The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-10-18
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
SUMMER JAUNTS
up THE
SHENANDOAH.


down from Philadelphia to Washington,
which latter city never loses It's charm.
with It's magnificent buildings, beautiful
squares, broad and we'll kept streets, and
last, but not least, Its splendid trolley
system, on the cars of which you meet
gentlemen in the guise of conductors and
motormen-unexcelled anywhere in ur-
banity except Richmond. Va.
From thence to Harper's Ferry. made
memorable 10 de wah'' by the John
Brown raid on the United States prop
erty there, and the capture by him OF
the arsenal, afterwards known as John
Browns Fort. The location OF this Is
marked by small granite shaft in close
proximity to tho station of the Baltimore
and Ohio Railroad, and one Of Its
branches, which goes southwest, Where
Shenandoah brawls along and burly Blue
Ridge echoes strong"
Standing on Boliver Heights. In West
Virginia, where Stonewall Jackson, pre-
vious to the battle of Antietam, cap
tured the army of certain General
Miles. a command of thirteen thousand
troops, one can take in with a glance Of
the eye three states-the bold hills of
Maryland, on the north side of the Poto-
mac River, and to the southwark Lou
doun Heights, of old Virginia.
After leaving Harper's Ferry one trav-
els across country with somewhat heavy
grades to the summit and down to the
famous town of Winchester. Here one
Is reminded of Washington, who at the
early age of sixteen was selected by Lord
Fairfax to survey his lands beyond the
Blue Ridge, and this roughing it Oh the
borders resulted In a manly development
and self-reliance which fitted him for
great performances In after years.
Between Winchester and Strasburg the
blue and the gray engaged IN many
bloody struggle during the great war,
and it was near the latter place that
Juba1 Early, in October. 1864. led his
half-starved and half-naked men across
Cedar Creek to the attack OF Sheridans
magnificently equipped army. Before
"the suns bright lances had routed the
mists of morning" he drove it In con-
fusion back in the direction of Winches-
ter, his men victorious until tempted by
the vast amount of plumber left by the
suffers and others on the abandoned
field.
But I shall not attempt to describe the
stirring events which took place In the
lovely Valley Of the Shenandoah, along
which the Foot Cavalry Of Stonewall
Jackson SO often marched to victory:
where the spirit Of the chsvalrous Ashby.
the Knight OF the Valley" on his snow
white charger, still leads his phantom
BLACK Horse Cavalry and in the still
ness of the night, broken only by the
weird cry Of the whippoorwill from the
mysterious Massanutten Mountain. Is
still heard the plaintive strains of Sweet
t,velina," or THE SUMS Low Down
the sky, Lorena," borne on the night
winds from the lips of his gallant troop
ers.
The objective point Of the jaunt was an
old-time mineral springs lying east OF
Harrisonburg. between the Massanutten
,,,I f1n
neghborhood OF the famous Luray Cave,
and the ono time not less we'll known
Weyers Cave, which for years was Sec
ond In extent to the Mammoth cave IN
Kentucky
In the past the resort was well known
for the health-giving qualities OF its MIN
eral springs, which gushed from the foot
Of the mountain, but now has. In the
language Of the distinguished ex-Presi-
dent Grover Cleveland, fallen into "ln-
ocuous desuetude," and Is no longer pa
tronized.
! found there still some good accom-
modations and table we'll supplied WIN
all the delicacies peculiar to old VIZ
gjnia: also hospitable host, whose man
" form. notwithstanding his eighty-odd
Years. was still-unbent, and whose mem
ory was full OF quaint stories Of bygone
DAYS and of the sports that he Followed
In his youth. 80,
Game of various kinds was stlll aDun-
dant; the bobwhite whistled from the
stubble the bark of the fox could 20
heard in the hills, and the nimble gray
squirrel sported among the trees, old
yin Coon" as famous In the folk lore OF
the Virginia darkey as "Brer Rapplt.
could still be found In the hollows, and
I am sure my readers who have engaged
In the exciting sport OF hunting MN py
.'do Elinamer of de moon Will appreciate
,t,,t
coonship which the old gentleman Feao
to me from his diary:
"Talons of an eagle. eye of the snake
teeth of a leopard, breath OF skunk.
and the temper Of q grizzly bear-such is
tho coon. When he isn't grinning with
rage, he Is either snarling. splttlng OF
growing. The man-eating tiger eoutu
moi hold candle to the coon, If his
fighting weight was two hundred POUNDS.
instead of twenty If he had the size he
would be lord of the brute universe.
"The coon has the craft and stealthl-
ness of the wild cat. A wonderful animal
is the coon, Yes, there Is more deVlltrS:
thlevcry, more general cussedness ana
more simon pure malignity and deVllish
slyness in the coon than IN any amman
that walks on four legs
"He has not single virtue. unless
love of lighting be one
"a big. savage black coon, when no
lets himself loose for fight Is slgnt
to see. Such concentrated fury, deadly
n,a,Ice unrepressed rage, as expressed by
ewes, teeth and brlstles make one believe
that the soul of ono of the foremost
imps has passed into the little imps nody.
Tn n light he lies fiat OH his back. His
Jaws snap. showing teeth sharp and
pointed, His paws, each armed with four
or five horn talons, work conVuls'VeE'
and tear hair. hide and flesh into rib
hons. while the keen teeth cut and shear
at a fearful rate, and after one round
with his coonship most dogs are content
to let him alone" ,.