Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1853-06-15
GAitnr'a CurrfspuuARufR.
TUSCALOOSA, Ala, May 27, 1853.

Il
TUSCALOOSA, Ala, May 27, 1853.
My DEAR SIR The revolutions and mu
tations incident to this mortal existence, have
thrown me into a land of strangers, far from
the home and friends of sunny childhood.-
Man, the football of an irresistible destiny,
the sport of winds and waves, the toy of the
breezes of fate, more than once in ais short
life, finds himself surrounded by circumstan-
ces Of which he did not dream previou>ly.-
But | an not disposed to chide the fates that
have thrown me where now am. If all the
changes it brings me, are such as this, let
You may be interested to know how | like
the city of Tuscaloosa, the city that, in pros
p~ective, claims to De the Athens and, at the
same time, the level OF Alabama ; and that
in d few short years, many have n stronger
claim to the title Of " the City of Oaks" than
your renowned capital. | am completely do
m~esticated, have made numerous friends, feel
perfectly at home and enter with zest into
all the local questions of the city that is I
feel interested in the University, the Asylum
now erecting, the churches, the improve
ments of the streets, &c. The politics of the
State | take no kind of interest in, except SO
far as regards the representatives from this
county. 1t is surmised that during the next
session Of the Legislature attempts will be
made to remove the University, to withdraw
the 100000 appropriation for tho-Al5lnAA-
and strip US of all the public favors we now
enjoy, small as they are. If this is done the
owls and the bats will lord it unchecked over
the ruins of the once beautiful city of Tusca-
loosa the magnificent oaks that now adOrn
our streets will become the haunts of the
noisy Jay and frolicsome squirrel, and the
idle school-boy will saunter along h were
once our streets with dog and gun in search
of his favorite game. The rumbling of our
machinery will sink into a silence like that
which reigns around the grave and the hum
Of our busy little population will subslde like
the roar of a wave spent upon the shore. Tle
interest | take in this matter then is to wish
the people of this county to be represented
by men who can breast this swelling tide of
aggression and defend our interests when
they are assailed by ayarlce, cunning, or
, grasping covetousness.
We are parching up with want of rain
; The small grain crop is an entire failure,
and unless things change, the corn and cot
: ton will be ditto. Persons speaks seriously
. of having to pay 81 or 81 SO per bushel fol
corn before the crop of 1854 Gardens are
failures and vegetables at table obsolete
/ Some farmers I learn have not yet planted 8
e grain of corn. March was very rainy and
&c we have not had any since. I learn that i
IL is still worse in South Alabama. We have
n little sickness here. some few cases of diar
rhoea Of an aggravated form. One is aston
ished to find so much consumption here. Its
u prevalence leads me to conclude that gOin!
south for restoration in pulmonary cases, !
P a mere farce. I am really pleased with tn
society here, among whom are many whole
u souled North Carolinans, who all meet N.
With a warm welcome. DR.. Haywood, form
W erly Of Rlleigh, has shown me much atten
tive kindness. Western Carolina is we'll REP
resented.
: | have been spending my time in q variet
n of pursuits, hunting, fishing, riding, &c.
~ have been once on Il camp-hunt for deer, 6
\ mong thepiney hills in the "coal diggins." Q
how refreshing to breathe that pure air, drin
= that pure water, career on horseback owe
d those flower and vine-clad hills under tn
= sombre shade Of the lordly pines, and exu
in the joyous gush of feeling and enthusiasm
the debut in backwoods life. 7 must give :
merely an insight into the mode in which
'me spent our timei in those magnificent s0litud
At early lawn the winding Of the must
horn aroused us from our slumbers and su
on monedus to prepare for the sports of the d;
mop Two trusty sable sons of Africa provided a
oprood f,r nc IN o mnlo brook e, Ct mo1a nv
eph the substantiaIs, ham. chicken. eggs, butt
&C., which the neighborhood afforded. Fl
ing partaken of this, we mounted our ste
and were on our way to the drive" bet
Pre- the rosy fingered Aurora" had begun
gid the hills aad tree tops and the fiery chs
OF Of the sun had commenced his burn
d of way. The winding of the horn and the
In swering bay of the d%eep-mouthed hou
urts rung clear through the woods, and the frie
APPLE cned hare leaped from his covert with sp
that of lightning, leaving a white streak behi
the Passing quickly along, a veteran hunter
or tributad us at Our respective stands, and t
der entered the drive. Left to myself in the mi
the Of that vast solitude, had nothing to do
iect. look around on the sights and listen to
and sounds that fell on my senses. The gr
the hopper Uiiirped in the leaves at my feet i
woodpecker tapped mcrrily on a fayorite 3
,URr knot overhead the solitary wild pigeon d
for ted by me with the speed of the swift wi
853. ed arrows of light - the distant cry of
$ the hounds, now in full chase, fell on my ear,
cave quickenel the flow of the warm life-blood
been my veins; the occasional neigh of a he
and the ringing Of a COW bell, added cffsc
and the scene; the sun poured his fercest r
ed to down uponme through the lofty pines
wide over me- splead the broad blue expanse of
sky. O! wlo can describe the beating
f tho heart experienced by an uninitiated hun
tness at his s~tand,as the musical cry o. the hour
and gradually ribs and swells upon the still
pre- and then dieSaway tosilence in the distan
elbow how his hair Uses on end almost uplift
that his hat, as he Gears a rustling in the bus
It we and momentarW expects the deer to co
ed to rushing upon Vim 9 like Il thund ergusr
and w~oodpeckers." But calm is once more !
: are tored to the trouRed sea If his feelings as
nper- sound of hounds md horn dies away and
lence reigns suprne.
The drive was Unsuccessful, owing to so
tbe Misunderstanding sesn~s rkA~A~s
rner- we returnedt to ito rest, to drinktfE pl
t. sweet water gushing forth from the fT 0
rther- hill, to sit down to a grateful repast al b
,lonce pare for the afternoons drive. At chi
great assembled around the door of our temia
resent residence, laughed, cracked jokes, boast
,uors. the speed and bottom offavorite hounds
as I must close. l will continue in a subse9
of No.
mbol- -
d vice GREAT SALE or MINING Property
leQal old MeCulloch Mine. in the western M