Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1883-07-28
CHRONICLE LETTER BOX.
From, Columbia.

1
To the CHRONICLE:
When parted with you | prom
ised you letter. have been tardy.
Pardon me, and I will give you an
account Of most delightful trip to
a Sea Shore Camp Meeting. /
boarded a train at 10 II. m, Tues
day, July 10th, and whlrled away
to the sea shore, touching Decatur,
Birmingham, Montgomery and
Mobile. Between Mobile and New
Orleans on the Gulf of Mexico, /
found the most delightful Christian
encampment that my eyes ever be-
held. 1t is situated on the beach,
has about seventy acres of land, cot
tages, know not low lnamy. 1t
has the most complete system of
finance of any csnp-grOund 1 have
ever known. 1'he attendance was
large, the meeting religious sue
cess. I was perfectly delighted with
the sea breez,ss, baths and sailing. l
spent a day IN the Crescent City,
taking in the sights. The most
exciting scene that witnessed was
the Cotton Exchange. 1t was Il
building covering block, and cost
100000. Going upon an elevator,
was carried to a corridor where |
was permitted to look down upon
this bedlam. To me it seemed that |
the room below was filled with lu-
natics, and am not sure that / am
very far wrong-for there, day by
day, fortunes are lost and won as
the crazy wheel of fortune turns to
and fro. l saw boys there, not eS-
ceeding twenty years of age, who
were wild with excitement. Many |
of them, no doubt, fall victims to
this ungodly rage for gold. l call
to mind preachers boy whom l
devotedly loved. Many time,
when he was hundred of miles
away from his home, had l taken
him in my arms for his dear fathers
sake; and when he won distinguish
ed honor l put kiss upon his lips
for his far away mother. That boy
with all the advantages that sue
cessful itinerant minister could give
him fell victim to the fatal ''Buck-
ct Shop" and would leave his
board bills unpaid, and spend the
money contributed by the church
of God for the support of his father
and family at these Infamous dens
of iniquity. How many thousands
of our American boys have gone
that way!
French market, U. S. mint,
steamships, West End, Jackson
square, Lake PonchetraIn and St.
Charles Hotel were among the
sights. 1 also visited BeGuUOir, the
villa of Jefferson Davis, given him
by his friend, Mrs. Dorsey. 1t is a
lovely place, but there are many
superior to it in Montgomery coun-
ty. True it is on the beach, and
draws much of its romance from
that fact. Mr.. Davis was at home,
and received our little party with
great kindness and hospitality. He
is seventy five years of age, straight
as when he fought the Black Hawks
or Mexicans. His health has been
very bad during the Spring and
Summer. He expressed deep regret
that he could not be at the May
Drill in Nashville. Mrs. Davis is
also in feeble health. They have a
daughter, Il highly accomplished
young lady, who gIaddens and
brightens BeauvOir.
At the camp-ground l formed the
acquaintance of DIR. Shannon a ma
tive of Montgomery county who
settled in Vicksburg when young
man. He laid violent hands upon
me, and carried me to Ocean
Springs, where he and his happy
family were spending the Summer
months. The adjoining lot to him
was the villa of Bishop Keener.
Here the Bishops family spend six
months in the year. They also have
a comfortable home in New Orleans.
The Bishop has three sons, all
preachers. Two of them Presiding
Elders of important Districts. On
my way back 1 stopped at Birming-
ham, the magic city of the South.
1t is a wonderful place. Situated
in an iron and coal region, it has at
once taken its place in the fore front
among manufacturing towns. Its
furnaces are immense. To give a
description of them is out of my
power, the price of real estate there
is fabulous. A six hour run brought