Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1879-09-20
Correspondence of the Chronicle).
LEADVILLE, COLORADO, !
Sept. 18th, 1879.


Some years ago, when 1 was
boy and lived in Virginia, l took a
journey to distant place; and on
the evening before 1 started, while
I was packing my trunk, my uncle,
who was the embodiment of all
that was good and noble in man
came into the room, and said
"John, my son, when you get over
thar, / will send you snipe's bill ~
"But, UNCLE" [ replied, "what have
I to do with a snipe's bill? The
bird who owns such a bill is moth
ing but Il worm eater and a mud
sucker, and l don't for the life of
me see how it can serve me in any
way" "Never mind" he replied,
81 shall send it to you neverthe-
less" and / said no more about it,
for | knew he loved me with his
great, big honest heart, and that he
would not do or say anything that
would be detrimental to that line of
mental and moral advancement
which he so much desired to place
me in.
About two weeks after ] arrived
at my destination, | received a let
ter from home: l opened it with
some emotion, and found enclosed
a draft for Fifty dollars on New
York, made payable to my order,
which surprised me greatly, and ]
concluded at once that this was
THE sNIPE's BILL.
And in my heart, deep and CRATE.
full, l thanked him for this unlocked.
for act of kindness to me. [ then
read the letter. 1t was a long one
it gave me some news of interest
and I was delighted with many
parts Of it, especially the good
wholesome advice which was ingen
uously interspersed through several
pages; and he wound up by saying
"And now, my son, you will doubt
less say, why, uncle has not sem
me the snipe's bill, but it is here
l have sent it; you will find it il
all its length of tongue and penetra
ton of bill, in my good advice; il
my words of cheer; in the effort
have made to instil in you those
principles which rise above the low
ambition to live for self alone"
folded the letter and put it in nay
pocket, land my spirit flew in though
to his side. He was seated in hi!
old armchair, and l knelt before
him, and asked him to receive my
offering of love and obedience.
And now, Mr.. Editor, ii there ar,
any
SNIPFS' BILLS
to any of your readers in what
shall write before the conclusion o
this letter, l hope they will receiv,
them in the kind spirit which ha
prompted me to give them.
WEI LEFT GAINESVILLE
in good spirits, and fair prospect
before us. Arriving on time in Lou
isville, and after partaking of an eX
cellent supper, we boarded the stree
cars destined for the Ohio and Mis-
sissippi r. r. depot. Having Sc
cured a lower berth in the sleeper
it was not long before the trail
started for the great metropolis G
the Northwest. When advanced wei
on the bridge Chat masterpiece c
the genius of Albert Fink l lOOkei
out toward the north, and all tn
heavens were lit up by the gold c
sunset. Great banks ofcloud lOOme,
up in the sky with tops resplenden
the lights and shadows blending
i'm softest tints, until lost in the gra.
mists of evening toward the far dis
tant south. The stars, after while
came peeping out, one by one, ant
/ watched them as familiar friends
and babe them goodnight to wan
der awhile in the land of dreams.
About sun-up walked, and pull
ing aside the curtain of the window
l looked out upon the broad fieid
where golden grain had been Ia.
vested, the feeble sunlight SHE ,,nor
through the early mists o. ~