The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-08-14

a circus ring and walled In with COCKS.
witnessed some OF the trap shooting
by the gentlemen OF the town. Pull! dead
lost! are the words you Hear. But those
who shot on the windy a ftcrnoon was
present were such good marksmenN that
i did not hear .lost,, called out very
often. Il DR.. Richardson Is said Ito be a
crack shot. n Z, & s
A BIG RATTLESNAIlE.
We started one morning to climb a
mountain on the other side of5the Nor
folk and Western Railroad, and though
we saw on the mountain side perhaps a
score Of people gathering huckleberres,
we thought of ttlesnakes and gave out
the trip. AS the road wa Iovergrowil with
tall weeds. A negro brought III d huge 4
.rattlesnake that he killed at the foot
of the mountain. I slall6not attempt to
state the size OF this Her., as 1t is 4
a difficult, very difficult thing, to keep
nSthe confines of truth when one Is en-
sdcayoring to give the sizes of fsnak es and
fishes. rs Ii ssS II "a
4 The scenery around here lis very beau
tiful. The mountains, that are close by, 1
are green with trees and bushes; a little
further on they assume a VI blue color;
yet further on the blue 4 is more and
more pronounced. fully justifying the
name Of Blue r dge. until wa W W. " Off
in the distance the azure Of the mouil-
tain melts into the azure OF the sky; so
that to the eye, mountain and sky are
one. Beautiful, too are the m ountains,
when the magic moon iss5 brea king ~ NJ q
faint gllmmera Is seen on the crest of this
brighter and brighter It grows.
until Of a sudden the rim OF the silyerys
orb lifts above the tree-tops; on sho
comes, until now It is great ball of
silver, resting on the shout der y Of tho
great mountain, looking as III we're you
to give 1t a. shove, 81 t would roll own this
mountainside ! But 1T does not roll down.
silently 1t rises higher and h gher, now
TALLY covered by strips Of gray an Ihitc5
clouds; anon5i bursts forth again from
tho fleeting shadows, flooding hill and
dale With Its enchanting rays Over
yonder a mist hangs, drea ny like, t over
the $mountain's brow. Man and beast are
resting the birds have gone to rest, and
all nature Is asleep Again the scene
changes 1t Is afternoon; clouds are
frownlng and clinging to the noun tain-s
sides; the winds are awakening and COM
ing from their hiding places. The storm
King is abroad In the land. he tread
Of the raingi Is like the tramp of Eons of
soldiers: the roar of the thunder Is like
tho discharge OF heavy il1ery; trees
4 bend and sway as they are mercllessly
dashed BY .pelting rain and angry vino s:.
the ravines ai'e bowling mass Of ru ':'l
Ing waters. And 3Sssss VI
il Far long Il 4 ij a ~ IN ~
From peak to peak, the rattling craigs
53s among, IA III
Leaps the live thunder 5S
4 But suddenly the storm abates; the
winds are hushed y the rain ceas es, and
the cloud Is far down the mountain
chain Such a storm we had the other
day and as 1t passed away one OF the
loveliest. rainbowsE ] ever beheld ap-
peared, each end resting on a mountain
top. "a Southey says, III 5a II 33s
Thou shinest fair, with n ny q lovely
II One end en- Of the RAINBOW rested on
So near thai t I felt Ike run
ming over and hunting for the bag Of 4
gold that & Is said to y lie att it's end.
FISHING I'm SOUTH RIVER. }3
! South River, which zigzags around the
town, Is almoat daily frequented by peo-i
tons. Like the great IA her Of Ang llng, e
I.eak Walton plea Sc spell Izaak with a.
Z and a X, Mr. Compostor, for that Is 4
the way the dear old sou u ways spelled
his name in his ~ Compleat Ang ler"-like$
Izaak Walt ton, sI say. every one here seems
happy he can freely fish. This applies
to visitors as well as n attves:f And why
should one feel ashamed OF enga ging In
this noble sport? Cleopatra Patrick pa
j 90 Jefferson, Rev. Henry Nan Dyck,
the author. and even they3 gentle IIaw-f
thorne, the greatest of American writers,
are known to have fished--aye, freely
fished Fishing should II be encouraged Il
Whenever "a man prohibits fishing on. his
land i feel that he is doing a great injury
to our country. For 1t was doubtless on
the quiet river! banks that our greatest
orators, poets and authors in general
composed. under the inspiring Influences
OF fishing. heir most famous productions.
Yes, South r liver Is a. grea Fishing place.
1t Is full and teemlng over with bass.
suckers; perch and cells, DailyiI sit there
and fish and fish; what basketfuls II u
should catch II the fish would only blte!8
All. there the rub; lf they would only
hite!$ More than ever I am persuaded &of
the truthfulncss Of tho assertion i once i
heard DIR, Henry Van Dycls make, VIZ:
that nothing, save the bite of "a fish,
comes by chance Among the eXpertalocal
fishermen are Mr. Miller a most assld-q
uous and patient flsherman Mr.. Booker,
a. great lover Of he sport, Mr.. James
Winston. who, theoretically, Is without
peer In the manipulation Of all modern
pisca torlal appliances; MI Hugh Blain,$
who Is an adept In the plying OF rod and
line. These are born fishermen, and fish
ernlen, like the poets, must he born, not
nade-so sayeth the great and only Isaak5
:Walton, ~ ,5
The crops around here are fine. The
corn fields in2tthe adjacent country are
beautiful to behold. In I he spring a wheat
field Is lovely to look upon when a grotto
breeze blows over. converting II into an
unduatlng sea OF green. dotted here and
there with brilliant cookle, hut not less
beautiful Is a great field Of corn, with
Its plume-like tassels nodding from every
stalk
BIRDS # Il
In my ambles-and have climbed
and walked aud fished and puffed ana
perspIred with "a Dayard Taylor-lil,e per-
severance have been struck with tho
number and variety OF birds On the river
bottoms there are quantities Of robins.
cat birds, ground sparrows. wrens,
pewees, partridges, with their "Old Bob
AyhiteH notes hldappers, larks,. kingfish-
ers. lettuce birds and bee martins or king
birds, was also pleased Ito renew my
acquaintance Withg.lny old friends, tho
f.te MA ~ M ncktnps Eorry I mn, fot sou 10