The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-07-02

growing wheat aud and cotton farm houses SGT
round with barns and orchards, the wayside
brook dancing Its pebby bed, and spark
ling in the sunbeams; expansive groves Of
deepest emerald, and far distant saiing clouds; now
letting my horse Craze while picked wild sra berries
growing in profuson by the roadside, and taking
with travellers met on the way farmers at whose
stopped for rest and refreshmen Of myself and
horse OF scenes of the war. giving 90 this locality
SPECIAL interest," and history whose tragic legends will
never fade from the memory Of lovai Arkausana
leaving tho Arkansas river at Van Buren,. the rugged
character OF the road shows ITSELF There Is
continuous succession Of hills How General Blunt In
his from Prairie Grove battle field to the cnp
ture q Van Buren,, ever advanced with the rapidity
accredited to him. seemed wonder and II wonder
that reached the height Of the marvellous entered
the moauain ravnes beyond, traversed by his swiftly
moving column Eight miles travel through broken
country and only patches OF cultivated ground and
dwellings attached. but the chimneys OF buildings
burned during tho war to be frequent nfervas
either side the road, brought me :, Dripping Springs
It derives its from water dripping the head Of
guch through which a creek This the head
quarters OF regiment left guard the outposts
when General Blunt came through here; but swift
and sudden, like a wolf on tho fold. down bis
cohorts Of cavalry. all cleaning with sabres and blue
that nearly all taken prisoners negro with two
yoke OF oxen and load OF wood, his way TO town
had halted here for drink He . very old
darby, with very gray hair, face very wrinkled
and very poorly clad. This is q common enough
description OF a old darby What particularly
struck uncommon the expression Of sanctty,
overshadowing Ike pail his dusxy features-an ex-
preston immobile, stern and solemn, that had
been thinking OF laughing negroes my thoughts at sight
OF him must have Instantly reverted to weeping willows
or Nobe dssoIving in tears As it was. something
struck mo that he was an original, and thought l
would draw him out which did. though with different
results from what anticipated.
Where are you going, my friend" asked.
ESQ beaben Use sure;" and lie made this reply he
rolled up his eyes In ndescrbably SOLEMN and
evincing fullest belief in what he said
'Then, am going in the Other direction from you,"
rcped 81 suppose am going to the other place"
90 Lord, no.. | hopes not" no answered "Factts
Pm gwne to Van buren, TO sell dat ar wood, but Use
gw to heabeu too, and links mo- of dat than
docs OF dc wood Iss full Of heaben dis mornin and
cts good subject to think Of" suggested Chow
happens so full Of ~"
an tell you was In de corn neld aud had a
'pression on dc head came all of a sudden II came
right dar and took OF his hat and placed his band
on top Of his head and IL struck me Nike pig beetle
aud fell down, aud saw great circle light all bout
me. I'd been heavy. but as got up felt light as a
fedier and has felt light ever since, and knows Is
your conversion was like that OF St Paul." re.
marked.
back aud was driving horse blowing and he
white man, and because OF his learning became
pred writer which isn't: but the Lord consists me
venomous beasts of the forests, and lis termined 10
him, for f dosnt knows I'll have to suffer the
pcnalas Of hell for ever without drop Of water like
dat ar and no pointed 20 the dripping the
rock ''to cool nv t0pgk."
protracted considerable length failed
o n
approach TO inteRble The centrifugal forces
or his mind were in abnormal working order and from
all other subjects he would fly or Ike a tangent |
afterwards learned that this monOmana Of miraculous
had been bis ruling theme and hobby for
that My portraiture Of him and his versation
have introduced hsre from never having encountered
ligon on the brain and from his extra display Of |
tho negro fondness for words he does understand
sae Mines 9S.r
about the same character Of road and country ~ de-
scribed. and reached what he called Natural Dam
This Is certainly curiosity In Its way. Lees creek
makes in here and forms basin hundred feet |
wide, at end Of which IL dam made by rock do
scrbng inclined plane from the bottom OF the basin
with perpendicular front Of several feet Over this pre-
cptous front tho wafer now that the stream IL high,
leaps IN furious ood-a miniature fall OF picturesque
beauty tho water as clear as crystal descending one
unboken Sheet and Its which be heard some
distance away seeming faint FAR away echo OF the falls
of Niagara There Irresistible inclination TO lin
ger and enjoy this splendid picture OF natures
painting the foliage Of the adjacent trees furnishing the
the odors OF wild flowers and the birds in the tree |
boughs singing their wild wood songs There had been
@s .e fr,yment, Of the runs now remapna Near ~
also the old chimneys Of tho mAers dwelling that
likewise bad fallen victim to wars devas'ations l
tarried fully hour without single soul passing
on the road The forenoon hours had glided By so
swiftly was surprised 70 ind that was pas. dinner
this country. Riding on. turned :. small log
house. where procured midday meal Of corn bread,
bacon cabber sreensthe unvarying bill Of fare for
dinner at this season OF the year. Two puncheons
the halves OF split log, with legs fastened In the bot
wa, ~ domestic manufac:Sr. and had seem
service found the man OF the houss old and poor,
bat intelligen. to q degree had not looked for
gone 10 the radicasf"
"He spoke late meeting In Helena" replied, tat
which negroes participated, that's any argument In
$50 have heard. There Is no faith In that man.
He thinks he knows ne winning slde and be has gone
ment He had better keep out Of this section Of the
country he will be shot sure There are good many
who have accounts to settle with him."
"He shot down. with his own hands. as good and true
soldiers In the Confederate army for what he
called dasertion When the army got 10 the neghbor
hood Of thor homes soldiers would steal away, because
g. they and
they back he had them shot down like dogs. He
had son Of mine shot, as good, noble and pure boy
chccks he said this while bis wife, who bad been
listening hid her PALE wrinked face In her hands, and
vival OF the memory Of her dead boy vengeance is
nine saith the Lord" resumed the old man, land to
him leave the measure Of punishment to be mstei out
TO this man +"
More painfully Impressed BY this conversation and
Of parental grief than perhaps BY all the barbarc
cruees OF The war had witnessed In my experiences
the army, shortly resumed my journey The land
grew and more sterile, and the habiiations and
cultivated places as approached the foot OF
Boston mountain fifteen miles further on, around whose
distant blue summit riffs Of misty sunshine and golden
vapors had gathered and fingered all day. The Of
this mountain 10 three miles reached the summit as
tho sun was hour high, and stayed till the
san went down, enjoying the most magnificent view,
extending In every direction Mount Rhgi may boast
OF her incomparaby good views Of the rising SUM- but
there certainly few views finer than from tue
summit Of Boston mountain. Here, away rom the
din aud heat aud scramble and vice and convention
aes OF tho city, here, far above the low bottom lands
where miasma generates and scaters It's poisonous
vapors; here where there wealth Of scenery Of I'M
ending and untring beauty; here, whore the summer
days are longest and the nights coolest; here whore