Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1866-08-21

ing prairie which extends to the
south and east,
The features of Beloit betray q
New England parentage, but the
spirit which manifests itself in the
habits of the people is to be found
only in the west. There is less sta.
bility and more speculation, Cor en-.
terprlse, as some choose to call it,
apparent ia the shops, in the church
es, and, even, in the college, than is
to be found in New England towns.
The people who live there seem to
have anticipated Il very large. town
and accordingly, hotel has been
built on metropolitan scale ; also a
church so large that the audience
seemed lost in it and the wall echo
cd like an empty hall. 1t is unnec-
essary to say that these structures
are both, in measure, incomplete
the one being lily equipped and sup
ported the other with its massive
brick steeple terminating abruptly
and capped with boards. Beloit is
an attractive town, whether you
view it from college tower with
Rock river and large piece of llli-
nois mapped out beneath you, or
from social stand point. There is
responsibility about it-you hear
no slang in the streets-the shop
keepers are gentlemanly-even the
bar room talk of the hotels is q cent.
The college is the browning glory Of
Beloit. The buildings are locat d
on hill which commands the SUR
rounding country, and on this hill of
science dwells the genius ofthe place.
1t is lovely spot surrounded by the
purest of atmospheres and well cal
culated to develop the spiritual part
of mans nature. Here, apart from
the world, are gathered three hum
dred young men FOR the purpose Of
cultivating their brains. A corps of
scholarly and experienced teach RS
introduce them into the mysteries of
learning and quietly instil into their
hearts the peecepts of religion. Stu
dents and teachers are bound togeth-
er by like sympathies and their in
tercourse is sweetened by mutual
courtesies and respect. The college
started With thorough course Of
study, extending over four years,
At first it had feeble support, and
other institutions, which studied pop
ularity, enjoyed mushroom pros
perity, but it has out.lived them,
and, by a fran adherence to its orig
inal plan, won an enduring populari>
ty. 1t has students from all Of the
north western and some from the
Eastern states.
Tuesday morning | left Beloit in
rain, which obliged me to take the
cars for Racine. A copy of Every
Saturday served for a genial com
panion. We were in the rear, pas
scnger, car of q sluggish freight
train. The cain was violent beat
ing against the windows in gusts
and distorting the images of outside
objects But the haIts at wood sta
tons, switches and depots afforded
opportunities to see the fine farms
along the read 1t is prairie, and
one OF the longest settled portions of
the state fences, houses, orchards
Indicate good husbandry.
There were but few passengers, and
only one attracted my notice. He
was man above the ordinary size
and had gray hair. He wore felt
hat and had a heavy shawl over his
ENTHUSIASTICALLY he coughed, as if
troubled with hoarsness. When he
came into the cars he brought a thin
wallet and a small sized satchel, both
of which he easily carried in his
right hand. lie took o seat by him
self and sat there long time with
his shoulders dropped and his chin
resting on his breast as if weary.
The train stopped and he arose
and walked back to seat in front of
two gentlemen; with whom he APP
peared to be acquainted. They
were oonversing on politics and they
Intercepted him. He gave express
sion to his thoughts in calm and i'm
passioned language, and, as the con
versation passed from general prin-
ciples to the actors, he became the
sole speaker. The theme was "Iohn-
sons apostacy ''-nis voice was low
cred to half whisper and | gather
ed these portentious sentences: Hn-
nan nature is the same in all ages ::
ambition has over powered men !;
either the Southerners knew their
man or johnson knew his men he
is the only man that has protitcd by
| the assassination ho WAS very ner-
vous when he heard Of jeff Davis
capture" This strange mans ac-
quaintance with politics, his tamil
iarity with the great actors, his quiet
but impressive tones, and above all
the fiat nose, thick lips and ebony
skin which marked him as of African
descent excited my interest in him
and | listened to hear his name. l
already suspected who it was, and
when he related an anecdote in
which himself was one party and a
mob the other, ] learned that his
name VAS Mr. Douglass.
Gs9- Elk Governor Letcher, of Vir-
g,nia, is keeping boarding house in
Lexington.
&c. The Door County AdU0cdte, OF
the 9th, reports the late rainy wealth