The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1877-11-30
TEN DAYS IN TIE NORTH

weeks of brief visit to some ole
familiar scenes, few impressions o
which, at this time, may be of gen
eral interest.
The route northward, | may
premise, had never appeared to me
more interesting, as on a 6ue morn
ing in October, we rolled over the
splendid track of the Atlantic and
Western Railroad along the valleys
and mountains of North Georgia.
The cotton, corn and newly sowu
wheat fields, contrasted with rich
effect the mountain ridges, then gay
with their autumnal tints of gold
scarlet and purple. had not real
lied before that there was so much
good, careful cultivation along the
line of this road, aud, still less that
the coloring of our trees in autumn
compared so favorably with the
boosted foliage of more celebrated
lands. When increasing wealth and
denser population shall have clear
ed up some more of the forest shall
have sown more thickly the towns
and villages and covered the val
legs with grass and the bill sides with
sheep pastures and orchards, though
we travel far, ''no fairer land will
there be to see."
In Tennessee and Virginia l was
struck with the recuperation that
had taken place since | passed along
that line seven years ago. The old
fields had generally been well fenced
and cultivated The smooth, neat
surface of the wheat fields, indicated
the growth of more careful cultiva
ton. Many villages had grown, and,
put on fresher dress. Some new
ones had been built. Many dilapi>
dated buildings had disappeared.
The paint brush had evidently been
working its marvels, and old styles
of architecture had given place adj
vantageously to modern forms. The
famed valley of East Tennessee, al
ways beautiful, had never appeared
to me as lovely, and as we threaded
our way among the mountains, or
glided over the noble plateau from
Charlottesville on to the Rapidan,
the grand old plantations, with their
mansion homes, in the little groves
on the hill tnps, IN bold relief against
the cloud Swallowed spires of the Blue
Ridge, presented scene not easily
surpassed in this or any other coun-
try. The Old Dominion is obvious
ly resuming something of her ancient
look and manner. The dismal fields
from Manassas on to Alexandria even
are frightening up little, under the
hand of English and other immi-
grants whom she has so wisely in
vited to her aid and a common lot
with her native citizens
North Of Washington ! was most
impressed with the immense expend-
iture, in these later years in grand
edifices, great hotels, railroad depots,
churches, banks, insurance Offices,
country seats, suburban villas, and
the great increase and extent of the
towns and villages. The architec-
tural and artistic effects which it has
taken Europe centuries to obtain,
our couhtrymen seemed to have
sought to realize at once and on a
grander and more lavish scale if not
always with as correct a taste.
fear they have been too fast and
are San age too soon" The idle
laborers standing iii groups in the
cities or tramping along every high
way, suggcsted often the folly of this
premature extravance and almost
criminal investment in this unpro
ductive form of the wealth, now so
sadly needed for useful purposes.
1t was cheering to learn from bu,
siness men 10 our large cities how
ever, that business was generally
improving, although its revival is
slower than many had hoped or ex>
pected.
1t had not been my privilege to
visit the Centennial Exposition, and
it was therefore with great pleasure
found 10 an interval of business,
the opportunity to take brief
glance at the ground and buildings.
these all remain as they were with
few exceptions. | was surprised to
find that so many large andsvaluable
collections were still retained. Those
which saw appeared study for a
month. What then must have been
the magnitude of the collection when
opened to the public last year! OF
course the principal buildings wiE,
gradually disappear with the excep-
ton of the Memorial Hall as the city
of Philadelphia can not afford to pre-
serve them nnaided. That will con-
ssitute 10 itself noble monument of
the national jubilee. 1t seemed to
me the most perfect building for its
purpose, have ever seen 10 our
country. There are in it, yet many
choice collections worthy in them
selves of visit to the lovers of me-
dieval and foreign art. AS you looks
ed upon this beautiful edifce, you
could but wonder, whether the next