
HOOK, how beautiful, still are those scenes
do not mean To be Sacriiegious but when
the Great Architect of this Universe called
into beauty and being the world i'm which
we live. If He ever made a more lovely sec
ton than Clarke. il has never been our
pleasure 10 see il. So, now. brethren. build
the bridges. improve the roads. and make
Clarke the most bewitching Landscape in
Virginia, and, consequently, the attraction
of the world. AS I am neither real estate
agent nor the owner of foot of land in
the county, can not be changed with SIMS
ter motives. Burns, in one of his most
charming poems, referring to the creation of
woman, says
His prentice hand He tried on man.
And then He made the lassies, o."
l will not say that the Supreme Archi-
tect tried His hand on Clarke. hut do say
that am unable to see how He could have
made it more lovely. The bridges and the
roads will not add to the loneliness of Gods
creation but they will facilitate the coming
from the North South East and West those
who will add ten times the cost of these
Improvements to the wealth of the county.
Whatever may be the conclusion respecting
roads and bridges, permit me to say, in con
clusion, in regard to the home of my child
hood
II can not tell thee how love,
Nor paint the charms find in thee.
Though every leaf in every grove
Were changed into winged words for me-"