The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-05-01

setting Couu ma place 70 suit
me. My ride took me into decidedly bleak looking
country the ground unbrokenly level and monochrome
the winding among dark pine trees penetrating
of cane brakes the houses wide apart and solitary tho
few people to be seen OF thin and emaciated appear
ance and most poorly clada road IN gloom and sotar
Romano leading out OF Rome but with compromising
reflection OF the propnquity Of the Eternal City The
truly magnificent large tall and stately the lowest
branches OF some being sixty and seventy the
eround, and the soft murmurng OF the wind stirring
their leaves deeply musical the distant
ocean, only lower and fainter anthem Of nature
softening and subduing in its effect the feelings
and imagination. My course led me into a
tongue Of prairie land beginning at Arkansas Post,
where 1t is about TWO miles wde and gradually widen
ing until reaches the Indian Territory where It is
fifty miles In WIDTH It Is severa, feet CHER than tn
bottom lands on either side and mover overhows Tho
soil Is thin and what Is here called crawhshy and will
not produce more than third bale OF cotton, twenty
bushels o. corn to the acre. while the bottom lands viii
yield bale and third Of cotton and seventy bushels
Of corn 70 the acre. Any quantity OF it can DO bought
at dollar an acre. and for the best improved portions
only five dollars per is asked Large sections have
already been forfeited by the original owners through
All the people settled and living here look alike.
Every old the exact counterpart Of another and
so the younger men and so the women and children.
Poverty, ignorance and wreic edness are their ruling
trinity. fraternity of squaior and AFFECT misery Is
their abiding bond OF brotherhood. Schools there
none. Churches unknown Like dumb driven
tie they plod their way, goaded to continuous toll
and one unendng struggle for the barcS necessities OF
life. Ny iirst encounter oil any human being
a driving four yoke OF before
a wagon containing bale OF cotton aad some wood The
wagon looked Us though II bad sone through the wars
and the the M ,neayrc specimens Of the
bovine species think ! z suw. Tho man was tall and
skim, and ceralny ltig ysars old, although no might
have been tmcn Gears older for it Is impossible to
guess the ages ans of people, in this country. He
wore iaii s.nser0read coat and pants, which chung
about iain limbs with friendly cioseness that
tr,l aacn.ng-for they certainly touched him all over
his hat whatever lis original color may have been,
was now muddy brosn, as likewise we're his beard and
hair
"How far am from arkansas PostS" asked by way
Of opening conversation.
"waoa,'' be called out to his oxen, mandate they
readily obeyed aud Then answere. six miles by that
ioss bu dod rot ful.cr by these ere oxen. and
opened hi mouth with expressive grin suggestive OF
the pGrtln jaws OF pleased ainaor
.'Any here where can get dinner for my
self and hor.eY'' next inquired.
'.Not thai knows OF, and reckon ! orter know
for I've lived these ern parts all born days Nary
commodatio. Tor erscl or hoss til yer reach the Hello
forss Cant yer give Teller chawr to5accers"
II don't chaw. -
''Wha, don't chawor2'
ssNo; have no small vices "
'sr,ig plugs aud don't like 10 cut EN- eh2 Can't you
spare one cnawers I'm awful pat to IT; amt had
cnaaer for week and mo. and shanI set I'LL
sell this ere cotton and wood"
81 have got no tobacco, or would give you some
cheerfuiiy, explained TO him do yos know any
Que about here VINO has got any land to s'il9"
M noed bayins land here, Stranger jes. settle any
,ar and II yer doesn't starye to deth or die OF the ager
heto the own finds YOU out yoa've only 10 pay the
and the iaad is yoarn, una plagcy dear nc tina.
