Evening star., 1921-06-26

TIME city of Charles Town. w.
Va. holds a number OF claims
upon ones interest. 1t has
necuIiar charms. 1t does a
49,. hnsiness without noise and con-
s,sion. 1t has a quiet efficiency. lts
b,~xest noise is the honk of tourists
automobiles. and after that Is 'ne
noise of the trains. There are hiahJ
Tourists and several trains oaS.
There is gentle calm about the
old town that is refreshing. II menus
the nerves of rushworn people.
IN no sense of hurry. The omcisiS III
the town hall, the county ofhcers III
the Apurthouse, the clerks IN INC
stores the men in the banks and the
mattresses in the hotels have a quiet
air and they treat time not as tnoush
each minute were the last, pul as
though there would be plenty OF 1u-
tuSA They have philosophy thal
thsre is something bigger in lie tnan
furfcusly punching cash register
and something better to talk ABOUT
than dollars and small change.
C,hSrlestown is in West Virginia. but
it.fs very like what you expect to find
IL old Virginia, and sometimes do not
IND
The streets are wide and. except on
Main street, there is seldom anything
approaching traffic congestion, anu
they have traffic signals at severaI
crossings. A large extent OF streets ls
paved with asphalt, and plans are
making to give hard. smooth sur
face to all the streets Of the town.
Nhe residence streets are bordereo py
old trees and the homes are set IN
ample, we'll kept grounds. The sioe-
vslka mostly Of cement, are cieAn n
has q population of only $500. occu-
pies a larger area than many cities
twice or thrice its population. IN
some sections Of the town the homes
and air which is usually termed
r'beautiful" Homes that are costly
In the sense in which big-town homes
are costly are few. but they spell
comfort and repose. Even in those
quarters of the town where less for
{unate or less leisurely people live the
homes have trees. lawns, flower beds
and often a vegetable garden. Many
OF the houses, large and small, De.
lo1g to an age that was. and many OF
the newer houses are patterned after
the older style
THE men are as well dressed and az
we'll groomed as men generally
are, and the women follow the fash
ions as they do here. but what we
eal1 "extremes" are not spften seen
in the streets of Charles Town, and
when one sees extreme styles they
are usually worn by people not Of
the town.
The church buildings are of large
size and excellent architecture and
the old church buildings are impress
Saye. The Shops-and every line OF
trade Is represented-are fun-stocked
with goods and the people OF Charles
Town can buy most of the grades and
varieties of merchandise that are to
be had in bigger and buster cities.
The hotels are considerably above the
usual small-town standard, several
of tho banks occupy suitable and ade-
Qu1te buildings, and the opera house
II regarded as one of the handsome
pIayhouses Of the state. Moving pic
ing theatrical troupe takes it over for
q night stand now and then. For the
ordinary run Of road attractions the
people of Charles Town go to VIM
chester, twenty-five miles away, ana
for the greater operatic and dramatic
Representations they come to Wash
inGton or go to Baltimore. In many
ways Charles Town Is independent OF
the outside world for amusement The
city has musicians and readers OF
merit, the high school students and
other young people put on shows that
Iive pleasure. the people patronize
the movies, there are various church
societies in which they find enter
tainment and then there are teas,
card parties and receptions.
Charles Town rests in a region Of
Wonderful charm and the people make
excursions tn famous springs, to pic
tufo places IN the valley and enchant-
ting spots in the Blue Ridge. whose
morning shadow reaches nearly to the