The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1867-05-09
CAIRO, Ill, May z, 1867

CAIRO, Ill, May z, 1867. Il
Editors Journal: q s. lrN Y,gi.iia
/ I left Evansville on Thursday for q
short visit to this place; arrived here
on Friday morning ON the Illinois
Central Railroad Since then | have
heard and seen some queer things in
the city of frog ponds Talk of AL
pine scenery and Swiss valleys, Vene-
tian palaces and the blue waves of
the Adriatic inspiring sentiments of
faith, hope and sublimity in the hr-
man mindl They are small things,
and produce small results, compared
with the effects produced by nature
and art in Cairo Nature and art in
Europe only inspire men to paint pic
lures and write verses; but in Cairo
nature and art inspire men to higher
grade of action. Prophecy is above
poesy any time The people down here
prophecy. They don't pretend to.
humbug anybody on letters or pic
lures, but they do sail in on the pro-
rhetical. On that they won't give up
to any man from Hezekiah down to
A. j. Davis. or any other anti-christ.
gentle breath the still waters of
Cairo's frog-ponds,, and watt their
odors to the prophets nosfrils and
straightway the spirit of prophecy is
upon them What events they fore-s
tell when am not here Icannot say
They may have different weeks.
for different subjects. I have
only been here a few days,
and they have not changed
the subject yet. La fact, / may say
that by singular coinci-
dence, / always happen. TO
come here when Cairo's prophets
are upon the same theme; but then,
| have only been here some eight or
nine times within the last two years. =
If | should undertake to give you
some idea of the elegance of these
prophets and their sublime heroic
faith in their own predictions, I would
utterly fail. ! speak, of course, with
reference to this one subject. / can I.
say how they are on other subjects. /
may say, in passing, that this one sub
ject relates to the future of Cairo. I
should judge, by what / hear in
Cairo, that the people are not cut up
into petty seats and denominations,
but that they all worship at one
church, for they all seem to be united
in the same creed and confession of
faith-the only one l ever heard al
luded to here. This creed is very
pure and simple. 1t is simply
and purely a belief in Cairo's
prophets. They never will stone these
prophets here, because there are no
stones except some broken ones
where they are going to build a new
house this Summer. l am sure they
will build this house in Cairo. this
Summer, because | have heard it
spoken of several times. l think /
may say that have reliable informa-
ton that the house will be built.
But the people of Cairo may some
time throw black mud and frogs at |
their prophets. Black mud and |
frogs are handy inside ofCairo. Cairo |
has an inside, an outside and an on
top. just outside are two rivers, and |
good ways off outside is dry land |
where people can live. Inside of |
CAIRO is some water, some mud, some
frogs, some skiffs, some bridges.
some places said to be called houses,
and pump for the diversion of the |
citizens. On top of Cairo are some |
houses, some board sidewalks sup
ported by long pillars, railroad
track and some prophets. ~ & /
A while ago the rivers outside of
Cairo were high, and almost came to |
be on top Of Cairo. The prophets /
then ceased to prophesy. They
wished to be outside of Cairo long
ways off, where people live on dry I
land. But the waters went down,
and citizens who own lots not quite
up to the grade, solemnly3 assure me
that they were not frightened at the
rise of the waters but they say they
were better satisfied when the waters
went down. The. prophets here. 1 I
have noticed, all own stownlots not
up to grade. Such lots are frequent,
and are held in adverse possession by
frogs and water-snakes, and such fish
as are not over particular about the
kind of water they inhabit. lC ashA
1t is some distance, in straight
line upwards, from these lots to the
top of Cairo where people stay; the
distance, however, is not so great but
that. the gentle voices of the frogs
can be heard uponsth midnight air.
inspiring the prophets, and fIuIlings T
strangers to sleep. i heard qthem.sh
Il ~xxzJIxv I1-3x L. - !,