Wilmington journal., 1870-09-30
OUR R0cKzNGHAM CoRRESPoNDEVCE
RocKINGHAM RICHMOND Co. N. c.,
September 2Gtb. 1870


Dear Journal Il herewith send You
a letter from my friend Paddy O,Neil,
embodyiDg the obstacles whicl have frus.
trated my attempts 10 get up 4 Richmond
delegation for your "Grand Tournament "
''FREN PoPPYNECK:-I writes to let you
know my resons for not iining the Tun-
nyment. In the fust place they tells me
1T takes site of mummy Itll teck five
dollars to git thar; five dollars day for
bordin at the biggest house, and as mighty
nice crowd is gwine from this naborhood,
IN corse I'll want to put mp at the same
tavern they doze. Then I'm told I'll
have to pay ten dollars to git in the listesl
Besides if was to teck my hoss on the
kars they'd charge me nigh onto twenty
dollars. But the truth is, II whispers il,
my fren,) my critter is q stumblin nag,
and sorter short breathed. I've noticed
her wind have seemed kinder broke ever
since brung sech powerful load o corn
from the depo last spring. A nuther thing
that Ondecides me is, I've hearn that the
best rider is more'n likely to be the wa It
beat My gal says I'm q mighty good
rider, and [ half think so myself; leastways
[ sets square and fair, clamps my feet close
to my saddle-skirt3, carries my head and
shoulders high, and holds my briddle like
Gineral Roberts used ter in Virginia. He
was counted number one rider, and was
awful plucky, if he did cry when Gin. Lee
surrendered. My hoss may pitch, and
rear and plunge, and don't think no
more of bein flung than if he and me was
/ IltaT 0ha
! for the spuryS, but they wouldn't begin tc
pay expenses. There is still a nuther OBJ
lection. You say the Nights has to dress
different from other fOlks-in feathers and
Efringes, and fine close, kurIously made
That would pick into my pile ruther toe
deep. I kalkerlate on gittln one nice suit
ov close, but when it comes to payiD fifty
dollars fur things jest to wear Cne time
it's losin Dizziness shore. Howsumever.
tu go to the Fair, I'll try to git
my cotton ginned and packed by thai
time, SO as TO max the trip, in
partickler as I'll want surplise. I now be-
gins to feel the need ov wife. A bachel-
or has mighty solfy time these days,
can't keep cook Sunday on no terms,
and if he's sick the muscernary niggers
stays off as far as they can git. wish
now / had takened wife when was fust
| grown. amt as SoOd lOOKen as was,
though the gal spoke of as mine seems
to think I'll do, but she amt exactly to
my notion. She wears number sevens,
and has got red hare. Perhaps [ kin git
better suited to the Fair, as all the women
in the land will be thar, seein and bein
seen. With a swellin gratitoode in my
buZum,
Yours til death,
PADDY O'NEIL.
Simmon Slope, N. @.
P. s. On Saturday night, September
Oath, we had the pleasure of seeing the
Aurora Borealis, or Morning of the North.
It daWned with a clearness like the day
spring, then roseate flush colored the
brow Of the orient sky, some degrees above
the horizon, and peaks that famed shot
upward to the zenith
ozark blue the deep sphere overhead,
Distinct with vivid stars inlaid,
Grew darker from that under fame;"
lines of silver glancing through the glow
ing crimson, a dappling, pearly mist OF
spots surging out from the glows, like
white lava from volcanoes mouth di-
vision, as of curtains drawn by invisible
hands, and in the paleness following. the
stars shone out, and the magnificent Altar
cloth was replaced with Nights own shad-
ow We thrilled ct the magnetic infu-
ence; our material electricity kindling at
the quiver of that grand current that
this, with transfguring fingers, painted
the sky.
Very respectfully,