The Van Buren press., 1860-09-07
For Il. Tss Bsres Pres:
Nv tho Way.

ni6cent evil To BE- compressed in cars,
upon seats Of small dimensions, amidst .
crowd Of unknown beings. breathing vi.
tiated air. redolent with tobacco juices. and
then to Be shaken on rough track, and
constantly distulbed by the conductor, or
scme new conner, is certainly an evil OF
magnificent proportions. There is some
mAgni6cence about it. The crowd is silent !;
. discussion takes place the merits OF the
Presidential candidates are called into ques-
ton; such stir at once. rising above the
rattling and putting of the impatient iron
horse such hum Of voices such long
roll Of sounds nch bettings and no loos-
ers.; such fine promises and such brigh tan
ticipations for tie future. With a shout
and shrek flies the monster engine, care
less of the fine scenes which earth unfolds
careless of the pelting rain and the dark
clouds veined by the lighting fash-careless
of sun-burnt drops, or of fine waving seas
of matured wheat.
venerable stage; memento Of other
days. So full Of respect for persons and
monuments ently moving near some
sacred spot 1emstimes halting near some
national monument Venerable stage et
olden times, with all the faults and virtues
Of mans home:
AS long as you are outside of the stage,
an unknown pilgrim, the passengers alrea-
dy ensconced in their narrow places, W ould
be glad if you would not encroach on their
little domain ; but boldly step in, be seat
ed, look round, meet the glances of all, and
soon you ale one of the happy family !
Venerable stage home of the happy fam.
lily Once, as l went sightseeing, was
shown a very large cage; within were al
manner of unfortunate animals, living and
travelling together they came from differ.
ent climes birds, cats, dogs, rats, foxes
a curious assortment haying nothing in
common, but some native instincts which
undoubtedly made them wish for the end Of
their journey We were kind OF happy
family in the Overland Mail stage. There
was a miner, fresh from the lower stratifi
cations of mother earth there was stage
conductor from the vast plains stretching
to our west; accustomed to the air of the
plain, he longed for the open air, as yon
der bird, in yonder "happy family" longs
for the tree in the illimitable forests of his
first home there was another mana type
| of the unknown; whence he came and
whittier he went, was mystery to me and
oftentimes would have wished to trace
few pathways of his life, for, no doubt, his
human heart had been attuned to sorrow.
sad notes and to joys lofty songs, thus we
were happy family. A female traveller
from California's gold diggings completed
the picture a string of gold plates sur
rounded an ample neck, and testified o
those belts of gold which loving natur,
has placed upon our earth there th'
brilliant drops of perspiration produced
by hoa July sun, and gathering int
substantial sGl the loose clouds of dus
which every movement of the lumber
ing stage threw up, contrived to make o
that neck kind of stratifed specimen o
lSooIogy however, kind hearts were ther.
noble thoughts dwelt there-and a: nobl
helping hand could have been found there
Oh the magnificent evil !! Nine persons
in the stage, with sun 12n degrees hot
lpouring its ovcrAowing tide of warmth up
on us no doubt, Dante. who has s.
graphically portrayed to man the abodes o
the wicked, bad he known something O
modern travelling, would have placed in hi:
=" Pnrgatorio" an underland mail, especial
ly at night, dashing and clashing amids
the rocks, rsvines and dry rivers. of tn,
Ozark mountains, where everybody's head
searching for pillow, or, at least, for SOM
immovable position and finding none
c,ashed against another Uranium or awok
in alarm the unsuspecting neighbor.
| However, onward we went north of us
the sugar cane seemed to be largely cult
waited in Missouri. the hungarian gras
waved coolly to the breeze whilst in north
ern States timothy and clover prevail eve
rywhere.
Let us nov leave the rocks and dust o
western lands, and come with me to thi
other home # ga happy family" 1t is
beautiful scene. There is tho ocean, calm
blue, inviting. and thousands of sails mir
ror their wlnteraess in its depths, as they
move coquekishly like sporting minnow.
around the Great Eastern. She, the nobl,
ship, that representative alike of moderr
capital, modern skill and modern enter
prise she hes at anchor, so still in he
might, so graceful in her grandeur, SO Gle
giant in heriron massiveness. The crowt
fills every part in the abyss of the machi
merry below in the long arms of the mast
above, and the very movements of th
crowd seemto add to the perfection of hel
proportions How better, thought I, sucl
an achievement as this how much NOR
crcditable to America and England, such
glorious sight than the brutal display o
useless, blcody strength of Heenan and
Sayers. How blest to old England 70 hav,
America, her first born, to be her champion
in the glonous race of progress and liberty
High foated the stars and stripes of TIN
Union, and the breeze, as if blessing th'
united RACES. mingled their folds with tn
British standard.
Shall Itake You to another scene, de-
scriptive # American life and American
freedom !? Sec those young men. active
wIy, moving with ease, precision and force
They arethe Chicago Zouaves their full
red pants with tight CATERS, their neatl,
trimmed Turkish jacket. and their red caps
recalled b mind scenes of old times bu
that barethroat, those saxon features, thos'
voices toll of modern days. They appear
ed to be young men from sixteen to twenty
six years old their movements were indeed
correct. graceful, well-timed AID military
Such . @rps of volunteers, self-disciplinet
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