The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-11-06
MEMPHIS LETTER.
The Returned Refugee--Last meeting Of the
Safety Committse-Fat Time-What Shall
be Done to Stay the Summer Plague.
Special Correspondence of the Star.

Special Correspondence of the Star.
MEMPHIS, Tenn, Nov. 8, 1879.
At last we feel the long expected polar
wave fan our cheeks, and put life in our
veins. After heart-sickening siege OF
nearly four months, Jack Frost throws
open our gates to the world. The fieecy
staple Of the South, SO long withheld
from our merchants, floods the various
depots and landings, the idle cotton hook
of the laborer is again resumed and the
refugee merchant complacently smokes
his clear Havana.
1t is pleasant to note the look of Joy
on the face of the veteran of the epidemic
as he greets the rosy refugee, and casually
remarks that the saloons are all open.
General Peter Tracy, whose efforts last
year in behalf of the orphans gained
him reputation in the North, whose
name is lisped by all the babies in Mem
phis, and whose nose is the pride of the
grown people, was one of the first to re
turn.
1t was amusing to watch him 'head
'em off, by being the first to ask "Where
did you refugeew when he would give a
minute and hairlifting account Of his ex-
perience at home .-
Two friends met yesterday on Main
street for the first time in four months.
"Hello, jake" said one, "when did
you get inr'
"Just got in this morning had a
splendid time"
'Did, eh? Where did you stayr'
Cup in Pinch," responded Jake, as his
questioner turned away in disgust.
1t might be we'll to state here that
"Pinch" is an expressive name for one
of the suburbs of Memphis.
One refugee tells of the splendid oys-
ter bars in Salt Lake, another of the
delicious oranges of Maine, while an
other regales his hearers with a graphic
account of whale fishing in Lake Erie.
One seedy and pallid little dry goods
clerk tells of the rapid time he had in
Chicago, Ohio, while his partner loves to
dwell on the delights of Cincinnati, Mo.
A dapper little bank teller mourns
over the dark and wicked doings of
Paris, but from occasional scraps Of his
conversation, in which 'coon-hunts form
the prominent feature, one is led to be-
lieve that it is Paris Miss, and not the
French Metropolis that he speaks of.
After listening to a halt-dozen re.
turned citizens for half an hour, the
average man sadly realizes that the study
of geography was grossly neglected il
his youth.
The most joyful scene upon which the
curtain fell was the final meeting of the
General Committee of Safety on the las
day of October. Promptly at $3.50 in tht
afternoon the spacious Office of the Plant
ers' Insurance Company was cleared ant
made ready for business. The bulwarl
of the epidemic and President of th'
Committee, DIR. D. 7. Porter was OF
hand, and busily enga ed in placing
chairs around the council table with hi
own hands. A pleasant light shone il
his clear blue eyes, and pair Of short
pantaloons adorned his legs. Just be
: fore the time of meeting the doctor
adjusted pair Of eyeglasses on his be
nevolent nose and took survey of tn
situation.
"Doctor," remarked your correspond
ent, edo you think those eyeglasses will
ever form part of historyw
"Well, hardly ever" he remarked.
For as many good qualities as he pos
sesses, he is not guiltless of "Pinafore."
: The meeting called to order, the mem
bers of the press, with Others, took place
at the table. On one side were seate
DIR. Porter, W. A. McCloy, his secretary
S. L. Barinds, the handsome and tireles
agentof the Western Associated Press, ant
your correspondent. Several represent
atives of the local press were present. O
at one side sat John johnson, alias Hor
orable John, the Memphis member of tn
State Board of Health. He was the rag
gedist man in the crowd. He had doubt
less forgotten to comb his head and ha
had a serious rupture with his wash-we
man. His barber knew him not and hi
: tailor was his bitterest enemy. He sa
with his hands clasped and speckle
; coat on in an attitude of prayer, becom
: ing his deacon-like appearance.
: Chief Athy, large, portly and rosy, 50
| opposite him, beaming resplendent il
: brass buttons DIR. r. w. Mitchell, tn
D Memphis representative of the Nationa
5 Health Board, made famous by his re
mark that the stay-at-home Memphian
all belonged to the third class, had jus
; returned from a junketing expedition
around the Gulf coast, and would no
even acknowledge the presence Of a pola
!. wave by wearing an overcoat.
: While reading paper that came regu
: larly before the meeting, the Secretar
( read that the "work of the committe
was retarded by its individual members,
. when it should have been, "the work q
the committee was shared by its origins
members" upon which a facetiols re