Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1869-12-02
ON THE WING.
MASSACHUSETTS,, November 18th, 1869.
DEAR JOURNAL

W i-''1-,SiI SILL ., wv cnioCi iotH, iooO'
DEAR JOURNAL
We have taken trip
to the East-to the primitive home of
thanksgiving, apple ''sarse," pumpkin
pies, prohibitory laws, and peace iubi-
lees. Possibly you may imagine that
something more readable is needed for
your columns; if SO, the waste basket
is handy--but Congress has not yet
met-the windy solons of the Capitol
have not yet assembled in ''the Cave"
the elections are decided Grant has
ceased to wander, for little recrea-
ton, during the severe ordeal of hold
ing his tongue. Boutwell, continues
to issue his statements of the national
debt, showing its reduction by mil
lions. per month, and while through
these little "holes in the sky,'' of our
finances and politics, shines the sun
light of national honor and integrity,
and with it comes increased national
prosperity, we thought that a few
lines, even if of little worth, might
find space, and escape severe criticism,
and be forgotten before the December
storms blow from the Potomac, and the
wordy combats of Butler VS.. Schenck,
eliminating possibly in bloody bed
at Bladensburg, demands serious con-
sideration.
If you travel with baggage to the
East, we recommend the route via the
Little Miami, and G. G. d 1. R. R.; for
this reason, their employees are not
professional baggage-smashers. In the
Cincinnati depot they handle your
trunks considerately-two men lifting
them with care, into the baggage car.
Travellers and their baggage are equal
ly protected from destruction on this
route. The varied phases of life are
presented in striking contrast in rail-
road car. With feelings we cannot
describe, we noticed upon our left a
German family, of Luabia, we Judged
from their dialect,--a mother and
three children, quite young That
mother produced an ordinary mineral
water bottle, drew the cork, and poured
out some of its contents into tin cup
--the strong fumes spreading through
the car, told US all that it was whiskey:
diluting it with water, she gave it to
the children for drink, "to make them
strong" she said. The child is father
to the man. Was that mother sowing
the seeds of an appetite, that in after
years might return to her in a harvest
of disgrace and sorrow? Heaven for
give that mother! Heaven pity that
son! Ohio! Thou art not without re-
proaGh. inasmuch as thou art mighty
labratory for the distillation of this
giant spirit of evil, that stalks forth
from all the avenues of thy commerce!
They left us at Cleveland, the thought
less mother, and her to be pltied cbil
dren. God alone knows their future
1t is remarkable how uneasy are many
of our travelling public, we are a ma
ton of wanderers, and yet with what
manifest unrest are large numbers
troubled while zen route" all iudg-
ment as relating to time and space are
utterly ignored, and the whole individ-
ual becomes an easy prey to torturing
anxiety. A lady occupies seat op-
posite--she anxiously scans each vii
lage and building, we pass in the bright
morning sunlight, with face distorted
by nervous perplexity, she suddenly
turns, and glancing at swiftly re-
ceding village, she exelaius, "Oh!
can that be Grafton. have we passed
Grafton, is it possible we have gone by
it2' / refer to my check, and find
that Grafton is distant 113 miles, and
we have flown over tie iron pathway
only some Is of those miles. For the
moment her fears are overcome, her
nerves traueuilized, but the shrill
whistle at the next depot brings up her
spectral troubles, and she is the victim !
of nervous tortureto her journeys end.
is it not much the same with us all, as
We yhirl along the up and down
grades of the RAILROAD of Life? We
dare assert the one reply for all
Yes.
These incidents may lack interest,
yet We would give ene more; Some