West Virginia freeman. (Parkersburg, W. Va.) 1881-1886, 1883-05-09
A FREEMAN JAUNT.
+ CONTINUED FROM LAST WEEK.
Charleston Notes and some other Notes

the tact Is we don / see now we are
to get away-folks are SO clever.
Some things of Charleston we
like, and some things we don't
like; vice uersa, some in Charleston
seem to like us, and some things
don't; notably among the latter,
the Charleston Call, that was buzz
zing about the FREEMAN all day
long, Saturday.
Again are we reminded of our
happy boyhood days, when, while
after the cows, we used to corral the
bumbiebees in the big blossoms of
the Unison weeds, and after secur-
ing the ugly GROWERS by tying
them in with blades of grass-well
now didn't we boys feel jolly
standing outside and listening to
the mad fellows buzzing against
their prison walls. The FREEMAN
in former issue had corroled the
Call and it was only btazimg its
mad off.
Speaking generally, we may say
we like Charleston very much, and
we doubt not she will be much re-
lieved to know it. We like her
many neat, airy-looking residence
es with their spacious grounds and
ornamented lawns roundabout.
That we might see the future
metropolis and Capital of our
Mountain State as the birds see it,
in company with two Reverends,
B. Cade and Brother Tom, Of the
Ohive Branch, we assembled the beau
tiful heights back of the city and
enjoyed
a4 A BIRD's-EYE VIEW.
Here lay before us, stretching
miles up and down the Kanawha,
that rich and magnificent valley,
which in the good old days of pelf,
squaws and succotash, was pur-
chased for half-dozen "coon"
skins by an ancestor of the Ruff
ners who are now prominent bust
ness families of the city.
Were that old Indian chief that
sold his lands so cheap to come
back now with his "coon" skins,
wanting to rue, and should show
that he was cheated, we guess he'd
have time collecting the "rents
and profits" from his alienated es-
tate, through all these years.
The "birds-eye view" is a very
pleasing one indeed, with the new
Capitol looming up in the center,
the red walled Custom House lit
tie to the right, the capacious Hale
House over by the river; with
handsome residences dotting the
picture in every part, fringed and
bordered with poisoning orchards,
evergreens and grassy lawns, and
for backgrounds on either side the
river the beautiful broken hills of
field and wood.
Here we looked over the city and
into the past, till lost in reveries-
but we were not fated to be long
lost, for on descending the hill, we
realized the fact that we had been
revelling in those ethereal heights
where "Distance lends enchant-
ment to the view" without rquir-
ing any security that the debt
shall be discharged, on entering
the narrow, muddy streets below
STREETS, SIDEWALKS, WATER.
Taking these for sub-text, we
are bold to remark, without fear of
suit for libel. that for Hottentot-
ish streets, heathenish sidewalks
and barbarous water, Charleston
may claim pre-eminence over any
city we ever waded through, or per-
ambulated in quest of water to
quench our thirst, withal.
1t were as good as a circus to
watch the vehicles winding in
and winding out" vainly endeav-
oring to dodge the four and twenty
mud holes to the square; but if
one tries to walk while he looks,
he should have his legs and nose
we'll shingled with accident poll
cies, for both will need the protec-
ton if he moves this way or that
with wandering eye. amid the
yawning pits opened by missing
links" in the .antediluvian, time
worn and weather-warped clap
board sidewalks.
We watched a man and wife, col
ored nurse and three able-bodied
| children nayinatinn one of these