Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1857-06-03
FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.

FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.
Mr.. EDITOR The longer live the more deep
ly am I impressed with the belief that man is
mystery to himself !" Man is fearfully and Won
derfully ma 'e, No wonder the Greeks were ac-
customed to say, Knop myself The man, who
knows and sees himself aright,1 is possessed Of
learning and wisdom and experience. However,
that philosopher has never existed who could tell
how the mind acts upon the body. Let the most
astute dialectician undertake to trace the opera
tions of the mind homo to the brain and through
the brain to the soul; and how soon is he lost in
the mazes of metaphysical distractions The
stomach is a laboratory of wonderful capacities.
What marvellous complications is the human heart!
The aspect of the skies is not more variable than
the mood of the heart. At one time, gloom and
dependency, like the low, lowering and leaden
clouds of a Noycmbers morning, make "every
mound seem a tomb, and every sight Gorgon;"
afterwards come apathy and cnnui, which, like the
whiiish haze of cold day in April, shut out the
genial glow of checrfuness and rational enjoyment
Now storm of passion is raging at the scat OF
life" then succeeds holy calm, and anon the
stars of hope are peering down with tenderest re-
gard into 1.-THE deep valley of the soul" How Of
ten does it happen that we are both gladdened and
saddened on revisting familiar scenes after long
absence There is rush Of JOY, and yet there is
strange conmingling of the sorrowful. To make
our feelings still more urdeiinabc, we seem to be
walking. in a dream; the present is forgotten,
whilst the past with its Shadowy forms and half
remembered incidents passes before Us in rapid re-
view. These reflections, for the most part, had
their. origin in a recent visit to Pickcns Court
House had not seen the place since the au-
tumn of 1850. Having been student there for
several years under the kindly and efficient teach
ings of the Rev. J. L. Kennedy, was extremely
dcsirous to visit the school-boy hauuts once more
The lofty hills, the gimpses of mountain scenery,
the beautiful Keowee-along whose rocky shores
had often ""paddled the light canoe "-the flow
cry daes the deep sequestcred ravincs, and the fine
old forests found indeed the same as in days OF
yore; but all else how changed In the village,
could see only now and then familiar face. Many
of those. who were associated with me in the
school-room for years, have "grown out OF my
knowledge; :" others alas are sleeping beneath the
green turf Within the last four or five years,
many of the older and more prominent citizens Of
the place have gone to the spirit land. The little
brick Church, which was unfinished in 1850, has
now its cemetery; and the white tombs and :he
red graves tell sad tale of mortality. And yet
do not believe there is healthier spot OH the face
of the earth than the village Of Pickens: But
saubrious climate docs not abrogatc the necessity
of dying.
Not a great deal has been done the C in the way
of building since left the District in 1850 Three
or four lots in the suburbs have been tastefuly m
proved. The knoll on which the Court House was
originally built has been removed and brick
basement supplies the place of the former founda-
tion of clay The Court House is wooden build
ing, and il vas formerly considered by good
Judges to be one of the most convenient edifices
of it's Kind in the State and still think it prcttier
than some of its more pretending rivals recently
erected in the nciehboring Districts.
Under the present regime, a stranger can be very
hosptaby entertained at Pickens. But as progress
is the order Of the day. they have it in contempla-
ton to erect first class Hotel there If this were
DONE much of the old prejudice against the place
ON account of its unfortunate location would pass
away. Summer tourists would be attracted. and
the many natural beauties with which the vicinity
abounds, would be brought into more general
notice. Whilst in Pickens, I treated myself to
long chat with Robert "A. Thompson, OF the
" Keowec Courier" Thompson's paper is immense
" popular in Pickens District and its circulation
is on par with itspopularity. In this case nsertt
finds its reward.
What Augusta is to Edgefcld District, Walhalla
is to Pickcns District Every body seems to take
a pride and pleasure in visiting the place. Hardly
any one from the lower part Of this District ever
goes up towards the mountains without making
it convenient to drop in at Holcombs, Bieman's or
Bahntge's Called Banger0 all Of whom under
stand the art of making their guests realize the
poetical idea of "Happy Home" in the noun
.ains. Dislikng to be odd, too went to Walhalla
before going to Pickens The signs of continued
improvement about this new Town are palpablc on
,yerv hand. 1t is characteristic of the Germans to
be industrious and thrifty. If a German wants to
stimulate little, he takes drink sans ceremony,
then goes right back to his work. Stepping into
4 very pretty store through mere curiosity, was
-athcr surprised to see middle-ased woman sit
Ing by the fire carding wool. Straws show which
way the wind blows, and these little things show
.be bent OF the German mind The custom of
house par1ning is rife among those Germans. And
N settlement like this where new house is dedi-
.atcd to the domestic Lares every month or two,
nc people must derive no little enjoyment from
Inc observance Of this timc-honored custom. A
,cw house was pointed out to mc, i'll which few
NIGHTS previous, the old and the young had Joined
N the merry dance, and kept it up with much
,pirit from carly eve till abroad Daylight" And
his, in English is called house.warming' (Don't
,now what it is called in Dutch.
I dincd with friend at tho "Oconee Station"
This place is at the foot of the mountains about