Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1874-08-28
{. ROUGHING IT..
Box Aqua SPRINGS. HrCknAS Co. !; T Ts7s

DEAR LRDGER-This is not plac
where the votaries of fashion assembl
to court the looking.glass and the adm
. ration of gay crowds. 1t is not a politi
cal Mecca where party leaders meet 4
arrange affairs on the chess board o.
state, nor in any sense news center
Baden Baden or a whirlpool OF excite
ment. Papers from Nashville are day
old and from Memphis always two or
three days old when received. The news
so brought is never fresh or eagerly
sought. The mails are consistently
irregular, and we can hear from New
York almost as soon as Memphis. /
have been here about ten days, exclusive
of Sundays, and received not more than
FIVE copies of the LEDGER, which | am
sure is mailed every weekday. The
morning papers are almost as uncertain;
still, we have learned to do without the
papers, having little sequestered world
in miniature all to ourselves, where the
affairs of church and state seldom in
trude, but where all the phases of cult
waited people and society are visible.
Nobody has anything to do excep: to eat
three meals day, which they are sure
to do with the utmost punctuality. Yet
everybody is busy, almost too busy to
write a letter. Killing time is one
of the fine arts, and is practiced
here as well as at the great wa
tering places. A description of the
various means employed is usually
monotonous to the reader, though not
so to those engaged. A jenkins could
soon describe the ladies toilets, as they
wear what they please, and look all the
sweeter in their palmer. attire. There
is said to be much dress here, but the
more expensive part of it lies in the
bottom of huge trunks and seldom sees
the light. So much the better, as its
absence assures the absence OF much
conventionality.
There is said to be some game in this
vicinity, but none Of our party are as
fond of the sports Of the field and wood
as of the stream, which brings me to the
point at which l might have started. We
had heard much of the fine fishing in
Piney and Duck rivers, and last Monday
4.
morning at an early hour five of us left
the Springs for point said to be six
teen miles southwest Of here, but not as
yet laid down on any map. l hope the
next map maker, the State geologist, the
fellow that gets up Appleton's Railway
Guide, and Seribners Southern CORE
spoudent, will visit the confluence OF
those two rivers, Piney and Duck. 1t
will learn them few things about physi-
cal geography not as yet found in any OF
the books. The expedition was COM
posed of Captain Wilbur 7, Simmons,
j. G. Jefferson, of Memphis; Mr.. Deems
and son, of this place, and your corre-
spondent. We had guns, dogs, fishing
Announcements, camp equipage, and
two mule spring wagon, with only lin
tied supply of provisions and water.
Proper precautions, however, were taken
against snake bites. We started through
a rolling black jack country, and saw
but few houses for eight or ten miles.
Then we struck Piney river and few
good farms. This is a clear stream,
at places deep, and walled
with rugged, perpendicular cliffs,
reminding the traveller of some vast
canyon, on a small scale. At other
places it is shallow and swift. On the
way we suddenly came in sight Of Ora
hams cotton factory-a place | never
had heard of before. 1t is on Piney
river, but run by steam, and / suppose
requires about seventy-hye regular ope-
rators. The main building is a FIVE
story brick of splendid proportions.
Near by is steam grist and Touring
mill and saw mill and store, and in a
few hundred yards is the elegant resi-
dence of the proprietor, and in full view
on little hill is magnificent monu-
ment Of Italian marble, erected to the
memory Of his two deceased wives. The
third one is yet in the flesh. A fine
farm Of many hundred acres spreads
out in every direction, droves of fine
mules and flocks Of blooded cattle run
in the fields, and on every hand are evil
dences Of the wealth and prosperity OF
the proprietor. he is the richest maa
in the county, and, perhaps, in Middle
Tennessee; owns two-thirds Of the Ma
tional Bank in Franklin, has an interest
in a large commercial house in New
Orleans; holds 100000 in Government
bonds, and has everything that money
will buy. His life bears some resem-
blance to that Of Andrew Johnson
whose great friend he Island shows
what may be accomplished by one who
adheres to a fixed purpose through life.
{ BE is from North Carolina, and by trade