The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1904-12-01
ON FOOT FROM
NORFOLK TO
WASHINGTON
a TRAVELLER STOPS IN STAT
FORD AND WRITES ACCOUNT
OF HIS JOURNEY.
Did Not Like Treatment Accorded
Him by a Fredericksburg Officer,
Etc.

Did Not Like Treatment Accorded
Him by a Fredericksburg Officer,
Etc.
GarrisonvlIle, Va. Nov. 2Gth, 1904.
A pedestrian stopped over 10 this vii
lage out Of the snow storm, aud your
correspondent requested him tn write his
experience of his trip through Virginia
give il to you ia his own hand writing
lie terms IL
A YANkEE's TRIP THROUGH VIRGINIA oN
FOOT.
Some three weeks ago, being financially
embarrassed and deslrous Oi getting u
Washington, | undertook the rath,r
strenuous task Of walking from Norfolk
To Washington, and now that my des-
tination IL virtually In sight, can re
view the journey disphssiOnately and
with gratitude To the citiEsns OF the
Old Dominion with whom ! come In con-
tact. Virginia hospitality Ia no longer
proverbial with me, but is blessed
reality; the story Of the Good Samari.
tan" il at last appreciated by one who
has met with the modern Samaritan.
Nv trip was uneyentiul until | reached
the Dismal Swamp, where proceeded to
get lost for twenty four hours. | cannot
picture TO you or describe the distress
and misery OF my stay In this we'll named
swamp. lost my bearings entirely and
found myself walking in a circle stun
bling In water and mud, Ice cold, up 10
my kness, scratched by brambles, Until /
resembIed the tatooed man In the circus
or a military map of the RussO-J Ap war.
Stories had heard Of men btiDg lost
In the wilderness or swamps and their
skeletons being found months alterward
kept running through my mind continu-
ously. These and like morbid thoughts
m ade my night and day hideous, aud 1t
WAS with feelings OF deyOut thanksgiy-
ing that heard the, to me, sweet music
of an axe. Guided 10y the sound | came
on an old gentleman cutting wood, who
kindly directed me to the railroad, and
breakfast. Thanking providence that |
did not make my exit via the swamp
route continued my journey, at last
reaching Richmond. visited the capitol,
which was undergoing repairs of some
sort. saw the Washington statue, also
Gen. Jaekson's and DIR. McGuire's, and
had my first sight OF q Confederate uni
form on a member OF the Soldiers Home.
IL would rather shock the old soldier to
Enow that mistook him for a letter
carrier. | visited the Soldiers Home,
met the Governor and quite humber oil
the members, and for the Hrst time heard
stories of the Civil war from the South
ern side. | had supposed that Gen. Robt.
f.. Lee was the idol Of the South, but
discovered that Gen. StOnewall Jackson
was held In greater reverence by the old
soldier spent two days In Richmond
and then resumed my long, tiresome
tramp, fin4lly reaching fredericksburg
lust as II began raining. ! applied TO an
officer in uniform for nights lodging In
the lookup or station house; he said he
would give me thirty days in the chain
gang n | did not shake the dust of Fred
ericksburg from my shoes." lie directed
or rather ordered me To cross a bridge
and get out uf town az once, 80 In the
face of a storm that soaked me In a short
time | shook the historic mud OF Fred
ericksburg from my feet and wandered
in the woods the entire night, lame, wet,
weary and disgusted, and my ideal OF
Virginia hospitality destroyed by an
over jealous officer.
The same officer, | have no doubt,
wonld leave Limburger cheese factory
20 undiscovered on his beat throug ghout
a hot summer. He Ia the one exception
that proves the rule, and haveno doubt
il not native OF the Old Dominion.
have discovered that all statistics re.
garding Yirginis's crops are utterly at
fault; from personal observation be.
lieye that dogs are VirgiDis's greatest
and moet prolific crop. By taxing the
dogs the Federal Government could pay
off the National debt and Virginia would
more than pay her quota. ! encounter
ed the persimmOn also In my travels,
and some encountered had not reached
the degree OF ripeness that makes diges.
tion easy. That is why wear a saucy
old pout on my kisser and emile an inch
at time.
| can see the dome OF the capitol loom
inc mn in the distance, and as | desire to
congratulate his excellency, President
Roosevelt, this morning, will say adios