The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1876-01-28
OoRRgsPONDENBE.


Two weeks ago, took leave of your
readers at the leap-year party given by
the lady members of LaCreoIe Encamp-
ment, c. R. c., at Dallas.
On returning to the Lovelady Hotel,
we found a number of ladies and gentle
men seated around blazing hearth,
engaged in earnest discussion of the
temperance question.
Having been engaged in that work for
a number of years, your correspondent
was greatly interested, although she had
felt convinced that the field had been so
thoroughly explored years ago, that
there was left no opportunity for even a
Livingstone or Stanley to immortalize
himself by making any new discovery
that would remedy the evil.
One of the most garrulous of the dis
putants, whose somewhat prominent
forehead would lead a student of phre-
nology to expect more brilliant things
of him, took the position that the agita-
tiOn of the question was detrimental to
temperance principles, and that if we
wished our nation to attain the front
rank in the worlds temperance army,
we must disband all our temperance or
ganizations, and adopt the plan he al
legged they followed in France and Ger
many-rear our children amongst a will
derness of wine-presses and breweries
This chronological mistake and prod
ICY of loquacity even contended that the
| Wise Man was mistaken when he as
serted that child trained up in the way
he should go would not depart from it
when he was old, as those most carefully
trained were more liable to become
moral wrecks than were those who had
no training at all. could scarcely re-
strain myself from participation in the
discussion; but seeing that the side o.
the question would have taken was in
safe hands, obeyed the injunction tc
"keep silence"
During the following day had an in,
teresting interview with Miss Lewis
who is totally blind, and is student al
the institute for that unfortunate clas:
at Salem. She is remarkably cheerful
and intelligent, and seemed to be &
standing reproof to those of US who are
blessed with all our senses, and yet e
complaining through life. This young
lady lost her sight at the age of tel
years, but treasures in her memory
those beautiful images that were photo
graphed there in early childhood, as tht
most sacred of all others. Said she
could these sightless orbs but opeI
again upon the dazzling beauties of ere
alton, could never tire of gazing will
admiration and awe upon them.
would not-I could not complain a
anything-nothing could make me IN
happy"
In the evening, in company will
friends, attended service at one Of tn
village churches, where 1 witnesses
something that recalled memories of m,
girlhOod days in the old Buckeye Stat
the minister cline" the hymn for tn
congregation. The minister manifesto,
commeudable zeal in his calling, an
though he took special pains to assur
US that it was no part of his mission t.
preach politics, could but notice tina
the ultima of the name of the church t.
which he warned sinners to flee, wa
borrowed from that part of the compass
opposite the polar star
On Monday, my travelling companion
and 1 made a number of calls among
our friends of the Social Circle, and a
Mrs. Lyle's comfortable and tastefu
suburban home, we Joined that happ
and refined family in a splendid countr
, dinner. Talk about city life ! Com
pared with those who know how to en-
joy the country, we don't live at all i
the city; we only stay. By-the-way
we promised to visit Dallas again mex
summer, and join our friends in an ex
cursion up the clear, pebbly LaCreole
in quest of glorious, speckled trout.
At night we attended the regula
meeting of the Encampment, on whic
occasion the Grand Commands
through some mysterious Psychologist
means, delivered the very speech W
had been studying up for days, but W
were happy, nevertheless, for VIII
could be otherwise in the society {
such people as compose the membershi
of that Encampment?
. At late hour We gave the partin
hand to our companions in the Ordel
with full heart-full of fraternal Low
for each of them, full of thankfulnes
that we had been permitted to Wis
! them and cheer them on in their nobl
work, and full of love for the gloriou
; Order, in which and through which W
had found friends not only there, bU
elsewhere, whom we can trust in th
storm, as we'll as in the sunshine.
WAILEC.