New Walks in Old Ways 



Ridge was pulling hard upon the ele- 

 mental impulse, and it drew heavily 

 upon the flower of old Virginia's stock. 

 Some went on to great riches and re- 

 wards, enjoyed to this day by their 

 descendants. Others fell victims to 

 the stress and exposure attending the 

 crude migration; and still more of 

 them, spurred on by the goading of 

 this same insatiable thirst for gain and 

 adventure of which I am speaking, never 

 attached themselves long enough in 

 any one spot to really take root and get 

 a start. Ever they were hearing voices 

 in the air! Ever did they watch the 

 sun setting still further west, and on 

 the morrow they were on the trail for 

 "over there." 



Spring was stealing softly north- 

 ward from the southland when the 

 particular Virginian of whom I write 

 took the bridle path for the Promised 

 Land. In fancy we can see the scene. 

 The peach tree bloom had already 

 come and gone in sunny nooks, and 

 [i86] 



