Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1858-04-28

| With the stars and stripes around EN-
czseo<s~-
For the Reporter.
letters from the Gouth.-No. S.
Memphis, Tenn, Feb. 9th, 1853.
We have to-day the first appearance
Of anything like winter I have seen in
this country. Snow commenced falling
about noon and continued to fall during
the afternoon in q fine sleet, making
about one inch Of sleighing. Sleighs
commenced running about dark, and
kept it up during greater part of the
night. We Wisconsin boys would think
this rather ''hard slcdding" The "col-
orcd popuIation'' huddIe around the
kitchen fires, scarcely daring to venture
out III this uncommon cold winter
While in company with a number Of
gentlemen spending the evening, one
OF Jhe servants came III TO rcplenlsll The
fire, and fingered as though fire felt
good. ] told him that we frequently
/ had from one to two feet Of snow away
up North where | lived, that it remain
Ell CIR the ground weeks and often
months, and that these colored people
We're free, and asked him If he would
not like to 90 home with me and be as
free as the white zz3Iks lie shiyered
at the thought and replied. ''No, Mass'r,
too cold here for dis nigger" I think
If Slavery could be abolished, very few
indeed OF the negro population Of the
country Wouldremain in more Northern
latitudes than this
Fee. 28th-Thc day breaks bright
and beautiful, and before noon ouI
Southern winter has disappeared, and
the signs Of the times bctokcn the open
ing Of pleasant spring tomorrow.
March l&t.-The celebrated Scamp
bell ->Iinstrels~ arc in the city and draw
crowded houses. Their delineations
or negro character are fine, and seem
10 '>take better in this country, where
the real genuine article can be seen ev-
cry day for nothing, than in the North,
where negroes are more of q rarity.-
There are great many people in this
country who are constantly seeking for
some way to kill time and spend mon
ey, and anything in the shape Of amuse-
ment is seized by this class with avidi-
ty.
March 8th.-I to-day made the &C.
quaintance OF an old gentleman from,
New \ ork State, who has sons in busi
ness here. He tells me he has made
| garden, sown oats, planted corn, and
done up the little farming for his sons
here, and IS going home soon to do III
his own gardening, This has been his
practice for the last ten years and he
delights in making gardens a thousand
miles apart, the same season. He say:
they tell him here that he has done the
first 2'7oci'2g ever done in this county
and his crops show the superiority o
such farming over the superficial
scratching done by the nisger-and-mult
practice in this country.
; A black girl about twelve years o
age came and stood by my window
long time to-day, asking innumerable
questions. | at last told her if she die
not so home, | would steal her anc
carry her off in my trunk She an
swered that she would write to he
master, and tell him where she was
and he would come after her. I TOLD
her she could not write. eyes sale
she, Il can; | go to Sunday school
and my teacher taught me TO write
She tells me to mind nv master ant
; mistress, and when anybody tries t,
c get me to run away, to make them he
a lieve will go with them and hear al
they say to me, and then % bo,na anf