Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1869-01-02
A Nuptial Tour.
No. Z JACKSON sTEET,
CHICAGO, December %, 1868.


CHICAGO December %, 1868 (
EDrToR TELEGRAPH. Almost four weeks
from home, we at last are domciled as above.
and my first leisure hours are devoted to a
portrayal Of our southern trip in winter time.
From the frozen north 10 the sunny south
listening again 10 the songs Of birds which
had, perchance, preceded us in their fitting
breathing again the perfume Of nowers-luxu-
Rating again beneath bright blue skies, and
famed by the balmy breath Of mild summer
time-what wonder that we deemed ourselves
in Fairy Land
Leaving home on the 27th Of November,
the next morning found us at the Burnet
House, Cincinnati, and at evening we were on
the steamer Minneola, bound for Memphis, as
invited guests Of her genial captain, William
b. Miller, and soon we were passing beneath
the bridge which spans the river TO Coyington.
Next morning, just as church bells were ring
ing, we were at Louisville; and here a skilIful
pilot came on board and took us over the falls
The steamer was forty-fve feet in width and
drawing fourfeet nine inches water on the star
board side. The pass was forty eight feet in
width and four feet sir inches depth Of water
Can you guess with what breathlcss interest we
watched the steady hand at the wheel, and
how we scanned the anxious faces of the Off
GERS around? When the last eddy was passed,
and the CHEEKY "all right" came from the cap
tain's lips. could we help joining in congratu-
latons of the pilot over bottle Of Long
wOrth's best, ere he returned to shOrcg From
this point to Cairo the scenery is lovely, al
though the verdure along the shores had with
cred before the frost king. The air was soft
and bamy: at evening the moon illuminated
the water, and many Of its hours were spent in
the pilothouse, where we had an unobstructed
| view, glowing fire in the stove, and music
accompanied by the guitar and the intelligent
conversation of the pilot at ths wheel, who
pointed out to us all objects of interest and
related to us occurrences of the war as con-
nccted with them. We went ashore at Cairo
from curiosity to see the Eden" Of -Mlrtin
Chuzzleuit; and certainly no better place could
Mark TafLey have found in which to he "iolly."
We duly admired the machinery for pumping
out the streets when the levce is evcrflowed and
eulogized the sharp-nosed swine, which eyed
us hungrily as we sped along; and we gazed
at the wharf boats at the riverside and
thought of the sick and famshed refugees who
notlong ago, had lain about them, and suffered
and died. A sorry place is Cairo, and glad
we're we when we left it and sailed out over
the broad bosom of the Father of Waters
Passing Island No. 10, whose capture from the
rebels sent thrill Of joy through the heart OF
the North, and beholding how rapidly it is
washing away, we could but wish that the
same destiny might befall every reminder Of
our late unhappy strife.
On Wednesday morning we gained the lcvce
at Memphis, and as soon as the plank was Out
were besiegcd with throng of applicants fol
work in unloading, both black and white; ant
we observed that those employed by the mate
who was ashore making his selections, were
of the colored race. They alone of tie motley
set looked smiling and happy The white mer
were lank, and sallow, and scowling; reused
no doubt by this frui,less competition with tn,
race they must now acknowledge as "men ant
brethren" Bales of cotton lay all along til,
lcvee: here and there horse was being helC
by its bride by colored man while its ride
was negotiating" on the steamer.
: AS we rode through the city, on our way T.
the depot, l noticed many elegantly drcsse,
ladies, and that the shops looked very nicely
The day was warm as summer, and tue foliag
looked but slightly changed by frost Mem
phis seemed to me q pleasant city, and as w
left its suburbs and emerged into the coun
try, passing cotton-fields and plantations
standing far apart, began to realize that W,
were seeing a new phase of life. At ever
station on the route to new Orleans we saw
evidences of life different from ours Horse
, and mules were gathered about them, whicl
had been ridden there to procure the mai
which our train had brought Ragged colore,
people of all shades and of both sexes wcr
there in plenty, and occasionally we saw som
=, = aristocraticlooking Southron amid the crowd
The station-houses were poor affairs, with bar
, rafters and brick fre-placcs, and the fare a
table was of the same class. The butter amusc
! me most 1t looked just like our country
n made Isstch cheese-as white and crumbling
4 In vain l tried to spread it on my bread
large lump rolled off beneath my knife, fell
y the floor was trodden by the waiter, and wa
: everywhere guiltless of having made greas
spot! The cows from which this innoceI
n SUN ts mdue arc leu upon CotIou-secu, anu lu
4 is the result.
Passing through the turpentine region, W
- found tho air loaded with the subtle odo
}. The pines themselves are noble trees, and a
p along we saw upon them, as well as other
y masses of parasite called mistletoe, as we
) as a gray hanging moss, which made theI
= look like bearded patrarchs. As we neare
!. New Orleans we came to swampy lands, part
e overfowed in places by the Mississippi, an
j, stunted Magnolias and fur palms began
g appear, as we'll as floral productions new
o their character These swamps are ali
with alligators, wolves, &C., and vocal wi
G musketoes; and we almost feared 10 breatl
q an atmosphere we knew must, at some season
g be foul with malaria. Tall expresses, wi
9 their ungraceful clumps of foliage, border'
u the horizon, and green vines enwreathed IL
: dense underground, and brightest autumni
4 tints interspersed the vivid green, Occasion
ally we came to cotton-teld, white with I'll
0 staple. The crop this season was late in ripel