Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1857-04-18
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For the Register.
LAxE PROVIDENCE, Louisiana, Z
March 30ih. 1857.

off by the high waters. as three of then
failed 10 reach me.
The Mississippi fell as Mpidv as
had risen. not, however, until j! had inur'
dated fourth part Of the town Of Provl
dence. The old levee yielded TO the un
usual freshet and sudden Eruption OF the
water through il, dislodged some Of the in
habi,anis in hurry. | managedto gel
into The town by riding on top of the new
Ilevee, and from that elevated position
could see the miniature Venice, between
which and the rest of the village, boats
were being rowed back and forward and
servants were engaged in swinging up the
furniture to prevent injury from the wa
Ter. In one residence, saw servant
shaking table cloth into the water, which
was about thtee inches below the Level OF
the dining-room floor. The river was
then about one mile and half wide, from
shore to shore, and haze which obscur.
ed the Mississippi bank, gave it almost the
vasness and grandeur OF the sea in ap'
pearanre. / noticed beautiful mirage. a
few weeks ago, from our from, gallery
The river appeared a, such an elevation,
behind Providence, as tina, the town seem
ed resting against i, as back ground. Al
distance of 5 miles, the water glttered
in the evening sun, like mirror of silver,
and the illusion was very fine. The Mis-
sissippi describes such curve around
Providence, as the Potomac does around
"BIackiord's Hill"
Vegetation is now developing so rapid.
! ~ as 10 remind me Of story once heard
Of a mans being chased two miles ty a
! watermelon vine.
We had cold spell early in the month
which threatened the lives of the young
peaches, but since the warm weather has
set in, in earnest, the forest trees have
donned their summer robes with sudden
ness which seems magical 10 strangers
eve. A climbing flower, called the "'I.a-
dy-bank" is now in lis full glory of
bloom, one variety being white, and the
other yellow. II runs TO the tops OF the
highest trees and droops thence in pen
dan,s Of forty feet, covered with clusters
of rose.shaped flowers. The garden roo
ses are blooming luxuriantly and in their
mammoth shade the "Bob O Lincoln
(immor,aIised by the poet,) is now rear
ing his summer home. Even at this ear
ly season, scores Of bright-winged paro-
que,s are wheeling in graceful flight out
of the shadow into the sunshine, where
their plumage changes from light green
10 gold. The china-tree, (mos, beautiful
of all shade trees) is now shedding its
yellow frui, Of last year, and the robins
parlaking TOO freely Of the delicious poison
contained in the balls, become intoxicated
and lie in the yard so insensble tina, the
children make them unreslsHng captives.
had almost forgotten TO mention the
most impor,an, arrival of the season. viz :
Messrs. Galli-nipper & Co., attended by
their large suite of mosquitoes. They are
with US in our walks and our rides, in our
sleeping and our waking hours. whether
fasting or eating, sewing or reading. or
writing or practising, our pertinacious
guests are sill calling "cozen' in our
ears. They are the only Southern ac-
quaintances that | expect TO say "good-
DYE" to. with pleasure,on the lst of June.
They will no doubt give me some marks
of their affection to bear home with me,
but The sorrow will all be on their side.
The roads dried up sufficiently TO adm,
of our going TO church last week, for the
first time since Christmas. Indeed the
present drought threatens the cotton crop.
The seed cannot spring up withou, some
showers. Land in this vicinage which
sold at So per acre few years ago. is
now held at $75 and hard 10 obtain al any
price. The scarlet fever still prevails in
This parish. There have been 40 or so
cases on this plantation.
s.Sbepherdstown John received let
ter from his mother, which made him an
obiec, of envy to the entire quarter. He
he ard it read, with tears and smiles strug-
Cling on his face, and brought quite a
posse of his fellow-servants on Sunday, TO
hear il re-read. One oil our neighboring
planters, MIR. Harvey, was murdered In
horrible manner, las, week, by TOUR Of
his slaves. The three men and one wo.
man were hung Immediately. The wo.
! man who was the ins,igator and principal
agen, of the crime, had been her masters
nurse in his childhood. Mr.. H. left a
young wife and two children. He had
gone out before dav on turkey hunt and
was dragged from his horse in the woods
and dreadfully mu.ilated. The murderess
was cook, ant, when Mrs. H. requested
her 10 keep her masters breakfast warm,
as he had STAYED over the time and would
certainly be back very soon, she answered
mysteriously, that "be would never come
back 10 eat lha: breakfast" When nigh
came on and Mr.. H. did not return, search
was made and the sad truth speedily re-
yealpd.