Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1906-05-23

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fore ns, the valley on one side, and
the Piedmont section on the other.
One immense poplar stands rs
sentinel of the mountain top, alone,
bereft of all companions, a living
picture of times decay. Itis only
a few miles to the Shenandoah
river. which in we olden days"
was forded, then crude ferry boat
came into use, but the relentless
march of advancement has reached
this dreamy old river, and we pass
over quickly on a modern iron
bridge. We get a glimpse below
of the poor old ferry boat, fastened
in the ice, a thing of the past. We
soon come TO the small town of
Wildwood. In the last days of the
civil war, it was in hotel of this
town that the gallant Mosby, with
his staff went under truce TO meet
the Federal officers, tomaketerms of
surrender, but they did not succeed.
so Mosby with his staff mounted.
and dashed back to the Shenandoah.
They were followed by the Fede-
rails, but at a safe distance. We
continue our trip through Wildwood
to the west, and soon reach the
beautiful, up to date residence
"POwhatan,' which is the home of
one of the fortunate sons of Nir-
ginia. In full view of this place,
stands Saratoga. the grim, gray
limestone home Of Genl. Daniel
Morgan. of Colonial history, which
was built for him by the HeSsian
soldiers, captured at the battle Of
"COwpens. = These two homes
stand as monuments to the period
in which they were built.
We wish to make pilgrimage
TO odd Chapel, = of historic fame.
We also find it an English looking,
gray limestone building; one might
say 1t was puritanical in its appear
ance. l could imagine it viewing
with calm displeasure the high
church proceedings of to day. Also
the wanderers from the faith Of
the established church Of England.
This chapel is an history in itself;
the interior is very plain, of the
same type as St. Jhon'S in Rich
mond, which became so noted
through Patrick Henry's famous
outburSt. 1t has the same high
pulpit and sounding board. l can
imagine how the worshippers hung
on every word uttered by those
noted divines, Bishop Meade and
Bishop Madison, iwho was closely
related to President Madison), who
in grave and dignified accents. told
them the right way to live.
We then pass out to the silent
grave yard. In reading the inscrip-
tons, we find such names, as Wash
ingtons, Harrisons, Pages, Ran
dolphs, Meades, Nelson's, Hites,
Burwells, Carriers, Pendletons, and
a great many more names that
belong to the early Colonies. 1t is
as though we had turned page in
Colonial history. The descendants
of these names are still living in
| Virginia. In the shadow of odd
| Chapel," there lives today, a great
great nephew and niece Of the
Father of the Constitution"
though many of the younger gene
ration have found homes and honors
in other states. We found the
name Of a Colonial Governor of
Virginia, further on a monument
to the Confederate dead, then to
one side is monument erected by
the L. s. Government, to a Lieu
tenant, only twenty-three years
old, killed in the Philippines, and
still it has been said by those who
do not know that Virginia has lost
her patriotism!
These silent stones stand for
three distinct epOchs in the history
of the Old Dominion.
The Colonial, the Civil and the
Spanish-American wars.
We also found the grave of John
Esten Cooke. Sadness overcame
me to think that this grand man
was gone from us. He has inn
motalized the South through his
soul stirring novels; his name will
always be associated with all that
is chivalrous and true.
We went further West tc
"Greenway Court" the home OF
Lord Fairfax. The present house
} is built near the site of the origina
house. The Office that Lord Fair.
2 fax had built for George Washing