New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-03-11
SOCIETY IN THE SOUTH
MORALS Ann MANNER IN MISSISSIPPI.

TIoN-REsPECT FOR THE MAN WHO DID TIE
KILLING "-BETTER SENTIMENTS AMONG THE
HIGHER CLASSES OF SOUTHERN socIETf-lN-
TEREsTTHG HOTEL EXPERIENCES
lFRoM SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE rRIBuNe'l
CoRISrH. Miss. Feb 2O.-lt becomes allowable in
extreme cases, believe. to speak OF the weather
| have seen only fonr clear days since left New
York month ago. 1t has been cold much OF the
time, with plenty OF snow. and unlimited RAIN
Much of the country between Huntsville. Ala''
and this place Is under water though the streams
are not SO high as they have been at various times
during the last few weeks. Some points which l
desired to visit have been unable to reach on ac-
count of the floods In other cases have been de-
tanned because the bridges before and behind me,
and en- every side had been carried away. There
have been many mishaps on the railroads, but
have missed them entirely. except that few
nights ago we ran of the track, at O'Clock in the
morning and had to wait till daylight. After
ward heard negro porter on the train describing
the accident to some gentlemen who got on further
up the road They asked him where it occurred
and he told them. "Somewhar in dc woods, way
down in de Alabam'."
People are sowing oats in the mud about here
and are talking of plOughIng for corn and potatoes
planting peas etc. But the ground is very cold, as
well as wet and nothing will grow till the weather
is warmer Everywhere the people speak of the
winter as exceptionally severe. great deal OF
cotton in this region was left in the field, and lost
on account of the severe weather. have seen
some Of it in several places. The crop was heavy,
and the quality excellent. but 1t is beaten into the
mud and ruined But during the last few DAYS
have seen a number of people picking cotton and
at all the towns along the railroads the planters
are scill bringing it in for sale. Many cattle and
sheep are dying in this part OF the South from ex-
r..
could not obtain milk anywhere. The people said
their COWS all "went dry when it got so cold" l
could not blame tho COWS when saw them eating
the eaess twigs and boughs of trees and bushes for
food They everywhere look horribly thin and
door, as il they were starving. / walked out into
the country about Corinth this morning, and on
the way saw man at work with flock OF sheep.
He said tho Yos don't seem TO have no milk TINS
mawnin', an they won't let the lambs suck"
Some of the sheep were lying on the ground unable
to rise, and he helped them up. Some could stand,
but if they attempted to walk, staggered and fell
to the ground again. He said they would do no
good on cotton-seed and fodder; he would have to
let them 90 on the grass AS the ground everywhere
in sight was about bare as the pavement in front
of TIE TRBUrgI Office thought the prospect rather
discouragIng But tho shepherd was the cheer
fullest philosopher had met for many a day. He
said great many Of the sheep had died, but we
GIT the wool, you know, an We don't lose much"
He said he had pure Southdown and COtswOld
bucks but the sheep looked like natives Of East
Tennessee.
A SOUTHERN sUNDAY-sCHooL.
After returned from my walk went to Sunday
school, / was glad to see tho children and young
people looking healthy aud vigorous, for this Is a
region of chills and fever" The Sunday school
was large one. and nearly sll OF its members evi'
Al slab
poorer class. The children are fuller Of animal
life and spirits than those sees in Sundayschool
IN most Northern country towns but there is moro
reverence here for the church tho house of God"
and for Sunday as q holy day, and the behavior
was better than we usually SEQ in Northern Sun
ay-schOos. So far as have had opportunity to
observe them. Southern children appear to have
less intellectual quicknebs pIecocity than those
OF tho North; they appear less mature than
Northern children of the Same ago moro unsophis-
ticated. They appear TO have greater sunnness OF
temper and in the towns see far less OF that
sharp hard, mature. and vicious look which is 80
common OH the faces of street boys" in Northern
towns. In MANY ways the country people. in all
parts of tho South which have yet seen, remind
me of a frontier region. There Is everywhere much
of primitive simplicity in their methods of lite and
in their manners and character In some respects
the mountanceIs of East Tennessee are an excep-
ton to this they are tho shrcwdost people have
ever seen Except that some Of tho land has been
partially exhausted the country seems IN every
way new. unawakcned. undeveloped. In all this
speak of the White people. OF the negroes / must
speak at another time and ct greater length. per
haps than the remaining space for this letter Will
allow. Or rather. l will let them speak for them
solves in connection with the incidents of my &C
uuaintance with them and my observation OF their
md of them
other parts of tho South before generalizc broadly
regarding them.
After the Sundav-school to-day went to another
church aud heard an old-fashOned Methodist SER
mon against tho sins of fashion ant conformity To
the world. But all around me the ladies were
dressed in tho height Of fashion. and many wore
jewelry by no means cheap or mean. Az Doth these
churches the speakers referred TO Mile. Bcrnhardt
and the fascination she exercises oveT the people.
All through the South tho ministers appear to view
her Sp1ogross" with a degree of alarm, and oer-
tainly with decided reprobaton. should say that
Southern ministers very generally appear to have
sense of the approach Of new era. and to feel In
stinctjyely that it brings dangers to religion
and religious institutions. They SEQ moro danger
than ever before in tho spirit and methods OF
scientific negation. They have evidently heard,
even in the small country places, OF Darwin and
Herbert Spencer, of Huxley and Tyndall, and their
instructive of approaching conflict and danger
u.s. no doubt, Just The people Of all. except
the very lowest classes in the parts of the South
which have SEEM go to church more generally than
people in the North. ana care more for whatever
viGby represents the church or synbOlizes religion
than people of corresponding class position do in
the North. This docs not mean, of conIse that tho
people here generally religioas but people who
do not profess to be religious arc respectful
| in their manner and tone regarding religious OBJ.
servances than they usually in the North. But
the sections of the chr riches here have much harder
work than their brethren of tho North. owing TO
the almost universal use of tobacco In the