The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1860-02-16
COR ESPO.V'BE.N'CE.

"IitinS Woou, Dut 90 IL because L am
tired of doing everything else. The
weather is as warm as summer; windows
up, fires out, and winter clothing too
warm. 1t is getting up good thuuder
shower and will probably clear off as cold
as Greenland. Last week the icicles were
hanging along the banks Of the Alabama
river as large as your les (not very large
to be sure, but quite enough SOY. The
extremes here are quite as great and quite
as sudden as with you, although higher up
in the scale: for instance: 1t will range
from 7Oo to oday, Down to below freezing
tomorrow, and then get up to 5O0 by the
next day.
This as nice place II is on a fine
bluff, is well built, looks new, clean, order
ly, busy, and beautiful 1t stands in a
basin as to three sides and on the fourth is
level to the edge Of the bluff The river
is narrow. but deep. Steamboats, are nu-
merous, always racing, and just now are
getting fare down from $40 to s2.5 from
here to Mobile 1.-TWO days run including
board), being about 4O3 miles distance
Of course they can't stand it long, and
they will blow up some boa. with 200
people and then get regular again for a
while. The capitol stands at the Lead of
Market street on hi gh plateau. is large
fine looking building, and the view from it
is a fine one, commanding the whole town
and about 40 miles of adjacent country
The Legislature has adjourned for the hol-
idays, the members are mostly at home;
but travel is brisk and The hotels full
There are many beautiful private residen-
ces here, and the rounded kuols and
handsome slopes make lovely building
spots all over and around the town. L
should think the population would equal
some $4,000 or more. Coming down
from the capitol to-day l stopped at a
slave sales-room. There were about 70 or
80 slaves in the room, and just as | stop
ped they had all got up TO be examined by
buyer. The men and boys on one side
and the girls and women on the other, the
largest next to the door and tapering down
to the back end. 1t was cheerful. pleas
ant room, clean and neat, with boarding
rooms back. The merchant--or more
properly, commission merchant, for most
of them are sent there 10 be sold and are
sold on commisslon-was Carolinian.
young, genteel, clever, and familiar with
all the nlggers and they with him. 1t is
holidays for all the negroes, and none
work unless hired and paid extra wages.
Many ofgthe darkeys coming along the
street stopped and spoke, or shook hands,
laughed and joked with the salesman, ask
ed Christmas gifts, &C., as familiar AS
f friends. and he seemed to know every body.
Those In the house were of all sizes
and colors, and every one well dressed
some genteely. and many had watches,
chains, rings, pins, &C., and nearly every
one of the men shining stove pipe hat.
a happier set Of mortals l never saw
The buyer was asking questions to test
their knowledge. He asked, "What year
is this" A leather colored "gemmen"
responded correctly. "How old are you?'
"28." "Where were YOU born?" Dun
no. Sab" "Where did you get that
watch, steal it?" "No, Sah." Trade
for it?" mo, Sah." "Where, them"
"a boy pawned it to me for 50, SO, and
never came for it, "What number is on
it?" (Looking) Cant read it, Sab,
it's not plain" And so on for hundred
questions, as to intelligence, labor, &c
The balance all stood and grinned and
laughed, for once in while quizzing
question was asked and : sharp or witty
answer given. He was evidently sharp.
er boy than common. an had worked
principally on steamboats, and at hotels,
and as baggage porter about railroads.
He went out for personal examination as to
sonndness. and tho balance Of them sat
down. (His price was Sl,65O.) The
girls were making and dressing dolls,
making pin cushions. &c: some had nice
dolls and they sat them out in row on
the floor. One sprightly girl about twelve
or fourteen. had doll that wouldn't stand
up. She laid it down. and took switch
to it, and tried 1t again. All laughed
heartily. and they cut all sorts of capers,
and made all sorts Of fun, and ioked with
the salesman. They had fiddle and
'mus,c and dancing" when not wanted
for examination. All were cheerful, con-
tented, smiling. neat and certainly happy.
One smart girl of fourteen had lost her
mistress. She had been bought by the
old lady's sonin-law to wait on his moth
er, and having no further use for her. he