The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1869-09-02
LEffkR TRoN FHE SOUTH,
from orr Regular Correspondent. -
LlrrLH BARREN RIVER, KY.,1
August, II, 1869.

Nentucky Omcers dulde, SAID ~
e1day morning, "Come take . ride
With me to the country" I gladly 40
septed the invitation, and by seven
o'clock in the cool Of tho morning we
were on our way horseback to Little
Barren River. Col. Allen, who is one
Of the Directors Of New Athens College,
is one Of the few men We meet With
who has the happy faculty Of uniting
the useful with tho agreeable, and ct
carrying tho bouyaney Of youth over 10
the period that marks the man Of declin-
ing years. He is an antiquarian rs well a.
lawyer; and remembers everything that
has transpired here.bouts, for the last
half century. So you see his years are
providing bard on to seventy. I like
good talker; and johnson once said,
next to good .alksr, is good listener.
I am that.
Tho morning was cooish, tho dew
vas not yet off tho grass on tho road
side; my horsc-a PAGER, moved like
cradle; tho pear trees bending With
fruit on ono side, and apple orch
ards on the other with their golden
treasure, all these things made our
mornings ride delightful.
Snow Colonel, as We 80 along, tell
me al that is interesting along this old
road to Osceola." By this time, We
were riding in between two rovs Of
vast Gins and sycaueurs, ono on either
eide Of the road, whose outrageous
tops hid the sky and the sun. Sud-
denly my friend ,eigned up. Do you
see these great trees along here? They
grow from elm and sycamore posts that
were once put down here for fences
and have come to be what you sec
them. I looked up to their great arms
and thought how quietly rested nov
the hands that cut them and placed
them where they grow.
B1bB's PLANTATION.
Tall forests stood looking down from
distant hill tops Between were field
of grass and herds grazing along TIL
little streams, Is ve moved on toward
Green River. Soon 10 came to = larg,
and somewhat broken tract included il
old man Bibb's Plantation. Their,
were scattered cabins empty and de
serted in thespacious fields on both tide
Of Us. Here and there was and Of,
orchard: whose spravling limbs indi
Gated both age and decay. The divi
ding fences were in a sad state Of neg
lect. Briers grew luxuriously in a
the corners. Chickweed covered th
little hills in tho pasture. The stra
peach trees along the road fence
though bearing, show want Of attention
and look to the traveller like goo
friends that had been deserted to tn
charities of a cold world. I vas r,
marking on the aspect around, when m
corpulent companion who I thought b
this time was little tagged in the su.
reused up and said: "This is Bib
| old plantation. Yonder Is his hous
pointing to . low, one-story hewed To-
building, with long portico in front
and embowered in = shady forest q
apple and cherry trees. Old man Bib
married early in life and hin father-in
law gave BIN two or three black wome
70 start with in the world. He settle
down and, such was the fecundity i
this case, that Abraham Lincoln foun
neighbor Bib in the happy aud peace
full possession Of sixty slaves, all {
whom the said A. Lincoln, withou
consulting their owner, set free in On
day and scattered abroad. Since tbs
event the proprietor Of this plantatio
has limited his operations, and th
cabins are falling to decay; the fence
are going down, but, after all, neighbt
Bib is we'll off and accepts the situ'
ton with a grim .cquiescence. q
stopped at the old mansion, got . glal
Of cold water; chatted = moment Wit
tho daughter and re-mounted.
Il TWO GRAVES.
Soon We were descending precip
tously down to the banks Of Gree
river. When We were within 4 fe
rods Of the point where our way crosse
iii, "There," said my friend, 1.-TWO me
were cruelty murdered during the va
: Three Alabamians who we're on the
way south from camp Chase, to be
home With their families and friend
were found hero, making prep.ratio,
to Gross. One had got into the rive,
tho other two were on the bank, takiu
off their shoes, when = p.rty Of Il
Federal soldiers overlook them, IN,
without haiiag them, or : giving them
moments warning, shot the Two on Ii
, bank dead, and terribly wounded IL
other. The bodies Of the unfortun,,
men were lift lying in tho sand, {;
the ferryman found them and burie
them side BY side on he bluff, on Il
; other side Of the river, where they !
to this day uudisturbed. The gre