Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1873-12-25
CORRESPONDENCE.
NArCHEz, Miss, Dec. 18th, 1873.

| NATCHEZ, MISS, Dec. llth, 1873.
Dear Chronicle The weather con.
tinues fine, just suited to outdoor
life. Yesterday, | visited Browns
Ciarden;" it is "under the hilr' and q
little above the main part of the city.
Many years ago l used to visit this
garden, and thought it one of the pref
tiest little bits of earth ever presented
70 my mortal eyes, my recent stroll
therein did not change this opinion.
The Garden is located at the foot OF the
Bluff which is clad with trees, and the
native foliage without, blends almost
imperceptibly with the glossy green OF
! the live oaks, magnOlias, Chinese
privets, peter sporums, and laura
mundiS within.
| From the outer gate, l, carriage road
bordered by a living wall of green
leads up to the house, and on each side
foot walk meanders off among the
mounds, of which there are several,
many feet high, and ascended by spiral
paths and surmounted by large ever
greens, under which iron sofas invite
the climber to rest. A few bananas
were standing in the open air. like
King Lear, ''in the sere and yellow
leaf" Beautiful things abounded, but
if l were committeeman to assign pre-
miums at Queen Flora's fair, the first
prize would fall to that royal Japonica
or Camelia, now in full bloom. L cam
not conceive of any material thing
more lovely, any more apt emblem OF
absolute purity. It's one "howret of
Eden" over which the ''trail of the
serpent" was not drawn, still blooming
in its pristine innocence.
The schools, white and black, open
ed this week, closed since from June
last because so many persons have to
count the money. This city gets back
but a small part of what it pays into
the State Treasury as school tax.
There was a fine building recently
erected for the colored folks. 1t is un-
der the charge of white prof" |
am going up to interview the institu-
tion after while. The Catholics have
two schools-the "Brothers" and the
"Sisters" under the supervision of
Bishop Elder.
Times are hard here. This remark
will apply to most any place in the
United States. The low price of cotton
from 13 to IA cents is the present cause
of Outcry. When crop sells for less
than the cost of production the tiller
laments; and if merchants have been
for months furnishing supplies, on
credit, relying on that crop, they join
in the lamentatiOn. That is the state
Of things here, with this added trouble
that so many of these debtors for sup
plies are renters, and landlords have
the first grab and usually pay them
selves. Then l hear of divers strata
gems to avoid payment of these debts.
The fact in the risk of the matter, of
course increased the price of supplies,
and the size of the debt increases the |
chance of its perpetual unSettlement.
Some merchants will lose from 81, 5,0C0
70 $4,000. Cotton Square" presents
'ather lively aspect during the mid
lie of the day-Street thrOnged with /
wagons loaded with the great staple,
i've bales ou the wagon and five yoke
If little oxen attached, or fewer bales
md fewer oxen, till the last term in
his decreasing series, is cart, drawn
~ a comic little burlesque on the mule
.ribe, loaded with one bale, perhaps all
hat is left of the years ':crop" of the
jagged darkey who bosses the business /!
wish this poor representa-
i've of a large class of people. white
nd black, could be made to know
low much better it would have been
or him to raise corn, potatoes, peas,
meat, &C., and shake off
he chains with which King Cotton has
'ound him. The great mass of people
ere have lesson to learn, viz: H.
ustry and economy. That the road
o real success, even in in a temporal
ght alone, lies through slow savings,
used, and is not to be look
d for in large fortune picked up in a a
aason.
Owing to lack of railroad, there are =
ut two regular mails from the north t
,ee!ly. These are carried by the {
ackets, now doing big cotton trade I
.om various points above, and here to a
lew Orieaps.
December 12.--One of these steamers !
J to be up tonight, and l must en- !
rust this letter to the culled gemmen 5
That keeps the post Office. 5
1 intended writing of social life here, l
'hen l began this letter, but my pen :
J somewhat unruly, and when it gets !
going, like the one we have read Of q
Perhaps it may turn out song t
Perhaps turn out a sermon" Y
My the former would be minus poetry o
nd the latter theology. b
j. J. BURNS.