New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-01-09
A TRIP TO THE SOUTH.
NOTES OF 4 NlD.wINTER JOURNEY.


CHURCH.
trrov ESPECIAL CORRESPONDENT OF TUE TRIBrNEl
MONTGOMERY Ala Jan. 5.--Lcaving Cleveland
Ohio in the midst of the recent GELD snap, ana IIaN
cling "A nearly due South toward the Gun oil Nick
leo as railway lines run, had an excellent oppoI-
tuniy of observing the relations of latitude To cir
mate dprin2 season of unusually low temperature
extending all over the United States. The mercury
stood at 10 below zero in Cleveland, when inc
train ran ont Of the station at 7;l3 on the morning
of the I'd. There was 10 wind from the frozen
lake the cold beng of that quiet intense sort ihat
penetrates the thickest clothing. Snow covered
the groand to the depth of perhaps fifteen lncheS'
In sptr Of all that two rcd-hot stoves could dot"
warm the parlor car. the windows remained
frosted all daV. We ran slowly Tor lear
of ing rails and although the track was Clear
lost two hours in getting to Cincinnati. Ia S"n'h-
crn Ohio there was no perccP,lb'c difference Ih TIC
severity Of the weather The men on the station
platforms had their ears tied up and evidently s1i-
fered Will, handling the baggage and express PAL
GELS AZ Cincinnati the mercury stood 10 bc.oW
zero People who We're Obliged t. be In the
streets travelled at dog-trot 10 quicken the cIcn-
lation % the blood. The Ohio River was frozen
from shore 10 shore and the steamboats,
at the wharf looked like the craft OF
an Arctic exploring expedition laid up for
not nearly as deep as IN Northern ONO
but the landscape was essentially siberian. Wewere
fifteen hours on the road between Cincinnati and
Louisville. A wheel on the postal car broke. but
the ear behaved with such consideration as 10
change the anger of the shlvcring passengers INTO
gratitude, for it on the ties across treStIe
spanning deeper gulf than that at AShtabula, and
did moi Jump into the snow until safely over. In
Louisville Saturday morning the thermometer
marked zero. Business was almost wholly suS-
pended. Jack Frost had put up white shutters on
all the shop windows, and the streets were as quiet
as though 1t were SUNDAY
South of Louisville the depth of snow diminished
perceptby from hour to hour, and the temperature
moderated. In Southern Kentucky the sedge grass
gan to show in patches, like brown pattern on
white carpet and i'm Northern Tennessee 1t got the
better Of the snow, and gave the predominant
color TO the fields. We reached Nashville
two hours after ngbtfall, to find the mercury
standing at TO- above zero and to observe that the
snow wa3 thin sheet only about an inch in thick
ness I'm Southern Tennessee and Northern Ala
bama could see by the moonlight that there had
been Just perccpible dash of snow, but after md
night the sky clOudeG mp and the flakes began to
fall, not small aud dry, AS in the North but
large and moist. In Montgomery, where we
arrived at o'clock on Sunday morning,
the ground was covered to the depth of over an
inch and the mercury marked 2S above zero. 1t
soon began to thaw but people complained of the
extreme cold and huddled about the Stove'. TO
one lust from the North the weather was delightful,
resembling that of a mild day III March. 1t was a
little frigd the hotel sltting-room, where there
were three broken panes III the windows, ana
where a ShvcTiHg negro making fire with
three pieces oil hight wood and two haudstui OF
coal but outof-dOOrs the air vas just cold enough
tomakc walking agreeable. was told that 1t had
frozen hard for three nights III succession in Mobile
"A remarkable circumstance, they say.
At Bowling Green, KY, yesterday. nicely
dressed and lady-like young person entered the
smoking-car, which, on all Southern railways, is
set apart for coored peopeas vol for the votares
of the weed. As she the whtest woman had
seen on the train, ! supposed she had made mis-
take and wOud go Immediately to the ladies car
but she sat down with her feet in pool OF tobacco
juice, and evidently intended to stay. WITH her
carrying two tTayelnng-DagS came. man ol uh-
mixed African blood. hut OF intelligent counten-
ance and dIgniied manners. He turned the back
of a seat deposited hls bags. and, sitting down be-
side the Young lady, began a familiar conyeTSa-
ton When the conductor came around the
man paid the fare for both. sun thought
he might be servant, but l mar
yelled at his easy MANNER with ms mistress. me
girl had an unusually bright ANA pretty face, blue
ewes. and fine, straight, hght-bIown hair. she
wore fur-trlmmed cloak over her black dress; ana
"A nattv sea-skin cap. The negro was Well-ciid, MS
nolislcd boots enCaseQ IN new lHbhclN, anu
his oVcTcOat was of excellent maternal. lhc giH
listened with interest 10 hs talk ana gave nm
now and then an aiectiOnate glance. MY curiosity
was more and more aroused to know Wnat cuu!d
be the relationship of this IasSOrted couple, IA
it a case of practical amalgamltonI y " no Is tnat
white woman travelling with negro man i
asked the conductor. lie laughed and sad: y mats
no white woman; she's cOoTed. She Keeps niger
school in Franklin. The man is probably porter
in some hotel Very likely they're gong on 10 get
married / went back TO the smokIhs-caI ana
took another look at the wOman but cOuld as
cover 10 trace of negro blood Ill her pretty face.
Her lips were rather full, but Ill most white women
sucb funess would be thought beautiful. she
could not have had more than one-slAteehth Oh
black blood IN her VEINS, and yet southern race
prejudice cuts her wholly OFF from white society.
Having twelve hours to spend III Montgomery
before the train started for New-OTieans, I'M
proved a part of the time by going to church. 1t IS
a goOd thing 10 do anywhere, ana In tle cou'h
quite essential, If the tourist wants 10 get Il
glimpse of the best elements OF society Inc de-
nOminatlOn was Baptist, ana the DulluIns large
brick structure, with handsome audlehce-roOlh;
The sexton told me to select seat wherever i
pleased which was hOspitable if not polite, accord
ing to Northern standards. l noticed with some
surprise that most of the men were reading news
papers while waiting for the services 10 DeGlh'
Perhaps they were religious journals, but news,
papers of some sort they uuquestohaDIy were, anu
they were turned and folded and rusted win as
much freedom as If the place had been a pubic
reading room. good deal oil utsullOIS Cnat went
on in scarcely suppressed tones OF voice. " had a
good slide tins morning. remarked a glrl De-
hind me, 10 a gentleman gentleman III
tion that the cold weather made hun feel hht an
old horse turned out TO pasture" AS soon as the
minister went up the pulpit stairs, however, the
people became hushed and Tevcrent. There was
InuCh larger proportion OF men than Is usua!Iy
found in Northern congregations, and the rear pews
were filled with young men. Inc women were
dressed with becoming simplicity, ana black coats
were not the rule among the male wOrshlpptTS. In
fact the whole congregation seemed TO THINK more
of hearing the preacher than OF displaying fashion,
able fincTy. A small dog ran up and down TIL aisle
and barkcd during the prayer but nobody seemed
10 mind him. The minister. tall, gaunt south
Caroliniau, with straight black haT hanging down
ms neck a towering forehead ana prominent,
clear-cut features. had the gitt of oratorS winch
IL Ii LELuLIkLLLH M.LILL. Inc