Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1867-12-07
CGrresDOndence.


SAN Marcos, Nov. 23d, 1867.
Dear Hedld Being somewhat
of II bohemian" at present, | will,
with your permission, sond you,
now and then, notes of my wander.
ings, and what OF interest | SEQ or
hear.
have, fora few days, pitched my
tent in tho thriving village of San
Marcos, situated on the stage road
from Austin to San Antonio, thirty
miles from tho former, and sixty
from the latter. The San Marcos
river, runs near tho town and is the
most beautiful stream | have seen
in Texas. The water, clear, cool
and sparkling, breaks forth album
dainty from the foot of, what is hero
STYLED n mountain"-thcy pause
moment TO kris the fens, that lean
so lovingly. over them, TO ripple n
carcss over the messy rocks, and
then with n bright smile of farewell,
dance gayly away over their pebbly
bed to their home in the distantsea
Fine fish arc abundant in tn stream,
and the water is used for all house
hold purposes.
The town, like most of those of
Western Texas, is built around a
center plaza or square, in the mid
die of which is placed the Court
House. There are about 4 or 800
inhabitants, and from the many new
houses, and others unfinished, l
should judge the place would soon
count many more. Entering the
stores, of which there arc some sew
en- or eight, you will find a varied
and excellent assortment of goods,
and prices quito as reasonable as in
other inland towns. attended ser
vice at the Methodist church, saw u
largo, well dressed and attentive
audience and n host of pretty girls,
q have an eye for the beautifully
Hcbc has been among them kissing
their checks, and lips, leaving there
her own rosy hue; the Dallas.bea
had better como hither for their
"cooks, laundresses, seamstrcsses"
and so on, for they seem very healthy
and vigorous. ] suppose the beauX
here are very nice too, but we men
don't take much notice Of each 9th
or, when pretty girls are by.
There is some talk ola cotton fac
tory near the town the project is
under discussion, but the favorito
motto here is, $50 slow The water
power is excellent all along the riv-
or, and particularly so at the town.
A furnishing Academy is located
here; good two-story building in
the edge of town, furnishes ample
school room for number of schol-
ars. / attended one Of the Friday
afternoon exercises and was quite
pleased. The Evolutionary powers
of some, spoke we'll for them as .lu-
ture orators who might "sway the
minds of men" But some, | fear,
chew too much tobacco, for every
few moments, the speaker would
stop, lean toward mother earth and
deposit on her dirty face, the saliva
that INSTRUCTED the impassioncd flow
of eloquent words, and the pause
was not always where the rhotori-
tician would have placed it.
The surrounding country Is fer
tile, tolorably well settled, and album
dant crops would have been made,
had the freedmen hdlf done their
duty, but idleness has seized them;
work, they will not, and to beg they
arc not ashamed. The grasshoppcrs
have disappeared, and the weather
is as perfect as it could have posi-
bly, been in Utopia. We have just
such days as Bryant sang of whose
calm mild days
"when the sonnd of dropping nuts is heard
Though all the woods be still; N
And twinkle through the smoky light
The waters of the rill,
When the south wind searches for the flow
ers,
whose fragrance late he bore,
And signs to find them in the woods, I.
And by the streams no more,
By the way, think that poem as
fine pastoral as English literature
can boast.
I shall turn my steps towards
Austin shortly, and will send you
some of nv views and impressions
of the Lone Star Capitol. Till then
Adieu,
WANDERING WILLIE.