The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1879-08-01

July l6, 1879.
The life OF lawyer is u mos
chequered one, full of uncertain
ties and unexpected events. III,
never knows where he will be mex
week or even tomorrow. Will
only u few hours notice | have hat
to hurry away on the swiftest
wings of the steam dragon more
than q thousand miles from home
to the banks of the Missouri river
and OH the borders of Kansas
Of course / came here ON law bust.
ness to defend n suit in the circuit
court of this county. 1t may in-
terest your readers to learn what
| saw on the way, and what kind
OF country and people am now
among. A long aud severe drought
has blighted the crops all along
eastern and northern Mississippi
from Meridian to Tennessee. This
is the Egypt of Mississippi, and
the corn crop is a bad failure. Cot
ton endures drought better, and is
not so much hurt as corn, but all
crops will be poor in that region.
This drought and crop failure ex-
tends through Tennessee aud Ken
tucky, along the line of the Mobile
and Ohio railroad, to the Missis-
sippi river at Columbus, KY. The
intense heat and dust made the
cars a purgatory of no mild type.
AS sOoli as l crossed the Missis-
sippi there was u magical change.
The fields were waving with stall
wart corn, the earth was cool and
fresh, and the temperature agree
able all day on Sunday, the 18th
instant, as we swept down the val
ley of the Missouri to Kansas City.
All through Missouri the crops are
beautiful and splendid. The corn
will yield fifty bushels to the acre.
This is II very pretty and fertile
country and has IL good population.
! think that if our people will
move westward they had better
come to Missouri, but they had
still better stay at home, and go to
work earnestly and intelligently
and grow independent and happy.
This (Cass) county is a splendid
county, as fertile as a garden, with
u population of 10000, aud a peO-
pie tull of energy and Intelligence;
thrift and prosperity. Money is
scarce here, as elsewhere, but there
is plenty to eat and the people are
fat, sleek and happy. | thought |
was coming to strange land,
where nobody knew me, but to
my agreeable surprise have found
several persons who knew me III
my young days and others who
knew me in the late war, in the
Army of Tennessee. | have re.
ceived from them kind and warm
greeting, and from all whom | have
met | have received much Kindness
and courtesy. The judge aud the
lawyers and the officers of court |
have also been very courteous and |
kind. The bar here is very respect
able, both III character and ability. |
Altogether ] am really charmed |
with this splendid country and its
kind, hospitable and warm-hearted
people. OF course | feel
very much at hOme among these
gentle savages-these "border rut- |
ians" OF Missouri. | am told that
here are 1900 Confederate soldiers
II this county. One of these is
Captain Bledsoe, so well known in
he Army OF Tennessee as captain
If Bledsoe's battery.
The weather is intensely hot here
n the day time, but the nights are
'ery cool. Most of the people in
,ourt are in their shirt-sleeves.
Nearly all the lawyers in the court
Dom are in their shirt-sleeves.
yesterday noticed that seven of
he jury hearlng "a case were III
heir shirt-sleeves. The case was
IN interesting one. A lustful look.
ny young man was Oh trial charged
With abducting "a girl under Is
ears OF age and carrying her
way for libidinous purposes. The
ase was well prosecuted aud well
defended, and the jury, instead of
Ianging the defendant, hung them
elves, aud made II mistrial.
My case is to be tried ON the 26th
f July, and then | will hurry
ome, which l can reach on the
9th, and take a glorious plunge
nto the salt waters of Bay st.
Iouis. In the meantime, though
to get away, am living
n clover, eating splendid victuals
nd among pleasant people.
The crops in Kansas are also ex.
client, aud the outlook in all this
egion for '.hog aud hominy" is as
ood as it could possibly be.
Yours, in haste,
BEN LANE PUsEY.