The Abingdon Virginian. [volume] (Abingdon [Va.]) 1849-1883, 1863-04-03
HORNER's LETTERS.
No. III.
BEAR Cow, Wise county, Va, I
February 10th, 1868. !

xOJne EdH0fS " IHc AOtHyuWt !" yeeeMs.
IT'S bin good while since rit you letter.
and the reason haven'tis, your paper is so
little and my letters is SO big, it's sorter like
putin three bushels of wheat in two bushel
bag. always have a heap to rite, because
there's heap to rite about, but I'll make this
as short as can consistent with duty to God
and man, and what lack in words I'll make
up ia idees, So to make Q little mean great
deal.
Il haven't bin to the Saltworks yit, but my
old friend Squire Slocum went over tother
week to hire out some of the niggers he bot
in Richmond with his Confederate money. and
he see salt is come down amazinly, not be-
cause they wouldn't ak as much as ever if
they could git it, but because everybody that
had any. meat to put up has done put it up
and there isn't any more demand like there
was when it sold so high. Besides. the blood
dNckers up there has made as much money rs
they want and great deal more than they know
what to do with, fsSf some on 'em never had
much money before, and it sorter slips thro'
thSir fingers and burns holes in their pockets.
This has snt 'em to investin, and they're run
nia ali over the country and buyin all the pro-
psrty they can ait. for fear their money won't
te as god after while as it is now. Squire
Nocunl aes all the saltmakers has bin specki-
latin, but I think he's mistaken. Some on
Fem sold at only two or three dollars bushel,
but because they'd buy Niger worth two
thousand dollars for 200 bushels of salt, or
sVap bushel Of salt for bunch of cotton,
and sell the cotton for six or eight or ten dol
lars, people sed they was speckilatin in salt.
1say it's 40 sich thing, it's only speckilatiD
Ia riicyers and cotton, and not in salt. But
I'll not discuss the salt question now, as IN
tend TO 60 round that way and see for myself
k,tw the cat jumps, and tell the people the ho-
nest .trath about it.
II have i great long account of what saw
and heard on your side when was over, but
as haze to tell you about my trip to Bristol,
lean snly tell you little. After left the
store where they axed me dollar and a half
for lu1se trap, shoemaker charged me a
Quarter for pair Of shoe-strings, carpenter
charged me four dollars for box abtut as big
rs q basket q blacksmith axed me fifteen dol
Jars fur pair of spnrs, and tailor charged
me dollar fDr patchin my britches where the
saddle had wore 'em out. haven't time to
tell YOU what sed to these exSbrtioners, but
one thing is certain. and that is the last devil
On 'eni, # they was as oldsns the Wanderin
Jew, ought to be put in the army. though |
don,t Believe they re lit for soldiere-for a man
Chat would extort in times like these wouldn't
keer il the Yankees come in tomorrow, it they
6culd make little money by it. A man must
have Q soul to be soldier, and an extortioner
hasn't no more soul than a ded dog
But must tell you about Bristol. l got on
the railroad and went down there, and after
knockin round awhile, found people and
things purity much as in Abingdon-f any
difference, little more so. saw my good
Old friend the editor from Tazewell there. He
was fyin round like swaller tryin to gitinto
aichimbly, but seemed nifty glad to see me.
SEES he to me, Mister Homer, ses he, you've
come list in time to do good, for the devil
don't want. better crap than nell git here,
If the people don't do better. Each is tryin
ID DO wuss than tothers in speckilatin, and
sich prices as they ak is anuff to make the
frogs In that pond yander ashamed to sing.
Why, Mister editor. ses /, what is it they sell
b hight What il it'll ses he, why everything
III gineral and wood in partickler-one thing
h As high as another and higher too--the
cheapest things is as dear as the dearest, and
theS dsarestthings is as cheap as the cheapest.
Feaple az all their consciences will let 'em ak,
Chen they choke their consciences to death,
ishes their eyes, and bubble the price. Is all
the people in this city that Sort ses |? Yes,
they is, no they isn't, ses he---maybe they is
5 Ind may be they isn't, don't know, but may
~ they is, ses he. Your mediation is as clear
&s.mnd. SEES /; but see here, Mister editor,
What in the name Of wondermenf is all them
long hats goin about for? Is the DAYS of me.
'f5c2is come agin. that hats can 90 where they
pleases without nobody goin with 'em? Hush,
ho- dnp3% l. all sod nv