Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-03-21
IMPRESSIONS OF A NORTHERN
VISITOR.
First Trip TO Memphis, New Or
leans, and Other cities SOUTH

Memphis Mardi Gras went to New
Orleans and thence to Washington
City. where she is remaining at pres
ent. There is a life and spirit about
the letter which would have been re-
pressed or fettered with formality il
intended for the public eye. Omitting
names and personal illusions, the let
ter is as follows
WASHINGTON, d. c., March II.
DEAR FRIEND-We had a very en-.
ioyable time while with you all and
should we not be able to come at that
particular time next season, twill be
because circumstances prevent us, for
[ look upon it as an oasis in a desert
a charmed spot in my life-and must
confess | felt, as | can imagine a child
would from a strange, magnificent toy,
too full to contain its feelings. You
ask about our trip south how we en-
joyed it. l shall only speak for myself,
but know that my husband would
agree with me fully were he here.
After leaving your pleasant city we
stopped over that night at Grenada.
Saw very little that indicated the city
part, as the village is quite small, but
suppose the name is for the future, not
the present. The following day and
night was spent on board the train till
we arrived at New Orleans Friday
morning. II was a lovely day one
never to be forgotten by me on account
ofthe many incidents connected there
with, one of which was the meeting OF
the Seventy first regiment from New
York and through the p%oliteness of
one of the officers we received tickets
to attend a concert to be rendered to
the ladies of New Orleans on board
the steamer K. K. Lee. Previous to
the concert, we went out to Greenwood
with said soldiers to attend the csre-
mony Of firing a volley and placing a
chaplet over the remains of the Con-
federate dead, or, in other words, the
monument erected to them. The
chaplain of said regiment made a
speech suitable to the occasion, which
was fully appreciated by the Louisiana
boys" | was rejoiced to see this
happy event, and expressed my feel.
ing that way to the chaplain-who, by
the way, is the pastor of the Thirty
fourth street Reformed Dutch church,
New York, and whom | knew we'll
by reputation and by sight. In the
afternoon | attended the concert,
and there | saw the wealth and
beauty of the city, and was intro
ducsd to General Beauregard, and
told him | was glad to see the unity OF
feeling there displayed--a change from
twenty years ago,-most Of which came
then through misunderstanding. and
which could have been settled without
bloodshed had the leaders on both
sides chosen to do so. The boys"
with their officers, drank toasts pub
licly and privately with a hetrtiness
rarely seen and my feeling is that
this interchange of courtesy between
the regiments north and south will do
more to promote good feeling and wear
away bitterness than all the preaching
from pulpits and papers to the end OF
time. None Of them wish to renew
the past, not even the bitterest enemy
on either side and the only way to
efface the past is to mix amongst the
people give one no more rights than
the other let the high officials look
less to aggrandizemento of self and more
to business of character, duties to the
nation at large, and let it be what the
name declares-"United States"
Excuse me for trespassing so much
upon your valuable time, but ] speak
as | believe from the bottom of 10Y
heart, and | thank God that have
had the opportunity Of seeing what
have during the past two weeks. Ii
IL the most delightful trip | have ever
taken have met nothing but cordial
ity everywhere-more than | had any
reason to expect; was charmed with
the quaintness Of New Orleans, and
being there several days, had an OPP.
portunity to take in its surroundings
and visited the old Spanish fort on the
ruins Of which they have built a sum
mer resort for pleasure-seekers Ev-
erything was there to attract visitors
it is q charming breathing place fol
persons Rent up il the city. 1t j,
about six miles out, and ACCESSIBLE bl
steam cars or dummies every hal
hour. Then, in an opposite direction
about the same distance, and also &C
cessible by rail, are the boat cluI
houses, where they get up excellen
fish dinners and on account Of tn
attractiveness Of the former placr
within the past two years, they hay
also fitted up the grounds handsomel.
during the past season. Rivalry some
times does a place a good deal of good
although not always profitable to bot
parties. Then the ride to C%arrolto.
was satisfactory. as it gave me a chanc
to see the leTees. The water wa
higher than the city, and they sntici
pated a terrible freshet during th
spring. The ground is saturated Lot
and cannot take up any more, and a
the streams are swollen; so they ar
badly prepared for the extra quantit
that comes down the river from III
melted snow and ice. The cemeteriC
look strange to a nonresident moi
all are buried above ground ia mausc
leums or tOmbs. or in the cemeteI
|, wall, which is'built thickly enough f
such purposes. ! was told they II
TERED in it for five dollars apiece
which has only space, IN width. Il
one person. There we're hundred
| occupied 10 that way, and many read
| TO receive those that needed then
? One plot is Of made ground, where II
real poor are bHried-a Potter's fell
It ID about three feet high. They ca
. bury there without pay it Is tbe on.