Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1908-06-19
ALL ABOUT
FREDERICKSBURG
As Your Correspondent Sees II

humble correspondent sent off to the
CITIZEN his lubrucations as to Freder-
icksburg seemed ruminatively grumb-
ling, it must be set down to the fatigue
of travel and the tedium of loafing on
the slow steamer. albeit steamer is
lots better than a train of railway cars,
where one must sit still and look out of
windows at swift-fying telegraph poles
and fields that are out of sight before
one can see well what is planted therein.
On the boat one can walk about, sit,
lie down, eat comfortably at a good
table, and make as many acquaintance
as disposition and circumstance permit.
Then the arrival at wharves, the tumb-
ling of boxes and bags in and out on the
swift-moving trucks, the lading and un-
lading of reluctant and recalcitrant
horses or oxen and bleating calves, the
parting of friends with much kissing
and farewells, and many other diver
sions; the sleepy-eyed folks crawling
out of staterooms, and at rare intervals
the blushing bride coming aboard for
the wedding trip, she leaving all for the
man who has won her from her parents.
But have wandered from the point,
if indeed had any. Idare say some of
Southern hospitality is due to the eli
mate. In a country where doors are
doubled to keep out the wind and where
shutters have to be closed to prevent
freezing Into such houses access is
slow and difficult. But in our South
land doors stand wide open in most
cases, the windows are so arranged
that they let in sunlight and warmth,
and the latchstring hangs always out;
(by the way, met a somewhat well
informed man not long ago who had no
idea what latchstring was-had never
pulled one or seen one) and where, as
said in another letter, your host does
not seem satisfied if you do not take
something to eat Tin the old days some
thing to drink)-in a word. with people
who make you at home, and whose
sincerity is manifest in so many ways
that one cannot doubt it. q shall never
finish that sentence, for the subject is
inexhaustible, and so drop it, Such is
fredericksburg after broke the shell.
The drummer with whom talked on
the boat would never know the truth
about Fredericksburg did ne only visit
the business part of the city, for the
long rows of ancient houses that stand
on the main street, houses probably
erected many of them in Colonial days,
with their queer shapes and old-style
hip-roofs, convey no idea of the better
part of the town. But let him climb to
the top of the slope southwark and
westward and he comes on beautifully
shaded streets, old-fashioned houses of
the Colonial style, wide porches, gar
dens on side and front full of blooming
roses and other fragrance, and here is
seen comfort and elegance not to be
found in crowded city of modern con-
struction. This is ''old' Fredericksburg,
and still further reaching towards the
falls and out towards Marye's Heights
are many dozens of cottages of modern
style. set on the borders of wide parks,
with spacious grounds about them, and
constructed with an airiness of effect
that is quite charming, l am told that
much of this improvement is due to the
energy and public spirit of Colonel E.
ID. Cole, sometimes humorously STYLED
the king" of Fredericksburg. And
possibly he deserves the title, as he has
been continuously President of the Coun-
ell of the city for about forty years, and
man must have something in him more
than the ordinary to hold the gooc
opinion of his fellows that long a time
A plain man of the people, with no pre-
tentious ways, he nevertheless has 8
hold on the good will and the affections
of every one who comes in touch will
him. This writer knew him when
coming poor boy from the county oi
Prince William, after having served a:
faithful service as any of Virgins
sons in defence of the Old Dominion
(he was courier Of j. E. B. Steuart
and has many pleasant tale to relatt
of that gallant soldier and delightful
companion, and also served with Mosb,
for, time,) he came to Fredericksburf
penniless but full of energy, which h,
has displayed all these years. Away,
ready to help in any enterprise tina
tended to the development of the re
sources of the city, and indeed tn,
leader in most of them, the Colonel il
unique in his way.
fredericksburg has fine drinkin,
water. When / saw the Rappahaanocl
turbid with the mud of Fauquier an,