Delaware State journal and statesman., 1862-05-27
Letter from the West.
FRIEND EckEL
CINCINNATI, May 20, 1862.


There are good many
miles between me and home, but the home
feeling is not gone and though, not many
days are passed since our city, beautiful
for situation, passed out of sight, it would
be quite good to see it again. BY way of
iuducement for You to let me see the fa-
miliar face of the JOURNAL. III send you
little letter from this Queen City of the
West
IL is II very dingy city, its face blacken-
ed with the perpetual smoke of bitumin-
Gus coal that overhangs it, but do not
wonder that its people are proud of it.
There are more fine buildings of noble
and beautiful architecture here in proper
tion 10 the size of the place, many more
than in Philadelphia, and some rows of
stores which it cannot equal and which
New York scarcely more than rivals. But
the smoky atmosphere and floating SCOT
mars everything As you look down upon
the city from the neighboring hills more
or less dense cloud of smoke rests over it.
at times completely hiding it from view,
but never wholly withdrawn. The light
as yon walk the streets in the sunshine is
curiously like that given in our transpa.
rent atmosphere during partial eclipse
Of the sun. Every thing is marked with
this impalpable, dinginess, trees houses,
walks and faces of children "hands Off
of everything is the law upon every ono
who las any respect for personal appear
ance. But you soon get used to IT, as |
have, and half forget that there are any
white marble door steps or fair bmshing
bricks in existence.
As rode down through the State from
Cleveland to Columbus, and watched the
country, the houses and the people, can.
/ mol say that | was seized with the yves
tern fever The country is fiat and I'M
interesting, the houses untasteful. But
remember that man of New Castle
County, Delaware, is no favorable obser
yer of the farming regions of new
country. He misses the air Of compite.
ness that reigus over almost every farm he
sees at home, those evidences of scier.
tiilc cultivation, perfection of stock, beau.
y and extent of barns aud outhouses
which make New Castle the queen county
Of our land. Along the region of which
am speaking, there is strange absence
Of granaries and barns Indeed one al
most wonders where the people bestow
the yasl crops which we knew are reaped
on these broad fields
However, one can but look over the
wide clearings, bounded by the vast for.
esta stretching on either side; observe
the deep black soil, needing as yet NO
lime to bring it up 10 fertility, and see
the stawart men who meet him every.
where, 70 know that Ohio is worthy OF
the name she bears
After you pass Columbus the aspect O.
the country suddenly changes; it become,
rolling and hilly, giving you every few
moments some beautiful bit of landscape
with stream and woodland. The rail
road for many miles winds along the
banks Of the Little Miami, small but
exceedingly beautiful river, equalling our
Delaware in its fairest regions. The
country seems, as it is, older and under
higher culture, the houses are more taste
full and the whole look of things is at
lractive. / have seldom seen a more
pleasing country.
But must not use your space or my
time in description of scenery Our Gen
eral Assembly-you will keep in mind
that we are the NesO School. so called
Generdf assembly IF he Presbyterian
Church IN the United States and we exu
as never before in our church-has beer
Yin session since last Thursday. 1t is tn,