Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1880-06-21

50 many Urodu CurViHS sweeps ~ S0OHo
like the letter S constantly repeating
itself. We are going due south one
hour, and the next almost north-as If
we had forgotten part of our errand,
and turned back to refresh our mem
ory.
Sometimes I wonder why we hug the
shore so closely when the waters reach
out so far and seem so deep on the
other side. The pilot tells me that be-
tween our steamer and the distant bank
there are dangerous sand-bars /; that
last year it was part of plantation,
but the river pre-empted the land. and
in this case a law suit could not compel
restitution.
By and by we leave the main river
and go into ''cut off, saving thereby
some dozens Of miles. At first the scut
off, was only broad ditch. but once
given pathway, it soon made room for
itself, each day broadening its channel
until it is now broad and deep enough
for the passage of the largest river
steamers. The soft soil all along the
river washes away continually, and the
channel of to-day may be a dangerous
shoal next week.
Sometimes these "cut offs are disas-
trous. The city of Vicksburg suffers
materially from the effects of change
in the river channel, and would hail
with delight "washout' which would
carry the deposit over the other side,
bringing deep water to their own city
front again.
Sunday morning found US at Vicks-
burg-on historic ground, where there
is much to interest one who cares to
linger among the memories of other days
when mothers hearts throughout the
length and breadth of our fair land were
bowed beneath their burdens of anxiety
and sorrow. We all 60 back some
times and sit by the sepulchre where
our hopes were buried, but not for long,
for hearts did not cease to bleed when
the war ended, and while crime and
disease are still busy in our land there
is work for all. At Vicksburg we ran
afoul fearful tragedy. The entire
town was talking about it, yet with
freedom from horror for the dark deed
which surprised me greatly. Familiar
ity with such things must smooth away
the rough edges wonderfully.
AS | went up the street heard the
story-all there was-being told. What
lay behind, and was known only to the
dead and to the assissin, was mere con-
lecture. There had been quarrel and
rum was at the bottom of it, as is al
most always the case the murderer
was rich mans son, young man who
had broken his parents hearts by his
profigate life, and now had brought
darkest shame upon their heads-the
gratitude with which some sons pay the
lifelong devotion of their parents. On.
up the hill l went, through a dense
crowd of people gathered about the home
to which drunken mans bullet had
brought the shadows almost too dense
for faith to penetrate. Into the house
made desolate l went. My heart sank
within me. What could [ do, what
could say to comfort that poor, strick-
en- mother, bowed with the weight of
years, crushed with grief, sitting be-
tween the two cofins which held her
dead boys? Strong and handsome was
the face of the elder, who had been his
mothers support and staff to lean upon;
bright and winning the face of the boy
who had just rounded his twentieth
year when death met him. 1t was g
cruel sight. | longed to take every
man in the land who believes he does
no wrong when he tempts his neighbol
to drink, and leading him to that strick
en- woman's side show him the faces ot
those dead men. II am not my broth
er's keeper" may suffice now, but there
, will surely come time when subtl,
reasoniDgs will not be all that is needed
: for defense.
; Vicksburg, like Memphis, is situated
, upon a high bluff, over looking th'
river. 1t is far more hilly than Mem
phis, with some straight shoots steel
) enough to remind one of San Francisco
So far as | was able to discover, tn
city is destitute of street-cars, and
r good many other conveniences | am ac
e customed to seeing. Its churches ar
/; not numerous, and think the Catholic
: outnumber the Protestants, as l SAY
D several crosses outlined against the sky
) The courthouse occupies commandin
. position upon hill, and is yer
: handsome building, standing in tn
g midst of well-kept grounds
q There was manifest disregard fc
It the Sabbath, the shops nearly all bein
d open and business hourishing as muc
# as on any other day.
J. Vicksburg is not pretty place, an
II she has vast amount of labor to pc
g form before she can place herself in lir