The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1906-08-03
The Old Dominion.
Communicated.

Communicated.
Hearen and earth Just TO meet in cd Virginia
Nowhere on this western hemisphere is there q
more perfect blend of past and present than In
tidewater Virginia. 1t is truly the cradle of the
republic Here the infant sought nourishment
in the virgin soil, and Anglo Saxon dominance
has been led by a Smith, Bacon, a Washington
and Grant and Lee. Here, too, Pocahontas
stayed the arm of a father who essayed to do
like deed to that OF Cain under Eden's bowers
"The Queen City" of the one-time fifth kingdom
crowns seven hills on the James, and is environed
by fifty battlefieds Of the greatest OF modern wars
There today "light can speak and mighty griefs
are dumb" Through the lights and shades of
today, we behold those sponsors of Colonial men
ton in the Moor House, Westover, old church
ruin, Brandon, Benton church, Shirley and Will
liam and Mary College. The May day of 1907,
when THE Susan Constant" "God-Speed" and
Discovery" cast anchor near the mouth of the
James, fell on an unucky number. 1t was in
May, 1862 that General McClellen's forces engaged
General Johnston's forces at Seven Pines, follow
ing which came the fields of Mechanicsvile,
Gaines Mills, and series of rear guard battles
along the banks of the sluggish Chickahominy, to
Malvern Hill on the James, that fully sustains
Gen. Sherman's definition of war.
The shot that rang round the world, from Lex
ington, ended its reverberations at Yorktown
Through the gusty pines over the Powhattan
trail and by the Seven Pines, was led the captive
Smith. Here, too, the widow of fortune, Mrs.
Martha Gusts. accomplished what CORVALLIS and
his Hessians failed to do captured George.
How fancy lights the way to Miss Betty Madi
sons minuet beneath the mistletoe, and again to
the fair Priscilla's foot propelling to spinning
wheel. ''If you want thing well done, do it
yourself"
Smith was no less emphatic when he said: "He
who will not work. should not eat" "But of all
sad words of tongue and pen, the saddest are
these, it might have been" Had the quotations
of Smith and Standish here obtained, perhaps
the Sections record of battles would be four
hundred less on the soil of the "Old Dominion
This tidewater section holds its Indian reserva-
ton in which the Pamunky tribe are the Nations
wards. There tracks over the old trail, quite
frequently, two-wheeled cart drawn by OK;
in the cart an ancient son of this once wild will
derness on his way to the Upper Falls above
Richmond The sandy soil, throughout, has
produced the cart, which is so evenly balanced
when loaded that an easy pull is afforded. To
the stranger this cart is unique when bowed and
covered. The dusky son of Ham is an entertain
ment of slavery days, who is working out his des-
tiny on many lines today, that leaves his future
in speculative guise to the looker-on. Really,
though exceptions rule herein, whereby the
steady. sober and industrious are, in the whole,
advancing steadily, as they are elsewhere. and
another decade must find the rresolute in Jail or
at the rope ends
The solidity of the southlands is destined to
wane by density of population or enlightenment
The ex-slave il an interesting character study
who receives marked respect from the Manor
born. When war. blight and devastation dire
assailed, it was the bondaged freeman who in
their conscenced fealty lent a brighter halo to
true pathos by deeds of faith akin to the
samaritans.