/"
'Well, reckon you'd be b. muskeeters aud bars from
the bottoms aud the aser, bat in no uddcr way cept
raising any rite smart oi crop and that would disturb
you mighty heap
care not people about here down the Yau-
kees9n
0Not by tarnation sight fought agin 'em cause l
had ter. / know the good, and eyeryb body
heap Oh now than they war afore, and wanted
to tell en 50. but ID warn't aud then If had I'd
found mysal mo- NSsly than totherwse hanging from u
pine limb with ground TO stand on They saryed
OF my peighbors 50, but knowd too much for 'em
hen
aver but never fought right smart. tell yer"
$50 you good Union mani"
:" reckon IL and alters war. Use poor, and that
counts for u spose The rich ieiers ana big politician
ers brot on the war right glad they got licked
sarve 'cm right IL tioy had their turn hanging now
dra EN- all
"You have heard, suppose. OF tho military govern
ment recently established the rebel states and OF
the government plans for rcadmttng them 70 the
Union ~
.'rve hearn tell about 'em down TO tho Post but I
does MT bot her my head much about H. I'm only glad
the id that fetched the citin under
and that Uncle sans on top. IL III do 'em good a.
squirm Uncle Sam II keep on top, ! reckon; I'm
aDo understand that all your ncighbors are Union
menY''
Forks. lie Is rpean he can't raise crop. how
the only thing be raise is his dander when bc
a Union man. and mighty barking Of his pcsky
dogs | tell ye just how mean he ia wbskey won't
make him drunk and IL we should lie him all with
hog grease an inch thick, bar wouldn't touch him..
Ny honest, but communicative friend, would doubt
less. have talked with me ill this time mad chosen
continue my questions, but thanking him for his in
IL was Just the information touching tho
white people OF the State, when uttered By honest
mouths and from honest hearts, had looked forand
wishing him good luck the Of his cotton and
wood. resumed my Journey and he his. He told me.
however that full bale OF cotton taken Arkansas
Post for Shipment to New Orleans they charged
$l6 for taxes and tags which, with the
sions and other expenses, gathered. left the pro-
Queer about twenty i've per cent his cotton from
he actual quoted value. Riding onward through
Cion gradually becoming bleaker aud more poverty
stricken until at length 1t became bare and desoiatc
"a have ever imagined any scottish moors to he,
stopped at house by the road side: There was
clearing Of about around the shansy, but
sign of fence A litter Of pig actively employed
tracing pabuum from the breasts of their maternal
progentor a brood OF chickens, feeble dog who
lcebly tried bark and faces OF half dozen
squad looking children congregatcd at the door,
the preliminary objects OF observation. Built OF
hcwn logs with the mud between them nearly all fallen
out Of very scanty size, not beng moro than sixteen
feet square. the chimney nearly as Tar from plumb
line the u Pisa and not OF glass visible
the shanty did present very encouraging picture
outside Passing the portal showed no Improvement
but much worse for outside there was the bright sun
shine clear and beautiful sky majestic pines and pure
air, while here II was confined and dismal hthy and
redoent OF uausoatn S odors. One whole side
occupied by the fireplace Of large enough cook
an or In corner OF this nrepiace-and. the only
redcemng feature OF this miserable howell cheerful
ire blazing the hearthsat man about forty him
self almost to a shadow and hts clothes
TO the third and fourth paicnings. lie proved TO
be the father Of the family and master OF the
house though not master OF the situation. An ague chill
was on him, or pcrhaps he might have gIvea me warm
did her best 60 make amends large bed with dirty
coveret which hid tie pillows, IL there any. filled
corner opposite the fireplace Underneath this
trIndle bed aud the balance OF the occupied
a general storeroom. large and dlapdated bureau.
very shaky looking table, cupboard without doors and
showing the shelves very slim assortment of prin
cipally fractured crockery and broken iron pots, n
cracked looking glass and ave chairs IN painfully rcke,y
condition, comprised the rest OF the furniture litho
graph likeness OF George Washington, showing very
~ocbegone well dirty face for George hung by the
looking glass. ontho bureau was Bible, hymn book
nF
stock u literary wealth. but this beyond the
Of the family, as not one Of them could read. The up
stairs part. the only second In the shanty, and
reached oy ladder served the sleeping for the
larger children Giving my conversations with these
people and those OF other similar shantcs which
visited would imrart nothing OF special interest The
man have described, from fear and compusion,
fought the rebel side during the
HIS Impoverished, ignorant and cnfeebed condition
however have not sapihed and siuned him TO that do
gree thas he does not know what 70 II be Union
and A. chance offers 20 speak out HIS long penup
reverence for souls fidelity the Stars and Stripes
these people are 10 be pted Their poverty and igno-
rance make them proper subjects OF commiseration.