Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1875-07-25
ened for life's conflict /?

! ened for llte's conflict?
In one or two of these yards are how-
er beds, filed with plants whose bright
blossoms shed sweet incense on the air,
and fill our hearts with glad thankful
ness.
On Sunday we attended morning SER
vice at the Baptist church, and then
went to ''colored baptizing. Long be-
fore the ceremony commenced, the banks
were crowded with sight-seers, among
whom | saw many northern people, So
journers in the city. Soon heard vol
ces singing plaintlve hymn and the
procession appeared, the candidates all
dressed in white, the men wearing white
shrouds which reached below their knees
and were belted at the waist. Beneath
peeped their dirty, bedraggled and often
ragged pants, and above. their black fa-
ces and kinky hair. Their appearance
was grotesque enough to provoke smile.
Notwithstanding the solemn occasion.
Some twenty persons were immersed,
but perfect decorum was observed both
by the candidates and the spectators. In
the afternoon we attended the funeral of
fireman at the Catholic Cathedral, and
at night services In the Presbyterian
church.
DIR. Irvine, the pastor, impressed me
strongly with two ideas One, that he
is not afraid of the truth and is elo-
/ quently able to enforce its precepts the
other, that he is in heart pastor. No
ticing we were strangers, as soon as SER
vice ended he came to US, inquired our
names and boarding place, expressed
pleasure at seeing US and bade US well
come. If other clergymen will go and
do likewise, they will win more souls,
make more friends and manufacture
more popularity than they ever will ex-
pounding theology, pounding the pulpit,
pitching into people who have a mind
differing from theirs, and quoting poetry.
The city cemetery is large and very
beautiful. Many fine monuments are in
the grounds and large artistic skill is
displayed in the decorations of some of
the private lots. In fact, / never saw
SO little in large cemetery to jar ON
good taste. A bright green shrub forms
the hedges and is frequently made to
take most graceful shapes, often forming
an arch over the entrance. We were
too early for most of the flowers, but
the japonicas were out, and a gentleman
in charge, whose empty sleeve bore wit
ness that he wore the gray, gathered
some for US.
Out to the west of Augusta, three
miles away. rises a spur of the famous
Georgia sand hills. The town has idly
stretched itself along until now the very
heights are cottage crowned, and soon
Summerville will leave even proud old
Green street behind, in the march tow
ard tasteful homes and beautiful sur
roundings, for many of the residences in
this little suburb are very lovely, almost
approaching the luxuriant and quite
reaching it in Natures domain-the
gardens. The street cars have kept pace
with the people, and now the weary
horses rest after their tug up the hill at
the very gates to the grounds around the
United States Arsenal, which found its
way here in 1927.
Confederates found their way here,
too, right speedily, and possessed them
selves of all the place contained, then
they proceeded to build workshops and
store-houses. which stretch their length
of five hundred feet out toward the val
ley beyond, as if they would fain slide
down into forgetfulness. The gentle
manly officer in charge showed us over
the building, and gave US considerable
information about the arms and NUM-
tions of war stored there. Among the
relics are some Of the wooden guns cap
tured from the south. The view from
the cupola Of the arsenal is charming.
The city lies at our feet, her broad streets
and shaded walks stretching out to the
fair fields which skirt her eastern bor-
der; the church spires CLEAN in the sun
shine ; even the old fire bell, hanging
lazily in its huge frame in the middle
of the streets, loses its incongruity Of
position and seems TO mingle harmoni-
ously with the surroun ding objects over
on the north, 50 Dear it seems as if we
might touch them, are the green hills
of South Carolina winding around at
their feet is the broad Savannah. too far
away for us TO see its muddy nastiness.
and forgetting that, catch myself soft
ly repeating:
/ Beautiful river. onward glide
/ Ia thy destined course 70 the oceans tide;
So youth, mpetn0as. bngsto b.
Tossed on the waves of maBhood's sea-"
TRUFAx.
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a Il