Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1876-01-13
Letter from Kentucky.
BARDsTowN, KY, Jan. 6, 1879.
Dear Herald"

BARDsTowN, KY, jane, 1879.
Dear Herald"
Always choose a strange
to describe place. His eyes, not b linded
by heing used to customs. are far quicker
than hose Of a resident to notice the pecu-
liari,ies. Asa stranger here, let me give
a few first impressions of Kentucky. socie =
ty.
Kentucky society must be divided into
city and country include the towns as
country society. These who have na we'd
from Virginia to Western cttiss have com
planned of the coldness and formality of
manners. In some city families. for ill.,
stauec, i. is the custom to reserve the ar
lors, in the evening for the use Of young
and gay; and thus all social visiting by
business men and their families after bust
ness hours, is in those families discouraged.
This formality prevails. however, only in
Il certain class of faniliea
But country society in Kentucky h Is all
the warmth and cordiality of Virginia. And
what is there on earth more valuable than
the warm greetings OF the Old Dominion ?
Do they not add more to our hAppiu es S
than either wealth or educatien9 Wealth
without warmth, education without cor =
diality may make marble statue cold and
thrilling to the touch, but the warm h OF
heart makes man, friend, brother
And such is our society here.
CHRISTMAS poINGs.
Rarely have seen more excitement over
Christmas than Just here. The preseuc e
of large Catholic population makes it
great time: But unfortunately the M erri-
ment was not all temperate. For miles
around tlere:was II great deal OF DRUM en-
ness and fighting and numbering. 1t was
a very noisy time. The community is
cursed with liquor. In sixteen mics of
railroad yitiiI,g, We passed. six listillerie S,
and within distance oftorty or fifty miles
III one direction or another, there may be
forty distilleries. The Good remplars and
other temperance organizations are doing
all they can, but there is a mighty work
to be lape, land one which will require
more than any human power to break up
this evil here. 1t is terrible.
WEATHER.
We arrived in winter, bitter cold wealth
or, abou: the middle Of December. But
winter lasted only two days. and it has
been spring ever since. For Il week OF ten
days we had not even frost, violets blonm-
cd inlnodest beauty, the buds of the irult
tfses show ed themselves distinctly, the
splrea put forth its leaves, the lnagno lii.
buds were just ready to open, the peony
and other buds so far opened that we could
see the color of the flowers. OvercsaSs
were laid aside and all things lelt like
spring. 1t was delightful, but unhealthy.
CHURCHES.
We have here four churches, Baptist
Methodist, Presbyterian and Catholic
Thirty OF forty years ago there was 81 eat
discussion here between llr. Nathan l..
Rice and the Catholics. Pubic opinion is
done by tie discussion. Certain it is that
that the harmony of the community was
greatly married. and much bitterness Of
feeling prevailed. But much more har-
monlous relations now prevail. People
have learned that social relations need not
depend on religious unity,a warm friend
ship prevail among those Of different faith
The Cathedral of Kentucky, (now located
at LOUISVILLE was formerly here, and there
WAS in connection with it Catholic thco
logical seminary and a gills' school each
numbering about three hundred students
The former now numbers about eighty
and the latter probably two hundred,
There have been 1nany3mors conversions
from Professionalism to Catholiciam, and
from Catholicism to Professionalism than |
had expected to see.
But one of the most unfortunate features
here is the laxity of Sabbath observance.
Hunting, fishing and amusements Of all
sorts are common, and last Sunday after
noon the students OF the Catholic college
were drilled for some hours to the sound
Of martial music. l cannot SLY whether
the drilling was fun to the students, but it
was death to the quietness which eharac-
terizes our Valley S4tbAhs,
7. E. C.