Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1881-09-30
A Trip by Rail to Missouri-One Way to
Get Car Seat Back Again.

| Correspondence of the staunton VINDIcAToR.l
COLUMBIA, Mo,
Sept, 18th. 1881. :
| left Staunton week ago to-day for
this place, reached here the Wednesday
we in Virginia were suffering from drouth
but it is nothing when compared with that
in the States of Ohio. Indiana, Illinois and
Missouri. When say the corn is burnt
up mean it. did not see one green
thing except trees, a few bushes and Usage
orange hedges, and the latter in many
places had been burnt by the dead corn
blades, which had been blown off the stalks
and heaped against them, taking fire from
sparks of passing engines. There has been
no ram apparently to do any good for |
would suppose at least three months, and
the corn everywhere is blasted, not a grain
ON the stalk. 1t reminded me of what 1
suppose the seven thin ears looked like
that Pharaoh saw in his dream. And this
desolation was not occasional, but along
the whole route. | do not think the far
mers intend to try to gather il at all as l
suppose it would be useless even for fod-
der. In many places it was cut down and
left on the land and they were turning it
under, preparing to SOW wheat suppose.
their stock on this winter. The fields in
many places had been burnt and many
were still on fire. You nay think this An
exaggerated picture but [ could not repre-
sent it as it really is, it is so distressing.
The weather was so excessively hot. and
dust, smoke and cinders so thick, that do
| not see how any one who was not neces
sarily compelled, would care to travel, and
yet the cars were crowded ali tine way. |
ord ara1 hn6
never known SO much travel as is now 60
Ing on in every direction. Yet the people
seemed cheerful, one gentleman in partic
| ular-u beard afterwards it was Mr.. John
w. Merritt, of your county, perhaps you
know him) was determined to have all the
amusement he could, and but for him, l
| think his travelling companions would have
! had a Dull time OIL the tiresome road: |
noticed once, that when he got up to get a
| drink of water, a big female specimen of
| tie colored persuasion got into his seat,
and | wondered hoy he would get her out,
| but when he got back and found her there,
! he stood quietly talking to his companions
| for awhile, and then stepping down. he
i looked under his seat and said very cooly,
Boys, do believe that fellow has got his
| head out of that box" Some one asked
what fellow he alluded to. "Why, said he
II bought rattle snake from an old negro
| yesterday, at Stribling's Springs, and gave
| him eight dollars for 1t, and he did not put
the strips cluse enough together across the
| top of the box, and lie has his head cut"
| You may suppose that it did not take that
sister long to get away from that place.
! and he got his seat back, amid roars OF
! laughter
| think when it is seasonable this must
| be All exceedingly productive country,
heard one gentleman say that he supposed
| the soil in some places in the Mississippi
| Valley was enc hundred feet deep.
| would like to say more but lest you
think there is no end to woman's pen as
well as her tongue, forbear.