Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1883-08-02
For the Advertiser
Col. W. u. Folk Writes US from
The N0r;h Carolina Mountains.

DEAR ADVERTISER: We left home
Thursday morning, one week ago, for
the mountains of Western North Car
olina. Boarded the train at Trenton,
and had a fine opportunity to see the
crops along the Ridge. They were
good, but beginning to need rain sad
ly. At Columbia we exchanged cars
for Hendersonville, N. G., there be-
ing in waiting special car destined
for the mountains. Had delightful
ride from Columbia to Alston, al
though nothing especially interesting
outside. Dined on board the train at
2 o'clock. After dinner we began to
take the census of the passengers on
board. Just back of us sat two bright
girls going to Glenn Springs to spend
the summer-.the Misses Mitchell,
from near Batesburg. They will GER
tainly make the boys either joyful or
sad, if they remain there long, so
wissome are their faces.
No sooner had we gotten through
playing the agreeable" here, before
we were accosted by Hon. William
Munro Of Union, S. G., and after that
we began to swim in the sea Of poll,
tics until he left US at Union, his
town. What we said and intend to
do we cannot tell you now.
For the encouragement of our farm.
ers,, let me say just here, that the
crops through Union and Spa tanburg
Counties, and through this whole up.
country, are poorer than we have ever
seen anywhere, and poorer, they say,
than they have been in twenty-five
years. The dry weather is the cause.
At Spartanburg, (our old home, we
nightsay, for four years Of our "teens"
were spent here) we find a bustling,
stirring little city, full of people. bust
ness and pleasure. After exchsng-
ing trains and shaking hands with
ualacquaintances, the "all aboard"
word is given, and off to the noun.
tains We gol And in the train there
is scarcely standing room-laughing
women, talking men and crying ba-
bies, accompanying The monotonous
rattle Of the train. As usual here
comes the inevitable drummer for the
hotels-with flaming cards and per.
suasive eloquence. And, in this con-
nection, we must pay our especial re-
spects to one who calls himself Jar5o,
alias Jumbo. We do this in order
that others seeing our examples may
profit by them. We have just got
rid of these nuisances, and we can
now begin to view the prospect over.
The train moves carefully along
around the huge abysmal gorges, at
the rugged base Of mountain on noun
tain, like a grand panorama, unfold
ing in it's sweep beauties wild as when
they first fell from the hand of God.
We know nobody nor anything un.
til we get to Tryon, station on the
Spartanburg and Asheville Railroad,
where, much to our qualification and
surprise, we saw one lady on a mule
bowling to US several times, who is
very familiar in all her beauty and
vivacity to the people of our town,
once Mrs. Georgia H., now Mrs.
Wright, of Columbia. They say The
Tryon Hotel is good one, and we
are sure the scenery is fine. Up we
go, until we get to the real climb Of
the railroad, the grade in the road
where, with heavy trains, they have
to aDcouple and take up one box car
at time, or use two -engines to get
US over the mountains. To look at
it, it seems nearly as steep as the bill
in front of DR.. Jennings. At Salu.
da, another station, among the spec
tators We see Gov. Bonham and lit.
tie Frank, which makes issEl like
we were nearer home tbafywe were.
Arrived at Hendersonville at 8
o'clock, and find comfortable quar-
ters at the Fletcher House, on Main
street. The table is the best in the
town-supplied as it is from the fine
farm of the proprietor, who lives ten
miles from here on the road to Ashe.
vile. Really the air is fine. Sleep.
ing urder blankets in July is a fact
Flies and mosquitoes are at dis
count, and it is glorious to know you
have got them where you can rule
them. No sweltering in the sum-
mer's heat, Do pontimg and btoacing
and pulling off coats, and con0inq OF
linen dusere, to keep life in you up
here The water is splendid.
Rested from the heat and fatigue
of travel. we drive out in the after
noon of Friday to see the residences
of the Charlestonians around Flat
Rock-a little town about four miles
from here. We passed, en- route. the
mountain residences of Barker, Tren-
holm, and others. and we dismounted
at the gate leading into the residence
Of the Rev. Mr.. Drayton, an Episco
pal divine. The grounds, hot houses:
plants, and rare trees in here, and
the terraced lawns, remind us of u
veritable Scotch Residence. From
this poirt you can see the Memmin-
ger residence on high hill, fronting
sloping lawn covered with grass and
browsing COWS encircled partially