The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-04-02
Letter from New Orleans.
NEW ORLEANS, March 27th 1876

NEW ORLEANS, March 9th, 1867.
At'tor Charleston Daily Ne,cs
have just learned that a new plant ha
been added to the resources of our tropics
reglon-a new textile, which will furnis
the world with clothing, knowledge, and
new means of living-a desideratum at tn
present time. I have seen long skein
Of a cotton-like fibre, cotton-like in white
ness, softness and fneness, but much strong
er, which is now produced at the rate Q
i've crops per year, in the State of Yer
Cruz, Mexico, where it has been cultivate,
tor five years, by a Belgian naturalist ant
botanist, who went there to pursue his ia
vorlte studies and occupation, in sol
similar to our own. The plant is called til,
hanale, is native of Java, was introduced
into the State of Vera Cruz, and has beer
pronounced naturalized plant of this con
tt tlnent Its presence in this city will speed
lly cause its introduction into the fields O
the Gulf States, and to which it will ,,a-
manently pertain.
| nave recently heard it said, and aomit
its truth, that there is at this ,uoment moro
active talent, energy and ability in the
Southern States than there has been since
the war Of 1872. This seems to result
from the necessities Of war; activity, en-
ergy and ability being requisite to meet
and sustain its incessant demands. AS i
portion OF this brilliant expose, I note the
increase in the nl,rohar oe .aorspaners. and
the elegance displayed by our lsterateurs.
Oar authors, men and women, are more
numerous and accomplished than they have
ever been in the South IN Mobile they
boast of Mrs. Adelaide Chadron and Miss
Augusta Evans. Mrs Chadron is the fus-
e1nating Adelaide De Vandel, sister of the
late accomplished Adele De Vandel Howe,
and daughter Of one of Napoleons young
guard at Waterloo. Here in the Crescent
City we do not lack fine compositions and
brilliant authors. The novel called aInge.
nlosco," recently issued by the Blelocks, Of
New York, is highly praised by the Metro
Politan :, Reeord, and !. : am happy to say that
1t IS the work Of a South Carolina girl, a
neice Of the Rev Dr.. Palmer, formerly Of
South Carolina.
There is another novel, which is now in
the course Of publication, BY the same
house, a portion Of which I have read. and
which promises to take very high rank in
our Southern literature. It is called AL
bert Hastings, and lis by Mrs, Mary Whita-
ker, wife of Daniel! e. Whitaker, one of
the associate editors of: the New Orleans
Times. Mrs. Whitaker is native of
Charleston, and IS a granddaughter Of the
once revered Dr.. Furman, who SO long Off
ciated as the leading Baptist minister Of
your city. Her novel is: written with
grapic power, and exhibits great facility in
thought and style, being racy, and compos-
ed carremte cazanao. The book opens with
scene in the piny woods of South Carroll
ma, and in little while you are taken to
Nassau, New Providence, where you are
treated to the magnificent scenery of that
tropical climate. And here, too, we have
description Of the ravages Of that. terrible
scourge, the yellow fever. The death of a
victim to that complaint causes Albert Has
tings to visit England, and here the author
treats us to vivid descriptions Of old Eng
land. Ia But it is impossible for me, in brief
stfeE tie e aa s2st5e rt rtt ths aqs
style; the story is well sustained, and Al
bert Hastings g may be regarded as beauti-
full specimen Of romantic composition. I
hope he will prove decided success, and
as it is generally believed that success is
the test of merit, I trust that he will merit
that success.
We have the same amount or fires and
the same number Of homicides. The last
of the medical students have departed
Strawberries are as plentiful as blackberries
in June. The sun shines once more, and the
ladies have again assembled on the grand
Boulevard (CanaD to celebrate the event
by eating ices and cream cakes, and drink
ing soda-water at Bellanger's And so,
what with s'taste, Shakespeare, and the mu-
steal glasses" the operas, bazaars, concerts,
bal nnasqaes, tragedies, comedies, comedi-
ettas, vaudrilles, music halls, academies Of
music, Burnell's Museum and political
rumors--we may be said to be in the vortex
Of. social and political revolution, not to
mention the quack doctor and his COM
pound, tragical, radical, e-ra-sive soap.
CAPT. SHANDY.. 4