The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1856-11-28

49, sass tne Onio was 20 low that grocefie
| SJ III .o. ee ootsined then asked for mill
| .MAs, fortunately. 20 dark that could not se
macA OF the dirt At the bottom of the bowl
| A.es supper sat down with the mother of th
nossess In the chimney corner, while the rest 0
tne company retired to another room "Have 20,
any preaching in this neighborhoodlp p injured
Yea, sir, we have preaching BY the Metbodis
once IN three weeks, and sometimes by the Ban
tlst. we haint got any meetin' house in th,
rnree Folks, exactly but thar is one on yon bin.
noticed that as came here, madam, but 1t /,
oph 1Psn supposed had not been used for years.
on, yes, sr. but when the weather IL very cold
they preach in some of the neighbor's houses. p
The church above mentioned was too omen for ,
stable In winter. The old woman resumed -
spoee you are from the city" "Yes, marin.
What eityi' Richmond" .Richmondl I.tha.
the Federal Citya 'spose Richmond is . eisv ~
You said it Is city. didn't ye! "Yes. madam. ii
is the Federal City" Il presumed she had neyeI
heard OF Washington City) "Wel, wasn't thar q
greas nre thar oncef When I was young and lived
on tne river, used to hear them read in the pa
pers ABOUT fire thar which burnt down the play
mouse, and burnt up many people. / hearn 'em
read in the papers bout it." She then gave a con
fused story about some young man whose sweet.
neart was burnt, which will not trouble you with
L was then asked into another apartment. where |
waa to lodge, containing beds the most uninviting
think have ever seen. I was sorry almost when
bedtime arrived The only light in the room was
from coal fire, but that was sufficient to show me
that theoedding was not fit for the thiest pauper
There was but one sheet on the bed, and that was
so black that would not let my face touch it, but
placed my arm under my head to prevent contact
Several times was on the eve of getting up and
sleeping by the fire, but my shawl was under my
friends head and the weather cold, (the ground
being covered with SNOWY so that feared taking
cold. Though exceedingly fatigued did not sleep
much.
The man who keeps this house is q merchant,
and is, l understand, "well off How he can live
in such abominable filth is marvellous! We order
ed our horses at daybreak, determined not to break
fast without coffee. But find my letter is getting
too long, and l will not weary you by further de.
tails.
said that would say something about the i'm.
providence ofthe people of this country am rather
familiar with South Western Virginia but have
never seen there the same carelessness
The houses here, even of those who are able to
have comforts about them miserable cabins, open
as barns slept in room night before last that had
no Getting and around the caves there an open
INK extending ali around the room, large enough
boy to get through, and the wind came pouring in
upon us. There were many other openings lower
down, N which we stuffed shirts, pantalsons, sc
which were suspended around the room. While at
supper, in this house, girl of some sixteen, with
taliow candle between the prongs of q fork, this
being the best candlestick in the house. This man
had been living in this house for forty years. and il
well eff.
Strange to say in one half of the places stopped
could get no milk to drink Some have not enough
TO put into coffee. Such state of things in agri-
Incredible. Their excuse is that the has been
30 dry that there has been no grass. This is not,
however, good defence, as l have seen on almost
every farm an abundance of hay
The lEprovidsnce of these people is not only seen
in their miserable cabins and bad fare but it is also
manifested in their mode of cultivatiny the soil.
have never anything that approaches their SLOW
in this regard The ground is merely scratched
instead of ponghed, and tho harrow seems never to
be used. In a journey of 100 miles on horseback,
have not seen three wheat fields in which the wheat
was not sown while the corn a. standing Hence it
10 often In distinct rows If 1t had been in
furrows.
On most of the farms the corn has been cut down,
and is shocked in the fields thus taking up per
haps 8 twentieth part of the land They say that
they have not time to gather in their corn The
wheas in spite of tbs roughness of the ground looks
well everywhere. Indeed, the land 10 admirably
adapted to its growth. l DO not know finer coun-
try for an enterpiising farmer than this l have
seen but two here who deserve this title, and they
are doing we'll The lands are much superior TO
those in the tslley in the Southwest the soil il
of dalk chocolate color, and 10 very deep In cuts
along the turnpikes and railroads. have often seen
1t extend II feet below the surface
The couatry il not mountainous but hilly-the hills
generally arabic to the top Ono of the enterprisng
farmers above alluded to, is located upon the top OF
one of the highest ridges and though without any
force but his own hands will one day make for.
tune. have no doubt whatever that man of en-
terprise with 5000 dollars capital could make in
lO years handsome fortune, IN IAslu8 Iooscco -
There are already some one or two persons here who
are beginning to open thsi- eyes to this subject |
know man, who planted three acres, and will
alize $50 He sold the tobacco fer cents per I5 at
his door, The land is admirably adapted to its growth
the bill sides in particular.
There is much sufferisg here for want of rain 1
saw gentleman, few days ego, who has been liv-
isg this country ali his life, and who says there has
not been 90 distressing drought for fifty years. Ma
ny persons have to send TO- Is and 20 miles to mill
Indeed, at several places the handmil has to be de-
pended on entirely.
could say more but have already. perhaps, said
too much. Yours, P.