The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-09-07
COUNTRY SECTIONS
OF OLD VIRGINIA.
The Man Who Does Not Visit
Them Knows Little of Life.
LAND OF THE UPPER JAMES
A Fair Country Above Richmond Which
One Must Visit TO Appreciate-The
Inhabitants Are the Best People
of This Great Land.
LAND OF THE UPPER JAMES
ls,ecial Dispatch to The Times.)

tho best part of his life.
In these days, when there is sus-
Eestion Of autumn in the AIR. ana a SUD-
tie spirit that kisses the tired soul until
St thrills with vague but delicious in
4oxication. the green fields and the dark
woods. the quiet pools of crystal water,
the wildng Indigenous and the flowers,
are like paradise to one remembering the
dusty streets and the biiStering paFc-
ments.
Unless fate was kind to him and he
was born a poet, one rooted in the sou
of the country sees little OF its beauties
and comprehends less of its phase es-
ghetto but even the most confirmed man
of the hoe, chained by circumstance, en-
rironment and education. to the ploddlns
drudgely Of farm life. must catch some
thing of the inspiration of his surround
.nEs; must realize that there is in the far
cry Of the hounds upon the woodland
slopes in the faint fragrance OF wild
roses, in tho indiscribable sweetness of
the air, the freshness Of the morning, the
emerald of the forests, the turquoise OF
the sky-sonething apart from the eoil
that breaks away from his plow; that
COOS not lie in the stubborn furTew.
ABOVE RICHMOND,
Lacking the rugged grandeur OF the
mountains, and the nameess wonder OF
the sea, there smiles above Richmond
country that Is passing beautiful, whet-
er viewed through the poets rose-hued
glasses or from beneath a farmers I'M
romantic eyebrows. It has been custo-
mary to speak of the Valley of Virginia
as the garden spot Of the OLD Domin-
ton." and the rich trucking section of
Gddewater has put in claim for that
title. but both are out OF the count, for
the State can boast no other such coun-
try as that which borders tho sinuous
James as 1t makes its way through the
foothills from the mountains TO the level
lands and perhaps the fairest and best
of all is that which may be reached in
an hours journey from the Capital over
the James River division of the Chesa-
peake and Ohio. formerly the Richmond
and Allegheny. This road, as many
know, was built upon the tow-parh OF the
old James River and Kanawha canal. 1t
follows, therefore the curves of the river
and is most amazingly tortuous as to
route and windings; but the Company has
undertaken with considerable success to
straighten out some of the curves and
when the task is completed, the line will
be abbreviated by many miles. Already,
trains are RUNNING over the new chord
like sections that have been substitute
FOR the numerous arcs-curves simple,
compound, complex and bewildering.
In the many years the James River
trains have been twisting in and out along
the bottoms they have acquired certain
serpentine characteristics and 1t is even
said that they do not take kindly to the
innovation of straight lines The i'm
proVement, however, is distinct gain
TO the passengers and the trip has hereby
been made even more attractive than for
merly. Chair cars add to the comfort of
the patrons and the fact that the con-
ductors on this route are among the DO
litest and most accommodating in the
world, is not to be left out OF considera-
ton.
The line, especially as far as Bremo, is
extremely. popular and the service is taxed
to meet the demand upon it Hundreds ot
thermometers take it when they go out in
the country to spend Sundays, or on a
fishing or hunting jaunt Many living in
the country and working in the city use
the line daily in the routine of their
labors. Each day finds city folk upon the
trains going out to enjoy the inconpar-
able hospitality Of rural friends and rel
atives. But most of all, shoppers find
the route invaluable and the ladies of the
neighboring counties arc as much at home
in the department stores OF the Virginia
metropolis as the fashionables of West
End. The train scoming to town are crow
ded with people with money to spend, and
those going out are crowded with peoplc
with money spent.
1t is worth noting that the folk who
i've along the James are Of the sort
one Is glad to meet and know. They
come from the best families on the con-
Stnent They are. for most part, edu-
Gated, cultured, always hospitable They
take the daily papers and axe well In
formed: but thay do not worTy and so
far as can be learned none Of them have
Died of overwork. They take life easy
and are IN for frolc in season and
cut OF season, They drive twenty miles
20
ball game--and baseball. by the way, is
al the rage now in certain parts of
Goochland and Powhatan.
Recently q well-known Richmond man
revisited the scenes of his boyhood in
Powhatan and was discussing with old
friends the roliicking days Of Aud Lang
6vne
''Those We're great old days" said one
OF these friends. land we paid more at
tention to frolicl1ing than to farming;
that's what's the matter with this coun-
Cry now"
ooh. ] don't know" drawled the Rich
mond man. ''as I look back over my
past in this old country, the only regret
! have is that ever worked TT ALL"
This. by the way, is the viewpoint of
many OF the people Of that section, and
why not? They are the happiest peo-
pie on the face of the earth They
may not have millions. but they have
content-large and beautiful content
They may not have automobiles, hut
They have fine horses and buggtes They
eaay not have many other things that
are considered essential or desirable by
city folk, but they live upon the fat of
the land, are happy and healthy and ex-
tract from life ali the fun there is IN
It If their existence is net idyllic. it
Is not all drudgery. as In the case of
their city cousin. Old Omar would have
loved these people. Could he arise from
his garden of roses he would desert the
Persian delights that he loved so we'll
and come 10 the lower valley of the
lower James.
Not the least attractive feature of this
section is the study in black that en-
cages the visitor. The land is throng-
ed with old-time negroes. who appear
to have been carved out of eternal night
and furnished with India rubber faces.
There are sotne who have never left
the ole plantations-soae who never will
They still consider themselves special