Fergus County Democrat., 1914-03-17

To reach there we took the Baltimore
Ohio road to Harper's Ferry, made
famous by the execution, there, of
John Brown, with whose career i'm
mediately preceding the actual out
break Of hostilities between the north
and the south every school child Is
acquainted. Harper's Ferry is q little
town most picturesQuely To-
Gated. A few miles beyond there we
changed cars and turned toward the
south through the Shenandoah valley.
Here, too, we were on historic ground.
for, as all know, this beautiful little
valley was the scene of several of the
most terrific battles of the civil war.
Guarded on the east by the Blue Ridge
which, at distance, re-
semble very much the foothills of some
OF the lesser mountain ranges in our
own state, and on the west by the
mountains, which are
more rugged, the Shenandoah is just
ly famed as one Of the most beauti-
full valleys in the world. Today, it
presents a most restful picture of
peace, content and happy husbandry,
and as one contemplates its pastoral
Quietness 1t is difficult, indeed, to real
ize that, within the vivid memories OF
many who yet reside there, two vast
armies met in deadly conflict, that the
pretty little streams ran red with the
blood of the flower of American man.
hood, that Stonewall Jackson, Zeb
Stuart. Jubal Parly and Phil Sheridan,
master cavalrymen of all the annals
OF warfare, took turns about in sweep
ing through the valley in epoch-making
raids until Sheridan's last all-devasta-
ting foray, after which he said that
If crow flies through the Shenan-
doah valley he will have to take his
provisions with him." AS one rides
along the valley he passes many of
the fine old ante-bellum estates with
their spacious colonial mansions, many
of which are almost exactly as they
were during the first half of the last
century, when they were the homes
OF the beauty and chivalry of Dixie
land. Many of those estates are still
owned by worthy descendants of the
earlier prOprietors and the same open
handed hospitality is dispensed as in
the days before the cruel clash of arms
brought inevitable changes in the old
order of things in the sunny south.
*A*
William G. Conrad was born in this
valley and, as boy of from thirteen
TO seventeen years of age, witnessed
the destructive Onslaughts of contend
ing armies. Mrs. Conrad was also a
native OF the valley and it was but
natural, that after having undergone
many of the trials of frontier days
and having passed the meridian of
their busy lives, they should desire to
return to the haunts of their youth
and pass at least a portion of their
time in a country hallowed by the as
sociations of childhood.
*x*
The Conrad home is a beautiful old
mansion, to which the comforts of
modern conveniences have been add.
ed, without detracting, however, from
the stately grandeur of it's colonial
architecture. 1t is the center of an es-
tate OF one thousand fertile acres,
scientifically cultivated, and over
which range the blooded stock which
were the pride of Mr.. Conrad's later
years. Montana Hall it was called,
and here, for many years past, the
sturdy Montana pioneer spent his win
ters and, with his family, kept open
house, wherein were combined the
genial cordiality of the far west with
the gracious hospitality of the old
south.
Last autumn he was in Washington
ana invited me to visit him at Mon
tana Hall, but the exacting duties of
official life prevented me from accept
ing his invitation and it was not until
after that noble home had been dark
ened by the death of it's master did
l conceive it sad duty to make the
deferred journey.
Something of the esteem and affec.
tion which Mr.. Conrad was held could
be gathered from the simple, solemn
funeral services held at Montana Hall
yesterday morning. In one of the
spacious rooms were gathered q hall
hundred or more of the neighbors and
friends, some of them associates OF
his boyhood days, their heads whitened
by the SHOWS of many winters. They
had come to pay the last mark Of re
| spect to one who had once wandered
| afar, had gathered great honor anG
worldly goods, who had walked anC
worked with the great men of his
time, who had helped to forward the
destiny of mighty commonwealth
but who had come back in the autumn
of life for a few quiet days of happi
ness and helpfulness to the land o
his birth. Although sadly premature
it seemed fitting end of life heapet
high with SO many things which mak'
this earthly existence worth while, o
plains traversed and mountains tun
neled, or forests felled and parchet
prairies made to bloom, of comba
with the elements and success won il
competition with men who honorel
him for his bigness and his fairness
Following the services at the house
we followed the remains to their fina
resting place in the beautiful GENE
terry at Winchester, fifteen miles away
During the stirring days of the wal
Winchester was ever in the very hear
of fierce conflict. 1t was captured an
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