Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-04-23
Valley Of Virginia.
Special Correspondence of The Star.


liner Ryland for Liverpool was Miss
Letttia H. Johnston, daughter of Gen.
Robert w. Johnston of Birmingham.
Ala, and White Post, Clarke county.
Va, who is to become the bride of
Lieut.. Benson Walker of the royal ma
val air service of England. 1t is ex-
pected the wedding will take place in
or near London soon after the arrival
OF Miss Johnston. who is being accom-
| panied on the trip by her future mo-
ther-fn-law, Mrs. Walker of Toronto,
Canada. The marriage will be the Gull
m1nation of a romance that began long
before the nations OF Europe dreamed
OF the present war. Lieut.. Walker is
native of Canada and became expert
as an aviator some years ago, estab-
isnlng a number of records in the vi
entity OF Toronto, and he was one of
the first to volunteer Tor duty when
the call to arms was sounded, nearly
two years ago. He has seen much, ac-
i've service in the war zones, but has
Tor the past year been stationed in Lon
don. being attached 10 that branch of
the naval air service that is defending
the British capital. He was unable to
OBTAIN furlough to come to the United
states for his bride, so the southern
girl is now crossing the seas to Join
him.. Miss Johnston's rather is one of
the few surviving generals of the Con-
1eoerate army. Although a native and
resident of Birmingham Ala she has
been spending much of her time in the
last SIX or seven years at White Post
where her father and other members of
the Johnston family own a large fruit
larn- She was recently supplied with
passports and other credentials by the
state Department after the application
nad peen duly certified by the clerk Of
the city court of Winchester and a
party or friends accompanied her to the
and her future husband every happi-
ness: Miss Johnston is a sister of Capt
GORDON Johnston of the United States
army; who is attached to the staff of
zen. Wooa at Biackwel1s Island, n. Y.
Forest fires that have been raging
since me early part of the week in the
Blue Ridge and Massanutten mountains
IN Virginia have been plainly seen at
section, more than Twenty-Five miles
distant. and the entire Virginia valley.
from one end to the other, is still
covered with heavy cloud Of smoke
near the place where much damage was
done about year ago at the line be-
tween Clarke and Farquier counties,
Wnlie others have ragged in the forests
eminent. People living in the noun
tain regions have been fighting the
nres day and night in order to save
tneir own property and at the same
IN preventing q great destruction of
timber. which farmers and mountain
people are permitted to use under GER
tam restrictions. For several nights
great tongues of flame have been seen
shooting up at frequent intervals on
top of the Blue Ridge in Loudoun.
clarke and Fauquier counties.
Durlng another terrific windstorm
Frederick county a day or two ago a
great deal of damage was done by high
winds. and many farmers who had just
n NM ,I repairing and rebuilding fences
work TO do over again. A new barn
on the farm Of A. l.. White, near Hay
Held, was blown over and completely
demolished and one horse was killed
outright. Other live stock managed to
escape.
A band of gypsies travelling in three
automobiles; several members of which
are reported to have made attempts to
victimize residents of Orange and other
counties east of the Blue Ridge noun
tains the early part of the week. only
to be chased out by the sheriffs. are
mountainous sections east of VIM
chester yesterday by several parties Of
people arriving here from motoring
trips. The gypsies are alleged to have
committed some depredations in the
upper portion of the Shenandoah val
ley about two weeks ago
The remains of Mrs. Charlotte Eliza
merly Of Washington, who died here
several nights ago. after long illness.
were inferred Thursday in Druid Hill
cemetery, Baltimore, by the side of her
late husband ssand, DR.; G; F. Berry. She
widely known composer and teacher
of music, who was unable to attend
her funeral: being confined by illness
to Memorial Hospital
Col. r. Preston Chew of Charles
Town. who during the civil war, com
manded Chew's battery of artillery in
the Confederate army, has accepted an
invitation extended by the Ladies'
Memorial Association of Harrisonbure.
that place on Confederate memorial
day. June 6, which. will be the fifty
fourth anniversary of the death of
Gen. Turner Ashby. Col. Chew's COM
gade during the early part Of the war.
Announcement has been made of the
engagement of Miss Virginia E. Stone
of Fredericksburg, Va, a member of
the faculty of the state normal school
of that place, to Prof. Fred NJ. Alex
ander of Winchester, who is now prin-
cipal of the Cape Charles. Va. high
school, but formerly an instructor at
the summer session of the Fredericks-
burg school. The announcement was
made at an entertainment given
Wednesday evening at the home of
Mrs. A. B. Chandler, jr., in Fredericks-
burg
The Winchester city council at
special meeting this week awarded
contract to the Northern Virginia
Power Company for lighting the streets
of the city with nitrogen electric
lamps at the rate of about $45 a year,
which is considerably less than the
company proposed to do before the city
recently took what appeared 10 be de-
cisive steps toward installing munich
pal plant. The latter idea has been
pany has come down in price. 1t will
also supply the current for the big
white way" that is to be constructed
early in May.
Arthur Crosen, son of Mortimer
Crosen. prominent Frederick county
farmer, and Miss Nellie Grouse daurh-
ter of Arthur Grouse of Morgan coun-
ty. w. Va, obtained a marriage license
here yesterday and were married by
Rev. George w. Slower at the parson-
age of the United Brethren Church.
Marion H. Tevault, a local sculptor
and engraver. and Miss Nora M. Boyce.
both members of substantial Win
chester and Frederick county families.
were married a few evenings ago by
Rev: w. Q. Talbert of the Southern
Methodist Church, in the presence of a
small gathering of relatives and in
innate friends. q
d. D. Pennybacker, seyenfy.rour
years old, a Confederate veteran. died
several days ago at his home at Broad
way, Rockingham county, only q short
time after he and his wife had enter
tained at a reception and largo family