San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1878-05-11

in a small cottage, in pioneer s'yie'
working on his firm and preaching at
different and distant points. lie has
promising crops of wheat, corn ETC.
His excellent and accomplished wife,
raised in abundance aud indulgence,
now milks five cows twice day and
does all the other household work.
Yet she says she is quite happy in tins
mode of life, as does her husband. we
were more than ever impressed with
the single. hearted devotion to duty OF
Elder Wan educated and very tai
ented gen.leman-in voluntarily con-
signing himself to his present hard
and obscure work. We fear he will
not be adequately rewarded in this
world, but trust he may be in q better.
Elder and Mrs. W. have three prom
Using children, the second OF whom
little Mamie, FIVE years old, treated US
to several songs. She has quite re-
markable musical gifts.
While here we called on Elder
Williamson's special friend, MIR. Diles.
He is good representative of the land
of Davy Crockett, aud we fancy may
resemble him somewhat. He has a
noble farm of three hundred acres, on
which there are now $50 acres OF small
grain of excellent promise-all volun.
teer. On the north Of his mansion is
a considerable bois dare grove or Thick
ct, twelve years old, which effectually
shuts off the uorthers and affords re-
fuge for multitudinous birds who furn'
ish the most stirring morning concerts
free. tie has two powerful looking
dogs, said to be very fcrocious, but we
saw only their almiable side-one of
them actually broke out into howls Of
lamentation on our departure,
MIR. Bilvs is rather an original char
acter, with much hard sense anu native
humor. He is physically powerful man,
We we're assured that once being us
saulted by fierce bull on the prairie,
and there being no means of escape, he
literally took the bull by the horns
both horns of the dilemma at once
and actually threw him down and broke
his neck! Mr.. B. is still the best man
on his place, and can cradle ten acres
of oats in day. He is 56 but looks
ten years younger.
On Sunday morning we attended
Elder Williamsons appointment at
Elm Grove-another very beautiful
place. One building answers for church
and school house. AS we sat on an Old
style bench with broad board nailed
up before us by way ola writing desk,
we felt for a moment like we had re-
turned to country school.boyhood. We
noticed that the infrmity oflate COM
ing in prevails in country as town, but
the house was finally we'll filed with a
respectable and attentive congregation.
Homeward bound at last, our com
pany stopped by invitation at Mrs.
Manlove's in Mountain City, where
an excellent dinner awaited us.
We were glad to make the ac-
quaintance of this excellent lady
aud her interesting family at their
pleasant home. An unmistakable air
of comfort, good taste, intelligence and
refinement pervades the place.
On our last stage we took in Maj.
Nance's. He has made some impor-
tant improvements since our former
visit, now nearly two years since; notably
the renovation of his dwelling; the
bringing of the water of the Blanco to
water his stock, for household purposes
and to ornament his grounds; and the
erection of new and enlarged Touring
mill, and also new gin to be run by
steam. The Major was daily expect
ins the arrival of our ex.Hoosier
friend, Mr.. Nordyke, to put in the ma
chiuery for these new buildings.
We reached home much gratifed
with our little excursion, and full of
the spirit of making others similar to
other parts of the county and parts
adjacent" As to our reception every
where, we feel like adopting the senti-
meut of Burns-only substituting
Texas for Highland"
"when deaths dark stream ferry DER,
\ time that surely shall come.