The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1881-02-02
DANVILLE.
A Brief Visit of a Sentinel Represent
ative TO the Capital Of Hen
bricks County.
The Business, Social, School and
Religious Interests of
Thriving Indiana
Town.
Interesting Description of the Central Nor
NAL College and Commercial In
stitute-A Few Days In
Danville.


the country, and mean to write up our
experience, briefly. Probably We have COM
mitted the objectionable sin, in going to
and returning from the country on an origi-
nal plan. 1t is quite probable nobody else
ever did such a foolish thing since lnteill-
gence was subiugated by fashion. We have
not even a favorite author whose sentences
can be warped to fit the facts in this particu-
lar instance. In fact, We are rather sin
generis and will have TO tell the story in
our own way Nothing transpired on the
morning of our intended departure TO fore
shadow the coming of any great event. We
breakfaSted at the usual hour, exhausted
the contents of genuine "mere-sham" and
then leisurely inspected the timetable, rs
well as the radii yictors on the moon-like
face of our reliable old clock. o, horriblel
we mean our gold repeater, OF course. We
gentlemen never do anything-without con-
sulting our first-claSs chronOmeter; at any
rate between the clock and the timetable
and the train, the minutes were getting too
short for the distance, or the distance too
long for the minutes OF all things in the
world we have the last confidence in haste
Ii has been the destruction of millions
Men rush hourly into the jaws
of bankruptcy and ruin, but TO
prosperity and happiness never.
Notwithstanding our limited moments, We
philosophically refused to be driven forward
impetnously The depot was barely reached
in time-tO read OH the bulletin board ::
Two hours and ten minutes late" Disap-
pointed, eh2 Not by any means. 1t was a
triumph in favor of deliberation, and we
rather enjoyed the delay. Nine O'Clock ar
rived about the same time the tardy train got
into the depot, Just as we had exhausted
our morning paper, and ten minutes later
we found OurSelf reclining on an easy chair
in time to welcome the conductors "All
abOardr'
The great iron horse that seemed to be
impatiently prancing in front of our pala-
tial coaches, soon swept out of the Depot
and gently trotted away from the rising
sun. Force. velocity and momentum sug
gested the remote possibility of a crash; and
the thought of broken limbs, mangled
bodies and painful operations, caused a
shudder to creep over u.s. But we put on
an air of bravery, and looked danger in the
face like a soldier. Haste is as fascinating
as a coquette, and, like her, can not be
profitably pursued. When any one gets TO
going too fast, crashes are inevitable. We
prefer having the iron-hOrse trot along
gently, for runaways, and smash-ups-
look, look men, icem calculated the
passengers around us; what waters this?
To be sure, crossing the White
River bridge, thirty feet above the ice-bound
stream. On, on we dashed, like alike a
scared meteor, If they ever get scared; but,
no matter; you can have Mazeppa on his
wild horse or a buck pursued by hounds;
or Lots family fleeing from SOdOm, If you
prefer different simile. The receding OBJ
jects waltzing past our little window, and
the gentle but significant oscillations of
the long line of ponderous coaches
spoke n universal language. Scarcely
had We time TO glance back at the fad
/. ing city. and note the apparently moving
line of dOmes and spires trying to get away
from us, until the brakeman shouted,
and thought its name should be More
house." We are now in Hendricks County.
and nearing the high-rolling bluffs of White
Lick, somewhat romantic stream, which
lacks nothing SO much Us water. In q very
few minutes more the great reptilian mon
ster was cautiously creeping over a rope-like
deck-bridge spanning the narrow, but deep,
valley OF the little stream.
The fare to Danyille?' We next inquired
of a well-behaved hack-driver at the station
Fifteen centsv' said he. 'Its about a
mile, sir"
And we threw a glance on him, then on
his hack and horses then made a rough
guess at his average daily custom; thought
more like giving him fifty than fifteen cents,
but not wishing any trouble with stranger,
We took him at his word, and allowed him
TO set US down in the center of
MODEL VILLAGE,
where morality and education have usurped
the place of grog-shops and their kindred
vices.
What beautiful and undulating country,
where the distant horizon is dotted with
solitary hamlets, sunny slopes, and shady
dells. We are now on the highest spot of
ground within many miles; and far beneath
our feet glide the ripping waters of Lick
crossed by our train some half an hour ago.
We can trace this meandering valley for
miles, winding its serpentine course from
a
homes of 1000 human beings rest like q
monstrOus hood on the crest OF this
natural dome. The broad face
of great town-clock looks down
upon US from the tower of a magnificent
Court House, standing in the middle of a
Public Square. If the blessing of rural
home shall ever fall 10 our lot, may it be To-
Gated in the midst Of this delightful seen
cry Pure air and pure water must remain
the GOd-given inheritance of this favored
people. From the oldest inhabitant'' him
self we obtained our limited knowledge of
the place. We are surrounded by about
twenty stores, of all kiRds. which constitute
the mercantile interests of the boroansh
while two steam mills slice up the logs and
crnsh the grain that grows on a hunSBed
hills This soil is not believed to be good
for 'dram-shops, bat it is prolific
of Casurches and Sunday-sehools. The Fail
rusts, t0r want of use, EAile the citizens
idolize aheir magnificent College. They Ell
JOY tberexcellent services of Rev. Mr.. Reid.
Rev Mr.. Peale. Rev. Mr. Dickerson, Rev
Mr.. WOIsOn and Elder Thomas. The ~ T.
Church as.clalmed TO be the most elegant
but the Christian Church. with its n,cderEs
spire, and position at the summit of the
HILL eertaiT ly. has more attraction for the
eye of = stranger. The Presbyterian Church
IS plain. but fine and c0RmoSious. Both
the Reg and Miss Baptists have thriving
congregational and suitable places OF
worship The Friends are quite strong and
have very elegant Church We are
rejOiced To see them in the van OF progress
A low side tower. crowned with a modern
dome, scarcely showing its tip shove the
neighboring buildings, like the first flowers
81 spring, which display their deliesie peri
aDnths half concealed in the clods and snow
gives promise OF = coming summer for this
CONSIDERATIONS denomination. In foil CO.
operation with these busy congregations,
nEe large Sunday-schools vie with each other
IN the work of bending the twigs that the trees
may be inclined. &othing contributes
more 10 the ornamentasfOn of a country
toWn-assd the same is true OF
larger Places-than the blending of
lawns, parterres, eyergreens, shrubs, var
iegated foliage and snowy bowers. We
know that the cultivated inhabitants Of
Danville enjoy their share Of these charm
ing decorations. but our visit txanspired
while their streets and trees were dropping