The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1874-08-02
Correspondence OF the phunrx.

Correspondence OF the Phonix.
CHEROKEE SPRINGS, July ~, 1874.
The daily visit of your paper brings
to tho afflicted ones gathered here the
only tidings which they ever obtain of
the world they have left behind. and
ia, therefore, an event Of Importance
to the few whose cases permit them to
take an interest in anybody or any.
thing but themselves. But for the
topics which are thus furnished, We of
the stronger sex would retain our
knowledge of language only because
we are within the influence of thut
faculty possessed by woman, which
enables her to talk increasingly about
nothing. Even with your friendly uid,
we sometimes exhaust our store Of
topics long before the duy is spent.
and. when that il the cast, the talking
is cou6ned 10 the ladies' until the
arrival Of the next null. It was during
one Of these sud blanks in our exist
ence that yonr correspondent was, not
long since, introduced to two charm
ing young les from Charleston. He
felt as bnshful as boy Of fifteen, aud
| does not remember to this hour what
he said, or whether he said any thing
at all or not. we have quite number
of amusements within our reach, but
we mako it point never to seem
amused. We arc far too gentecl for
that The calm dignity which sur
rounds us, and which is inseparuble
from a place Of such high respectu-
bility, will admit of no boisterous
mirth, no demonstrations of pleasure.
We play ten-pins and billiards US if we
were engaged in the most serious busi-
ness of life, and dose ourselves with
mineral water in solemn silence. No.
thing less than the comet has been
sufficient to elicit from us the slightest
expressions of interest. OF course, it
was the duty of gentility to go iuto
ecstasies when that stranger put in its
appearance, and to make numerous
surmises as to the length Of its append
age; but even then we did not So fur
forget ourselves as to use tho word
''tail. The forenoons We devote to
outside amusements. From dinner to
supper, SO far as I have been able to
ascertain, the ladies are engaged in The
interesting occupation Of the toilet,
while the men roam about in AL aim
less way or sleep Off the effects Of an
enormous moal. We are oil great
eaters. from Ton Collins down to our
most emaciated dyspeptio. The water
creates in the poor invalid who comes
here a most ravenous appetite long
before he is strong enough to operate
successfully the machinery of mustica.
tion. After supper. the ludies float
into tho parlor befounced and be.
frizzed al intimituns, noi 60 make con
quests. for tho one sorry-lookiug
bachelor here long ago captivuted
without condition, but to serenely en-
Joy the assurance that conquests would
he made, were there other worlds to
conquer. There are but few young
ladies among our guests. but those
few are incomparably beautiful and
accomplished and would turn the
heads of q whole tribe of bachelors.
We have no end of music, which is
certainly oreditable in d quantitative
sense, and there are eight of US who
manage to get up dance every other
night. It would infringe too much
on the dignity Of the place to dance
every night. The number of guests is
about forty.
The crops up here are better thun
they have been within the memory of
that very old inhabitant who lives
somewhere among the mountains, and
remembers distinctly the curious noises
made by Bald Mountain long before
the revolutionary war. Mr.. Black has
| on his Cherokee plantation the iinea.
corn and cotton that I have seen in
the State. He will make seventy-fiye
bushels OF corn to the acre. and over
bale of cotton. If the present pros
pect is realized, snch crop will be
gathered this fall as will place the peo.
pie in the upper Counties on IL firm
footing.
There is very little to say as to poll.
tics. The people up here manifest
hardly any interest in the inll nomina-
tions and elections, which may be, as
you say, the effect of "passive impress
sions." and not, as appears to me, of
the idea that the contest will be hope
less. The persons of note with whom
[ have conversed favor straight out
Democratic ticket, and the orgsniza-
tion Of State Government, with our
nominees at its head, whether they re.
ceive majority Of the votes or not.
They think that such q course would
place Us in q condition that would sc.
cure the aid OF the General Govern.
ment. II