Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1876-01-14
Letter from St. Louis, no.


|
of some of my friends you will accord TO me
The privilege of occupying space in your col
umus for few moments.
Eight months ago was quietly nestled away
among the hills OF old Montgomery enjoying
tie balmy fragrance of early Sprngtme and
basking in the soft, mellow rays of warm
and genial sun. 1t was one Of those mornings
when before the great king Of day rises above
the gentle slopes of the East, you are awaken
ed uul of your dreams by the sweet melody
Of warbling birds whose carols are waited on
| high in praise OF n new season. Yes, twas
! just such Il morning ] was enjoying walk
| through the orchard, feastng upon the beau
| ties of nature being clothed in Der new mantle
Of lovely green, when suddenly paused; II
| new idea flashed across my mind which seemed
as bright rs II meteor rushing along beneath
the blue vault of heaven my resolution was
| firm. ! was alone in this world with no cares
| 10 bind me down within the narrow limits Of
the place once called home, | would geek my
| furlune and make myself II new home among
strangers in distant CLINE. week was
necessary for my preparations, and during
| that time only communicated my intention TO
Il few friends, so my exit WAS not at all gencr-
ally known.
The evening for my departure came, and
was performing the usual ceremonies which
take place on such occasions when | heard
some one on the porch halloo out-"A you
ready, old boy ~ knew the voice Of my good
old friend and soon we were on our way to
| the depot, walking leisurely along calling back
10 memory all the happy "reminiscences of our
earlier boyhood. forgetting all Of our many
| little quarrcls and weaving The iendrils OF al
fiction and love stronger around our hearts so
that, though separated we could live in memo
ry of each other as we Ind lived together for
so many long years. We had reached the
station and the time liable said had half an
hour TO wait, so we chatted gaily on till we
heard the old iron horse blow his whistle
down the road and soon The monster came
rushing mp aud had only "a minute in which
TO say farewell TO my friend, and as we stood
! with hands clasped in eternal friendship saw
large tear drops roll down his manly lace. ]
tried 10 speak, but my tongue Glove to the
roof of my mouth. The whistle blew and !
was off stood upon the rear platform and
watched my friends waving handkerchief
| floating in the gentle breeze cheering me
onward until al last it faded away in the dis
| lance.
In the course of twelve or fourteen hours
We had reached the base OF the mountain and
with slow tread the summit gained in
early morn when the hours were small, so the
grand scenery of which ! have heard so much
WAS yelled in the darkness of night but
down the mountain side we were hurled with
almost the rupidty Of lightning toward the
great and beautiful valley Of the MiSsisSi ppi.
Y on cannot imagine with what JOY heard the
conductor call ont EAST ST. Louis ~ Soon
We were seated in an omnibus to be conveyed
acrossed The mother of American waters on
the grandesl bridge the world has ever known
! We were in the heart of the city; Fourth
street ~ yelled The consequential driver back
| ing the bus up to the curGstone, and me and
my travelling satchel were unceremoniously
| precipilaed out on the pavement. For a
moment hardly knew which way 10 turn,
and for the first time realized | was an entire
stranger in the third largest city in the United
States
had not been settled very long in my new
home before ! WAS destined for another trip,
| so packing nv traps | was of for Texas
There WAS nothing which transpired to relieve
the mind from the duh monotony of every
day travel until we reached the swamps OF Ar
kansas. Corn and cotton are the chief pro-
ducts of this last mentioned State but we
passed through that portion where there was
neither cotton nor corn, certanly none Of the
latter, because what amused the passengers so
much was boy tying piece OF lead TO a
| pigs tail so that he would not turn summer
set when he commenced 10 root; we saw this
peculiar novelty while tie engine was taking
on water. passed through many small tow MS
Of interest Of which each had its liltle history
| to tell, but space is very precious, so ! Will
| only give an account OF few.
| Three years ago the cornerstone which
marked the dividing line between Arkansas,
Louisiana and Texas was considered the most
barren and forsaken spot on earth, but now
the little town of Teyark ma about two or
three thousand inhabitants, has sprung up and
is about equally divided in he three States
from which ii derived its name. The point of
trisection is not marked by the old stone now,
but by large well right in the centre of Main
street, from Which AL three States have
right TO draw water
We left Texarkana about ten A VI and in
II few hours ride The big swamps OF North
ern Texas, through which we passed over some
six or eight miles of lrestle work in very
slow pace, which afforded an ample time Ia
watch the Young aligaiors summing themselves
on fallen logs, and to admire the pond lilies
which were in great profusion rearing their
beautiful petals above the stngnant water
The sun WAS just shedding his last rays behind
the western hills when we arrived at the once
beautiful little CITY OF Jefferson. hut, alas, II
can hardly be called 2 city now with lis char
red walls standing in solemn awe as sentineis
Of its former wealth and luxury. Jefferson
used TO be the central point OF commercial
trade for all that section of country as far
west as hundred and fifty miles. but the rail
road struck it deadly blow from which II
will never will recover. or all the towns and
cities visited in the South Dallas appeared
TO be the most thriving and busiueSs-iike. Its
population two years ago only amounted to
some three or four thousand, but now it can
boast of having over fifteen thousand and is
| still making u rapid progress About eighteen
miles west of Dallas is n little town called
| Plano, which is indeed surrounded by the
most beautiful country have ever seen. To
see the immense fields of cotton, wheat and
rorn, intersPersed with green pastures where