The true Democrat., 1855-09-25
Texas Correspondence.
Lam.passas Springs, 7sras, August 23d, 1855.

August 23d, 1855.
 EDITOR TRUE DEMOCRAT:
 By your kindness I have been in receipt of your very interesting paper for the last several weeks. On the arrival and perusal of each number, have felt constrained to ac- knowledge its receipt, accompanying it. not with dimes times are too hard for that, but with nasty annotaton of things and events here.
 Being on visit to the Lampases Springs, the Saratoga" of the south west and in waiting for conveyance to take me home, cannot better interest yourself and readers than by giving descriptive outline of this place, with the events of the past week.
 I left the city of Austin on Tuesday the 14th inst, with my wife and baby number 4, in com pany with Dr. Lott and lady. We arrived here safely next evening. No incident occurred worth recital-put up at Scotts hotel. These springs are situated about sixty miles north west of Austin, on a high, beautiful and heal thy region of country. They break out about the banks and in the channel of Lampases creek, from which they take their name. Fri day and Saturday we passed in visiting and looking at the springs, five of which are fixed up for drinking and bathing. These springs, like every thing else in Texas are on big scale. The largest one, l think, affords hogs head of water per minute. The water is ex- cellent, quite cold, and is supposed to contain valuable medicinal properties-it has never been analysed. The one judged highest for pleasant bathing, rises immediately in the chan nel of the Lampases, and boils some three feet above the surface of the surrounding water, throwing up constantly beautifully colored gra- vel and stones from the size of a pea to the weight of pounds. The human form floats and plays on this boil like cork on the water
 The first tent that was ever pitched by white man at these springs was pitched in July of last year. The country was then wild and tra- versed with Indians In January last, Mir. Scott an ente'prising Texan, commenced some preparation for the entertainment of vsitors.- Others followed his example, making, thus far, rough but ample arrangements for the tertainment of hundred or more persons.- At present there are six or seven hundred per sons here, nor has the number been much less since early in the spring, "and the cry is still they come." Large and commodious tents are seen in every clump and grove for mile round. It is most beautiful place for a camp life-the scenery is beautiful. Friday and Saturday pas sed off very pleasantly.
 Sunday broke on us, one of the mildest and most cheerful mornings I ever saw. By an hour by son, carriages, buggies and hacks were gathering thick round the hotel. Servants were brushing, blacking and currying. Ladies and gentlemen were dressing, primping and fixing There being no church that day, some were for the upper springs, some for ride on an adjacent prairie some going to ascend cer- tain beautiful summit, to take view of the magnificent hills towering in the west. At halfpast six o'clock, precisely, the breakfast bell rung, and some eighty ladies and gentle men were soon seated at table. Here an incl dent occurred that I wish I could so describe that my description would have that powerful effect that the incident had on me- After we were all seated, and when it was time to see the carving knife and fork busly engaged, and walters running hither and thther, all was still our host stood to ascertain the cause of this si. lence. saw him lowing towards parsonage whom will attempt presently to describe, and said ia blessing" All at once keen, pene- of thousand double sheets of brittle iron, set tied upon my ear and grated upon every object in the house. It made every hair stand on end and brought forth terrific screams, like echoes, from many ladies present. If 1 had heard the outer door of the dark reg ion of woe grate up- on its hinges, 1t would not have surprised me more, nor been less expected. The next sen- tence was like the notes of some powerful in- strument strung to ils utmost tension. The next, were clothed in those rich cadences that are sweeter than all music, breathed in the meekness, the love and the mercy of Jesus Christ, invoking blessing from God to rest up- on all of us. His voice gradually descended like sweet sounds, and when he had said "amen,'' felt his delicious words sitting upon my breast, heard their still whispers about my ears, and thought saw them playing about the ceiling and corners of the room, like so many sunbeams upon the waters.
 The prodigal's feast and "my fathers man. sion" passed vaguely through my mind. l re- covered from my surprise, looked forth on dull earth and oh! how bleak, when compared to the beauty, the serenity, the hope and loftiness of soul, felt during those heaven tinged mo- ments. This man was Marcus Brinkley, an old citizen of Texas, aged about forty five years. He is tall, lean, commanding and cour- teous. He has made his track during the hour of conflict, on the bloodiest battle fields of Texas. He has whispered peace to man and proclaimed death to the tyrant MT. B. has no family or relatives in this country. Such is the vigor of his imagination, and the terrible. ness of the many scenes through which he has passed, that his mindhas lost its balance. and he is only wise about God and godly things.
 The Sabbath passed quietly away, till about four o'clock in the evening" when Mitchell Nixon and small party, in second attempt to run Robert Willis from the springs, was shot by Willis and killed. Willis was arrested dur ing much excitement.
 Monday morning-Self, family and compa- ny, in consequence of felon on my wife's fore finger, making our longer stay disagreeable, started for home. was met by anxiuos friends and employed to prosecute Willis-company concluded to wait for me till morning. Morn- ing presenting no hope of my getting of soon, my wife and party left. Monday night we had fine ball. Late on Tuesday night, it commenced raining and has kept on, with lit- tie interruption till now. Wednesday evening