Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1873-12-16
LEDGER.
THE SILVER LINING OF OUR CLOUDS


TIE SILVER LINING OF OUR CLOUDS.
The vitality Of Memphis is wonderful
her recuperatiye power beyond belief.
Take yesterday, for instance, or to-day.
Thousands Of ladies were on the streets
passing from store TO store inspecting
the immense stocks Of dry goods in the
market and making liberal cash pur-
chases. The numerous dressmaking
establishments, too, were crowded with
patrons unwilling to be put of too late
in the season. Yet many of them were
turned away disappointed on being told
that their work could not be done before
Christmas. Main street, from Union TO
Poplar, presented holiday appearance.
The city seemed full Of strangers all
kinds Of vehicles dashed TO and fro, and
well dressed crowds paraded the side-
walks as if making a grand promenade.
Men, women and child.:fen, city folks
and country people mingled in a com
mon throng tbe.t ebbed and flowed all
day. like Sow capped pillows on some
charming beach. Every department OF
pssAe and business was full Of life and
animation. Clerks and statesmen grew
weary with showing goods, dispatch
ing packages and filling orders. To
them it was day of pleasant toll to
the cheerful crowds holiday. Bank
ers, merchants and all classes looked
happy, and business generally looked
up. The Exposition yesterday and at
night was well patronized, and the thea
ter in the evening was attended by
large and fashionable audience. Busi-
ness on the levee was active all day, and
cotton moved briskly. Every feature of
prosperity visible any former year was
and is to be seen on our streets. The
city is alive with visitors bent on busi-
ness or pleasure. They GENE here to
look at the changes that have taken
place, to greet old friends, to buy goods
cheaper than ever before in the history
of Memphis, and to put all croakers to
shame. They find that cotton at four
teen cents will procure as much Of the
necessities and comforts Of life as in
former years when it brought eighteen
cents. These are comparatively flush
times, and we begin to Have more faith
in the future of Memphis than ever be-
fore. ANY city which, without artificial
aid or help, can stand the epizootic,
smallpox, freeze-up, long, cold winter,
a coal famine, the cholera and yellow
fever, and money crash, all in twelve
months, and then keep up to its standard
Of business, amusements and external
prosperity must have uncommon pluck
and tenacity, and a grand future.
Strangers from other cities express their
amazement at the business and life upon
our little Broadway, and those Of MS who
remained here during the yellow fever
can hardly realize suck a transforma-
tion. The gay throngs who attest our
commercial integrity and insure the
success of our merchant princes by their
presence and generous patronage, have
little remembrance or knowledge Of the
scenes to which we allude, nor would we
mar their light faces BY sad remin-
iscences, but it is not out Of place to call
attention to the contrast by way of con-
graduating our people upon such "a
happy change and on the glorious future
that awaits Memphis. While the cities
of the East and the North are full Of
people out Of work and full Of dark fore
bodings for the winter, Memphis, with
her manifold calamities, can hold up her
head and take heart for the future. The
prospect is truly encouraging. Let us
be thankful for so great a change and
prove equal to our glorious opportuni-
ties. With all our adversely we are
highly favored people, uncommonly
blessed, and the future, although not
devoid of its duties and anxieties, is
spread out before us like a scene of en-
chantment. which can be realized If We
only do our duty to ourselves.