The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1863-06-02
Editorial Correspondence.

correspondence
Effect of mental condition upon ones impress
sions of external objects-the rear guard
Of the detegdtion-the sedsons-regetdtion
-.fres-Grdnd Trunk-the country.
MONTREAL, May 20, 1868.
If Portland is not the Liverpool of North
America, it is, at least, bound by bands of iron
to the metropolis of British America. So in
innate is this relation, and so familiar are the
people of Western Maine with the Grand
Trunk road, the region of country through
which it passes, and the fine Canadian city
with which it unites the waters of Casco Bay,
that it might seem like work of supereroga-
ton for me to say word on any Of these
topics. shall attempt very little of the kind;
and yet there may be Misunderstanding
thousands-of the readers of the Press, who
are as ignorant of the road, of the country,
and of the city from which write, as was
myself before starting on the present trip.
Though had been in Montreal before, and
had been over the Grand Trunk from the st.
Lawrence to your city, yet it was on the heel
of long journey, and of quite an absence
from home and loved ones, SO that the mind
Wao III ho ldNoi dOiC SOuuiilOH W llDLe
the objects of interest to be met with, as
inconsistencies and hope of pleasant reunions
expelled all interest in other objects.
Did the reader ever reflect upon the extent
to which ones mental condition will give
color to all surrounding objects? Travel all
day over beautiful road and through a fine
country, and yet, just as the curtains of night
are about to be drawn over the landscape,
when jaded in spirit and wearied in limb, let
a half-mi lie of wretched road be encountered
with stumbling horse, a broken harness, per-
haps an overturned vehicle, and in all after
life that half mile of evil will remain more in
delby impressed upon the mind than fifty
miles of positive blessing. A days sickness
will impress the mind for years, while the
record of months of health, like the hand
writing upon the sand, is eaaced by the pass
ing breeze. II is upon the same principle, /
suppose, that when one is sick-no matter
whether in reality or in imagination-the face
Of nature loses its gay and attractive aspect,
and the most unfavorable impressions are
formed of objects which, under other circum-
stances, would impress the mind in the most
agreeable manner. But enough of this homily.
Yesterday helped make up the rear guard
of the delegation from your city to the Chicago
Convention. left Portland in the company
of Messrs. Perley, Dana and Hood-the two
former attended by ladies-and Bro. Stetson
of the Advertiser. At Bethel we were Joined
by Mr.. Lynch, and at Gorham by Mr.. Perkins
Other gentlemen had preceded us, and several
of them were leaving this city in the morning,
at the very moment our company arrived.
The season seems quite as forward all along
the route as near the seaboard. Indeed, l feel
quite sure that even here, on the banks of the
st. Lawrence, vegetation is farther advanced
than in your city. The forests have put on
their full gala dress, fruit In full
blossom, and the young crops are beginning
to give visible promise that seed time is to be
followed by harvest.
The weather is dry and warm. All along
the route, from below Paris till the Canadian
forests are passed, the traveller is met by
series of pyrotechnics that would do no dis
credit to the 4th of July in Uncle Sans domin-
ions. The dry stubble along the road bed, the
fences, stumps, old logs, and all other COM
bustible materials beneath the scorching sun
have become like finder, which spark from
the locomotive readily ignites, and the new
born flame leaps along the road side, rejoicing
in its freedom, and with its tongue of fire
ticks up everything in its way, leaving only
blackness to mark its path. At night at some
points on the route the Examinations are per-
fectly magnificent Probably but little dam
age will result from these fires, except in the
destruction of fences along the line of the
road.
had heard so much said about the Grand
Trunk road-its rough and uncomfortable
condition-that during the first half of the
way was most agreeably disappointed. 1t
is true, even to Island Pond the track is not
as smooth and even as could be desired, but
then at all the stations the train was fully up
TO time, and the comfort of the passengers
was by no means greatly disturbed, cannot
say as much for the other half of the route.
In places it is very rough, and as one of our
company observed, it seemed at times, from
the jolting, as though we might all become
Millerites, and Ego up" together. L am happy
to learn, however, that the company is laying
down good deal of new iron, SO that the
difficulty referred to will be speedily over
| come.
The country from Portland to Gorham, N.
H., with occasional exceptions, is very fine.
In some places it is surprisingly beautiful and
romantic. Bot above Gorham, until the val
ley of the Connecticut is reached it is about
as poor show" for good land as can be
found anywhere this side of the Arabian
deserts. Rocks are about the only natural
production. Mountains cloven down hun
dreds of feet, almost perpendicularly, are
sometimes met with, and no tree or shrub.
unless gifted with more than an ordinary
share of ambition, will attempt to scale them.
Often the bald SUBMITS and sides are covered
with dwarf dead trees. 1 did not blame them
for dying; l only wondered that a sensible
shrub should attempt to start in life in such
| localities.
must abruptly close this sketch to save the
mail, but something of this city in my next.
G..
GEN. HooKER's LATE MovEMENT.-Aco cor
respondent of the Tribune, who dates from