Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1880-01-31
sroczEoLDERs-
For the CHRONICLE.
Bristol, Tenn.

| Bl1SCOI. "A Wdftu, SOU Df0eAG QTlIE
over the mountains and seems II
bear in its embrace the fragrance 0
fresh flowers springing on those
heights. This would all be very
delightful did we not know thai
exacting winter will have back its
own and fold tickle April and flow.
cry May in its chilly arms, and, in
exchange for this soft air, send spite.
full winds that will drive back the
robins and nip the daffodils. Nature
seems strongly inclined to put ON its
green ribbon and fiaunt in summer
attire. Open windows have become
the fashion and evening walks are
in vogue. But a week ago the
mountains over the way wore win
ter's white sign and dazzled the eye
with their pure splendor; now the
indescribable purple haze of early
spring is planted thereon. $50 true
it is that nature has caprices which
art cannot initiate" Surely this
perfect sentence was written before
the dire fate of blindness fell upon
poor Milton. 1t has always seemed
so strange to me that the windows
of so grand a soul should have been
barred and closed; that upon life
so consecrated and a taste so devoted
to divine beauties should come a
shadow darker than death.
Ny vagrant Imagination took a
flight to-day, and hence this letter,
good editors. / was wondering if
anything ever seemed SO lovely to
the exile as token of ofremembrance.
There is that within our nature
which clamors for our name to be
spoken during absence, the suggest
iveness of our chair in its old
familiar place, and the unturned
plate at the board. The intelligent,
kind face of the CHRONICLE has
been very faithful companion to
me, and in connection / beg to re-
turn thanks to the thoughtful pro-
prietors. 1t is doubly acceptable
now in my new, strange home.
Would 1 have many patient read
ers, wonder, if / touch briefly on
the town of Bristol and surround
ings? / will make the venture.
Already in love with the cliffs of
the Cumberland that have been a
delight to me since could appre-
ciate height and imagine immens-
ity, the lofty knobs of East Tennes-
see broke on my charmed vision,
rising higher and higher, until they
reached their acme of loftiness in
towering Lookout" How shall /
describe that natures giant as first
I saw it, just
"When nights candles had burned out,
And Joeund day stood
TfptOe on the misty mountain-top."
And my thoughts reve. ted to the
barefoot Edna Earl, of lookout
fame, and / wondered if, while she
stood filling her pail on that lovely
height, she saw all the new, tender
cOlOrs of the day that delighted my
eyes, and if she inhaled the brisk,
fresh atmosphere that hung over it
now like a thin azure veil. Despite
my local patriotism and selfish love
of home, l must own that the east
ern part of the State bears the palm
of the picturesque. But to Bristol,
or / weary you. 1t is a place of
pretension; boasts of
eight churches, in good condition,
with weekly service, many hand
some business houses and three
chartered colleges Bristol Female
College, under the chancellor
ship of Prof. d. G. Wester; Sui
Inns College, another school for
young ladies, and King College, a
building. Some of the
residences are very beautiful, and
the town has the appearance of
thrift and prosperity.
DIR. Clark, an eminent divine
from Helena, Ark, has been hold
ing a series of meetings in the Bap-
tist Church at this place, assisted by
Rev. Mr.. Harrison, Virginia. DIR.
Clark was formerly pupil of p. p.
Bliss, and has so charmed the Bap-
fists of Bristol by his sweet singing
and powerful preaching that he has
been called to the pastorate of the
church at salary of one thousand
dollars for the year 1880.
Part of the town of Bristol lies in
Virginia. / reside in Tennessee,
but attend preaching in Virginia.
Mischief-makers find it very con-
venient dodge from the police force.
1t is a place of remarkable musical
talent; the Pinafore is presented in
a very charming manner by the
here. / hope this last
assertion will not prevent anyone
visiting the place, but 1 will give
the salutary explanation, The airs
are forbidden on the streets.
The press, too, seems to flourish
as the olive branch. There are
three weeklys and one daily paper
published here, and they are all
presented in good style.
I presume there is no heart so
hardened that protracted absence
does not bring a longing for the
touch of kindred hands and sound
of loving voices. The philosophic
Boyle tells us "when sand and ashes
are well melted together and suffered
to cool, there is generated by the
colliguation that sort of cOncretion
we call glass" Just so may my
feeble efforts and sacrafiee of home
ties blend together in the end for
right and religion. I think God
never gave greater gifts than a
steady spirit and gentle valor. He
realized in the creation the many
conflicts and continued strife that
life would bear, and sent his chill
d~o,, forth ht4olx Inrod aud na1op1ind