Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1873-10-07
LETTER FROM NEW YORK.
HARLEM. N. " sentsm ,bt, 10 s1e-a

!. = y
of hnickerbockers. a hundred years ago..
No grand palaces stand out in bold array, To
eclipse the beauty of the vine grown cottage,
which in this old town is frequently seen
seaues'ered amid the shady locusts. Here,
green plots of ground relieve the eye, which
has been so long accustomed to dilste in fancy
over the imaginary beauties of the crowded
city. The lowing of thescattle in the pen;
the baying of the watch dog in the Kennel !:
the shouts of innocent children, as thev
CHAMBER over the Wondering stone walls,
sound on the ear as the rustic language of
| Nature.
| All the boats--from the fat bottomed skiff
to the putting steamer glide over the smooth
| surface of the Harlem river, as it here con-
| meets. with Spuvtenduyvil creek
But around Harlem. mountains loom in
| the distance with meandering streams wash>
| ing their bases, presenting scenes like those
met with in crossing the Blue Ridge OF Allie.
| ghany.
The inhabitants Of Harlem look upon the
| stranger as the Lillinutians looked upon the
great prodigy. Gnlliver. Bashful .naidens
| hide behind window shades from which ans
buscades they deliver whole voIleys Of .seye.
shots" at the unwary swain as he plods his
wav through the dusty ttoronghfares
The young man who accompanied me in
my tour through Harlem, sought out a place
! where he could give vent to the poetic senti
ments which filed his soul. In order to cast
himself entirely into the arms of the Muses.
he stretched himself upon the verdant eras..
The silence Of his ecstacv was occasionally
broken bv ontbnrsts of language directed tn
the deparsed spirits Of the poets. from Orrheus
down t. the man that wrote .sSherilan's
Ride" Suddenly lvid hne overcast his
handsome countenance, he felt lizard re-
uuIer his Sb
tile finally disa pneared beneath the collar with
the evident purrnse of establishing there a
colony of his lowly species it was then
that the poet regained his mortal feelings
| With verv unpoctc veil, he commenced to
scramble up tree. jump down, scale stone
fences, dig up the earth with his fingers. even
stand upon his head. A laborer, who was
passing, put the lizard to flight and inquired
| it that man was subject to attacks from the
''man IF porter or the "Spiral McGinnis."
After his resuscitation, We withdrew from
scene which possessed no attraction. by tak>
| ing our way up lane, enclosed on each side
| by stone wall, little thinking that we were
| trespnssing within the sacred bounds of ),
ladies' seminary. We met policeman who
said "Gentlemen, do you wish to see any
| one!' "N"." we answered. Then the police
man manifested his callous nature, by exclaim-
| ing in a vociferous t ne: 'What in thunder
do you want then ? Don't yon know this is a
young ladies' seminary ?" NV friend had re
course to alt his natal bashfulness, for saw
the blush of innocent surprise denicted on his
| handsome countnnance We'll if that's the
case we'll get over the wall. and go back"
said the companion of nv trials, as he en-
| deav"red to suit the action to the snyges,ion
| IN" You don't. yon don't" said the nolice,
man, as he han'ed back the disconfscd poet
bV ha f thu
friend to follow my example, and scale the
| other wall The .'hlne coat" rprceivcd this
movement. for he welded his baton over vonr
| correspondents head in manner NOT likely
| to produce cnnsolatnry reflections We we're
told IN mnracing tone to follow the lane and
extricate ourselves ns quickly nnsshle from
the maze. Rnt here we had to encounter
another difficulty :--snme men were blasting
! in quarry. so hrsitntad To proceed in the
direction of new dangers Our tornentor
told ns to move, or run the risk Of arrest
We passed by in safety a little how. that
lives here, out-dd George Washington in the
hatchet business. This little hov's father has
some imported trees in the back yard which
trees he watches with feelings Of nride Lit
| tile George seeing n complaccn. smile on his
| fathers face, vcntured 70 ask for thirty cents.
the admission fee at Tony PASTORS Onera
| House The father became angry, and ordcred
George down stairs IN cut some kindling wood.
| The next morning 'hc father reused the family
with inquiries: "Who in thunder cut that
| WALLER leaf tree? Tell me- and I'll make
sassage meat ont him" The vou,hfnl
George advanced to his f,,her and said /: ..I
done it, old sovner, and TIL crack yer skull
| IT yer DON'T fork over them thirty cents -
| The 7'nier .fi,mHins threw himself nnon the
hnsnm of his truthful child. excla;mine:
| 'Nly hoy. v"n'v" conquered me nv ynnr truth
| fitness. That's right. nrper tell lie NV
| darling hoy. nv truthful child, nv hon"
The old man in the excess of his Maternal inv
swooned and was carried out. Such is the
power of flial truth!
The people Of Harlem are inflated with
earrn'ons gas concerning the nroiccted hal
loon ascension They talk " IFisr1v" Poor
Donaldson has much of their svnna.hv, FOR
those crocodile tears which he shed. The
ladies here arc going to qnlt nncket han,lker
chief for him-to dry his fbn1) 1oonv tears.
overheard one gentleman ask verv
| lnqnacous individnsl: sWhat's TIE difference
between the character Of Momus at Mosque
rade hall. and Prof WISE" "Dnn't know F."
answered the talkarive man "Wcll one is
foo| in bal n,as9ue, and the other ia Wise
in a hnNoon
A Young America living in Harlem re-
Gently purchased a nhial of sulphuric acid,
with which he intended to make ex perimcn,s.
| The druggist rnt cork stopper in the bottle
| instead Of glass one. The young exrori>
mentor having everv confidence in the ability
Of the druggist, said to himself: II guess TIL
rnt this ere bottle into nv pants rncket"-
| He did so, but his mother is now looking
for piece Of cloth to match the your gster's
pants and the yonngster is looking for that
salve his father used las. winter.
| 1t seems that the inhabitants Of this place
are quite original, as the following amnly IL
'us'rates man living in one hundred and