Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-04-07
UNION AND AMERICAN.
ST. L0UIS.
Experience ola Nashville Youth Away
from Home


Experience Ofa Nashville Youth Away
from Home
Correspondence the Union and American.
ST. LOUIS, April 9, lS69.-What a coll
lossal city is ST. Louis. Like a huge
giant it stretches its Titantic form for
miles upon the banks of the Mississippi
aud breathes from its thousand lungs OF
iron the smoke of manufacturing indus
try. How rapidly it grows houses
spring up like maggie single builder
having contracts for the erection ofdwell>
lngs amounting to a million of dollars
annually. Its population, now two hum
dred and forty or fifty thousand, is in>
creasing astonishingly. Trade pours in
from the Mississippi river and all its
tributaries from eight railroads, from the
South, the West and the Eo.th. Sur
rounded by fertile lands and resting upon
heids Of coal, with ample commercial IA =
ellities and agriculture up with all the
improvements Of the day, within reach
OF nearly all the useful and precious ores,
every branch Of industry is brought into
requisition and every description of en-
terprIse stimulated with the most
ample rewards, a large capital in
vested and flowing in and centering here,
the amount Of business done is wonder-
iul. The hotels that spring up and are
sustained are equal to any in the Union
the Southern, Barnum's, the Laclede,
the Planters, are all excellent. The
Southern taking the lead and the others
about alike. At the Southern, Just after
tea, the crowd begins to pour into the
'esaacious hall until there is a moving,
surging tide Of human beings and the
hum of a thousand voices is like the rush
of mighty rivers. Every age and avocas
ton is represented, every topic discussed.
You see and hear the anxious politician I;
the busy, busting merchant; the studs
Gus, thoughtful lawyer thegrave, staid
divine the signing lover and lispiRg
swell the gay, fashy sportsman and
shrewd, cunning imposter. In the morning
looking from my window at the Southern
upon the streets, what lively scene is
presented. The street cars, the wagons,
drays, hacks and carriages of every des> |
cription, the rush Of pedestrians TO and |
fro, hither and thither pass before the |
eye like dissolying views.
AT night the places Of amusement are |
De Bars Opera House, the Olympic,
Wilson's Opera House, the Philhars
monic and the Varieties, the last being
kept by Deigel, who introduced the
Black Crook into Nashville. Miss Ada |
Webb is playing successful engagement
at De Bars Opera. saw her in many |
plays, but admired her most in Fanchon. |
She has one Of the prettiest faces | ever
saw, and so perfect is her expression that
her features with electric rapidity have
told the eye and impressed the heart
with emotion before the lips have parted.
Her form is perfect symmetry. Her voice
sweet and melOdious. Her action graces
ful and natural. Her memory, or study
admirable. Her conception and rendl
tioc of character just and appropriate,
without exaggeration or affectation. Her
is lost in the part she en-
acts and she as the character. She sings
sweetly, touchingly; dances gracefully,
but her forte is in hGmor and plthoS,
and her transitions remarkable. In Fan
chon, the effect upon the audience was
sometimes thrilling. l have heard old
play >goers, practicei critics Of the stage,
declare that in this peice she was with
{ t rival on the American boards.
Proctor at the Olympic has some adj
mirers. In size and strength he is a
Hercules and seems to be not little
vain of the fact His voice is like old
man PentecOsps, the auctionecr, but on
a larger, broader, stronger scale Occa~
sionally, he would make some points
where great force or power was required,
but where tender, gentle emotions
should 1lOw in upon the heart and woo
and win the soul he is wholly deficient.
His enunciation was usually clear and
distinct, but frequently this is married by
IN effort to handle the voice too artist
,ally and by ranting, and affected pas
sion. He is supported by Miss Charlotte
hampton, who is fair actress, pretty
md plump, with a pleasing face, voice
always agreeable and movement rather
graceful, but capable of no superior act
ng or producing no telling effect. These
Two are the only theatres where the
irsma is really presented. The others,
except the Philharmonic concerts, are of
the variety and sensational order. But
the chief place of amusement to me is
where women's rights oratory blazes
and shines. This TO me is truly novel;
ty. To see a woman mount the rostrum
amid applause and enter upon the dis
cussion of questions of governmental
policy, combat the errors Of statesmen,
the corruption Of politicians, one of
which she seeks 10 become, and
advocate the right Of women to be judges,
lawyers, and Congressman is truly
treat to benighted Tennessean, hailing
from the city of rocks. You may know
that they tell an anecdote with infinite
gusto, reason with great cogency, and are
not to be driven from the point by Kisses
or flattered by applause. They are
women of their own head, if nothing else,
and are not to be intimidated by the |
fTowns Of power OF the Establishments OF |
wealth. Female modesty so irresistible |
10 man and so becoming to women IS not |
reckOned among their attractions. con
fess that their attitude frequently makes |
me doubt the sex Of these he>WOmen and |
suspect some imposition. | will not
write more on this subject bat leave |
everything TO your Imagination.
Gen. Sheridan has arrived and is stop
ping at the Southern Hotel. His arrival
nroduced about the same stir that peb-
bic would when thrown into the Missis>
sippi. | have learned more about Gen.
Grant since / came here than |
ever "dreampt Of" | think if |
should remain here long | would be
enabled to furnish dates for a more vol
luminous and at least as candid, biOgra-
phv as that written by his father. A
citizen Of some thirty-two years residence
in ST. Louis and some eighteen years
acquaintance with Grant, gave me brief,
rapid, graphic sketch Of bis eyentful life
in this city. / will employ his own
language as nearly as my memory will
enable me. Grant got on spree Che
could drink more whisky than any four
men ever saw without beingtoo drunk to
walk and was about TO be cashiered and
resigned. What are you doing there
writing down what l am telling you ?"
',Yes.S "Well don't you put my name
in the papers" q won't" Now
have nothing against Grant, he never
did me any harm, but he was the biggest
dIinkest / ever saw. He married the
eldest daughter of old man Dent, a very
coed iamily-they were highly respecta>
r. Tho old man had three dau0ht,rs