Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-08-12
LURAY, VA.



LURAY. Va, August 5. 1865.
The heavy rain on Saturday last cleansed
Page county valley as if 1t had been wash
ed with sponge. and when the sun shone
out over the rocky old tops of the noun
tans Luray smiled white and glittering in
the distance. Yet for all the rain the day
was warm and those of the good valley
folks who went jourHeying afar to meet
ing felt the heat. But Monday morning
rose in garment OF the finest and most
artistic mists and giintings of sunshine
that made the valley a veritable picture
that would challenge the most skillful
artist to reproduce in the varying colors.
AS the rose ma jestlcally over Little
Stony Mann a miniature mountain to the
north of Big Stony Man peak II smiled and
reflected itself in a perfect mirage across
the valley and on the tops Of the Massa-
mutton mountains. until the men who rose
betimes and were not accustomed to
changes and tricks OF the atmosphere in
the valley and the mountains surrounding
IT would have to have cudgeled themselves
to tell which was the real sun and which
the mirage
All day the sun played at coloring the
msts on the Massanutton mountains: at
times the veil that chung to the sides of the
mountains We're pink and golden and blue
the bits of sky that smiled through the
flying clouds above them. and again they
white the brides veil that they
resembled for even at the great distance
between mountains az the point from which
/ write-the green OF the trees were dis
cernable through the haze, so clear was the
air in the valley. While back on Old
Stony Man, Bushy-Top and Millers Head
the clouds made fantastic shapes and
shadows like figures stalking across them
And variable is the atmosphere here
that before the sun went down under his
blankets of gold and royal purple it was
too cool to be comfortable on the porches
without coat on. Oh. yes. out in the
country go coatleSS. collarleSS and
with sleeves rolled to the elbow.
Already the farmers are beginning to
plough for wheat The loamy red soil of
the fields is being turned up to the sun and
reminds one of the red soil In pictures, the
like of which | never thought existed out OF
paintings, but here 1T CLOVIS like 1t was
Just out Of the madder-pot
And the corn In the valley Is tall and
rank like 1t had been forced. but it stands
firm and heavily loaded with luscious roast
ing ears that give appetite to the most
''puny and pindling' who seek the helds
for health Altogether. Page county Is
rich in productions this season. Tor the
small fruits have dropped unpicked from
the briars and bushes and the branches of
the apple trees hang dropping to the ground
with a heavy crop of apples
The drawback to Page county Is the lack
of ready market. Were 1t not for the
change Of cars and the long wait the
freight would have at the JUNCTION where,
until this season. the long walt was made
for transfer to the Norfolk and western
there would be fuller market In Washing
ton of the early and late vegeta bleS and
fruits of the county. OF consequence the
Page county folks do not attempt market
ing except at home. from one house to an
other at Luray.
The upper portion OF Kettle canyon was
explored on Wednesday and some pictures
made of places that had never before
been under the focus OF the camera The
party took luncheon and made day of 1t.
They left the Walnuts about o'clock in
the morning. and went by the mountain
road to the point below Eagles Nest, where
they made effort to get snap. but II
was too dangerous both from the steepness
OF the rock wall and the screaming of the
ca giles that sent out their cries ike the
warnings of a Fate unkind as they lowered
over their nest of young and fed them OF
the lambs they had stolen or the rabbits
and squirrels they had swooped down upon
and gobbled in their claws.
A dozen or more stops were made for
rest and to get pictures of the most pic
turesque spot and dangerous ascents. The
ton OF Kettle C3TyOn Is considered very
dangerous just at the present time 10 make
ascent. for the massive rocks that fill the
beginning of the gorge just below Stony
Man camp have shown signs OF falling. the
great Hcheus that have been growing there
on Tor many years have cracked and show
the outward lean of the topmost rocks that
would weigh, says an old and experienced
mountaineer. and one who has lived in the
vicinity Of the canyon all his life millions
and millions OF pounds and when they do
fall. as fall they must. they will shake
the valley and make II tremble its length
and breadth. But the tourists of the day
avoided the walls that doomed above them
with the cracked lichen telling the tale of
the pending doom. and climbed out to the
left and by plan laid out by the old noun
taineer before the party left the valley.
After the ascent they rested at Stony
Nun and in the cottage of Mr.. and Mrs.
BOYD of Washington for n brief space. and
then made the descent of the mountain
by road and gained farm house In time
for a good supper of fried chicken. cream
gravy and hoecake. or in the parlance OF
other countries scenes" and hot coffee
and crcam--real cream skinned from the