The prairie news. [volume] (Okolona, Miss.) 1851-1875, 1858-05-06
EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENTS.

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have just been strolling around town
looking at some familiar localities, and
how-dye-ing with some old and valued
friends. Mobile is quite lively, and al
though merchants say business has drop
ped off at least a third within the last
week, can discover no signs of its hay
ing Stacked off since last winter. Each
trip the boats on the Bigbee and Alabama
rivers come in with crowded cabins
Not more than half dozen passengers
came down with me on the Railroad.
suppose fear, and probably a knowledge
of the roads being washed up, deferred
some from going down. had delight
full time on the cars-the one in which
rode was manufactured at Whistler, and
is a substantial and very neat specimen
of workmanship. cannot imagine why
the company do not build all their cars.
This car, Of which speak, far supasses,
in my opinion many samples. of Northern
manufacture which | have seen. A cou-
pie of chattering girls got on at Macon
Station, and for two or three hours vast
ly amused themselves, and others too, by
giving expression to their feelings. This
was the first time they had ever travelled
any, | expect, and the novelty of their
situation, together with the various ways
in which they evinced their restless delight
tended much to kill the dull monotony of
railroad travel. There was bridal cou-
pie aboard taking tour to Mobile,
where believe they intend spending that
sweet period of welded life-the honey
moon. Why is it that our Mississippians
so rarely go farther than Mobile when
they get married, and are off for "bri-
dial tour ?" They seem to think that to
whisk to Mobile and back is all sufficient
1t is sufficient / reckon, but were | on
bridal tour | wouldn't stop short of five
thousand miles any way 1t is all piece
of folly taking these bridal tours but if
people will take them they should go a
little farther from home, and give as ma
ny as possible chance to know thew
were ashamed to stay at home. We had
REMARKABLY decent set.o passengers
what few there were. There was none
of the drinking and cursing which I've
seen on some roads, and | understand
the conductors take very decisive and
summary measures with those whose riot
GUS and boisterous conduct renders them
unpleasant fellow-travelers.
There is much more romance connec
ted with railroad trip than many sup
pose. 1t is true, the eternal hum and
sh-lack of the cars make it somewhat
monotonOus; but in good weather, when
one can look out at the windows and see
the many varied scenes that are continu-
ally presented to the view, it is more
than agreeable. Now whizzing, speving,
putting through dark valley-now eau
tiously winding round slope, or labor
ing on an up grade-now wildly speeding
over an open prairie, or rushing madly
through a noble pine forest-through all
these, new scenes are always before the
eye, and to one fond of novelty and va
riety is really enchanting.
On the cars was an old Indian called
Billy "a Choctaw, believe, whom l
think l used to know in Alabama, about
ten years ago. There is sad expression
of conquered pride always shading his
countenance. These once bold ndproud,
but now degraded and pitiable beings,
must indeed bear strong love for their
native land-the only trait of character
which seems unconquerable. They seem
to wish to linger and watch over the ruin
and decay Of their once happy homes
Outwardly there are no signs of envy or
dislike for the "pale faces" who have
almost blotted out their name in the vo-
cabulary of nations but how can they
do otherwise than cherish an all-abiding,
deep-rooted hate for the white man.
There are always news boys on the cars,
selling papers-one of these, little fell
low of thirteen, took Old Billy aside, and
when he thought no one was noticing
him slipped few pieces of his hard earn
ed money in the old Indians hand. l |
saw the act, and, as many acts of kind |
ness / have seen performed, no example
ever came under my observation which |
struck me more forcibly, or impressed me
more favorably, with natural human ma
frro ika fhot nouc ho,, rpLal |