The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1915-06-18
VALLEY OF VIRGINIA
Fifth Letter From Our Former Mel.
rose Correspondent.

IV5C OVLAOoYOMUCAtS
Dear Readers:
Receiving complimentary words
from a number of readers concerning
the valley of Virginia" letters, in
duces I'LL to- continue
Herds OF sheep numbering lou or
more, including ewes or lambs is no
uncommon sight to see going through
our streets from the mountains to the
market at Harrisonburg to be sold.
Many have bells intermingling with
the different tones Of "Baa," as they
60 through the streets makes IN i'm
teresting procession. The owner OF
one of these large flocks told me there
Is more money in sheep than wheat.
Cracking hi whip I'm the direction of
the huge bunch OF woody animals he
said, Everyone is worth $500, and
the lambs &c per pound. Many of
them weigh 125 pounds, 20 We can
figure an average OF $1,000 for each
lamb. They are easily kept, requir-
ing but little shelter or feed beside
grazing along the roadside and The
mountains. This Is nearly all clear
besides the wool that is sold.
Speaking of mountains, 7 was told
over i'm Pendleton mountain region
the people use such expressions as
You are toting a big load" did you
all carry the horses to water"
Speaking Of sociability among these
people, we might mention that a boy
passing a young man in buggy
asked him to stop. You lost some
thing young man. What? Your man
ners," replied the boy, after placing
himself at a safe distance
Modern times of completion is by
no means neglected here. Every
town of $50 population and more have
fine High School Buildings of to
rooms. Montezuma, a thickly settled
neighborhoOd, has fine High School
building of 500 or more towns
and besides these towns have insti-
tutes and colleges. Much attention is
given TO music i'm the public schools.
Normal summer courses are now
open in the larger towns. We can
vassed town of 1900 inhabitants and
found but two unable to read, one OF
them was colored lady. Schools
and churches seem to vie with each
other in having people interested
There are very few who do not at-
tend church or Sunday school. | met
a girl Of Z years who has committed
to memory the 23rd Psalm
There are auto bus cars going in
all directions to accommodate the
travelling public. Even the freight
trains through here have passenger
coaches, which il a great convenience
/ have experienced it in reaching
a certain place at the stated time.
Telephones are as plentiful here as
bees in a hive. Farmers have phones \
with double switches and only pay
$3.50 per year, switchboard service, |
besides the repairs which average
several dollars per year. An average
phone costs 80 cents per month, and 7
we have excellent service There are
many evergreen trees here of different n
species along North river we notice n
trees 20 to 80 feet high, resembling \
sumac. that grows to the height of [
only about feet in Maryland 1t il A
said To b. a brush of rank growth \
Before closing this letter we will tell \
what we learned in regard to some
fresh air children who were brought 4
10 one Of the BIZ farms about this n
time or perhaps a little later, years
ago. The children evidently not
knowing what a garden was, played
In on, using cabbage heads Ill
stools, besides other odd things One
little boy came in with an egg in one
hand and feather in his hat. ibid
YOU pull that feather out OF a chick
en?" No. ma'am," said the little boy,
took hold of the feather and the
went away without it,
y. Albert ZepD.