The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-06-30
LETTER FROM OUR TRAVELLING COR
RESPONDENT.
HIS DoINGs AND REFLECTIONS IN A TRIP FROM
NEW ORLEANS TO SUMTER, SOUTH CAROLINA.
SUMTER, South Carolina, June,


SUMTER, South Carolina June, 1874
Dear BMLetin-" Thus far have we gone int
the bowels Of the land" and halt to give yor
the benefit of our observation.
It's indeed refreshing to the heart and mine
to leave behind the hard times talk and Ions
faces of that Paradise of Sambo, the once
glorious and happy Crescent City. The trip
to Mobile proved to be an absolute luxury
If our particular friend Cakes Ames did pat
ent the demoralizing process of putting ones
money where it would do the most good, he
at least deserves a kind thought from our cit
liens for the construction Of the model New
Orleans and Texas Railroad.
Every department of this road seems to
work with perfect exactituds, and the comfort
Of passengers seems to be the prime considera-
ton Of its officers.
Mobile appeared stupidity dull. The mer-
chants, in the excess Of their patience, have
a Micawber-like expression of cOuntenance,
which the arrival of the millennium would not
disturb.
[ There is no prettier drive in the South than
the Bay road, embellished as if is by luxuri-
GUS summer homes and beautiful public gar
dens on either side.
Took the night train for Montgomery, where
we arrived at breakfast time. The last time
we visited the capital Of Alabama was during
food of glorious "reminiscences passed before
my minds eye that the present seemed OBJ
scured
The delusiOn was made more perfect when
on entering the eating house, in obedience to
the gentle hint of a euphonious gong, we were
presented with cup of real chicory coffee
This beverage, together with the inevitable
corn dodger and fried bacon, constituted our
morning repast. Approaching the cashiers
desk we laid down a Confederate dollar bill in
settlement for the feed, when, to my mortifca-
ton, it was refused by the presiding deity of
small change. This was awkward We as
sured the stolid-looking cashier that we could
well afford the price, yet he demurred Oh !!
how longed for Hawkins here, that might
have mandamussed him to be compelled to re-
ceive the currency
Inmy blandest tone asked the gentleman
why he declined receiving the money, init
mating that we should be reduced to the ne
cessity OF asserting our legal rights, etc. He
replied, Don't that bill read payable six
months after a treaty of peace between the
Confederate States and the United States OF
America ?" We took the liberty of reminding
him that the war had commenced in 1860, and
could not possibly have lasted to this late day.
He persisted that no treaty OF peace had been
made, either in the hearts of the people or by
the rulers of the land. His logic was unan-
swerable. Iawoke to the stern reality which
he had pictured, satisfied his demand with
greener looking shin-plaster, and pursued our
Journey in moody meditation.
One more souvenir of the Confederacy
appeared at Opelika, where Hubbard, the old
blind peddler, yet fourishes and vends hard
billed eggs, fried chicken, and pindars. We
accused the good natured old cuss of offering
for sale the identical chicken legs which he
had on his waiter in 1864, but he solemnly
denied the soft impeachment.
Arriving at Columbus, Georgia, we found
every evidence Of prosperity and improve
ment Under the white mans government,
now happily extant, the many industrial in
OF Georgia flourish. The music of
the loom fills the heart with melody, while the
chngor Of vast machine shops speaks of the
giant resources Of the State now being
thoroughly developed by hopeful, enterprising
citizens.
Crop prospects in Central Georgia are
indeed encouraging. The showers Of the
past two weeks came just in the nick of time
to make the cover. Cotton looks healty, md
the wheat crop now being cut has fulfilled
the fond hopes Of the farmer.
NV next letter will be from the once proud
Palmetto State, now, alas! the prey of a
horde Of vampires, who out-Kellogg Kellogg
Thine eyermore, APEMANTus.