The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1884-08-16

and the Dies Irde. l will try and
write hereafter with a golden pen,"
diamond pointed, and the words pen
shall be words of love. The offending
letter was written in spirit of kind
ness, intended as a compliment, and
not to offend,
To me Grcenevile has always pos
sessed peculiar charms. / never loved
the hurry, the rush, the hustle, the
confusion OF the busy marts, where
man crowds man to death, where
mammon is God, where man may
be prince to-day, tomorrow may be
beggar, where the strong throttle
the weak. a -
"And all for gold,
The cursed love of gold"
In some respects Greeneville re-
minds me OF my native town in the
lowlands of Old Virginia, one of the
Oldest towns of that ancient State
Its buildings are of the style of archi-
ftecture,of nearly a century ago. For
more than fifty years. it has not added
one inch to its territory. Half hidden
from view by great trees, it rests upon
an eminence over looking an arm, or
inlet of the lordly James. The moss
covered roofs Of its houses are almost
as green rs the grass plats of the yards
beneath. In almost every yard, rare
flowers grow in great profusion. White
winged craft come drifting homcward
with the tide at evening from the deep
green bay below, and if its people have
pride, it is, in the past history of
this town. He who recalls its past,
wins his way To tho hearts of its inhab-
itants.
| In all my life can ! recall but one
instance wherein its denizens took
umbrsge ut strangers remarks, CON
ccrning the town, and tho instance is
this;
From my earliest recollection there
resided therein class OF old gentle
men, belonging to the olden school
\ who loved conversation and societ y
but dreaded labor. Their daily occu-
patton from early spring until the
autumn blasts consisted in converse
ton on the porch Of the one hotel Of
the place. An observer Of these habits
would notice that shortly after break.
fast, one by one, they would appear al
these respective porticos, tooth-pick il,
mouth. Then arms gracefully crossed
behind the small Of the back, the tails
Of their blue swallow-tail coats, falling
gracefully over the arms, swinging
gently with each step. One by one
at such intervals of time, each woult
slowly descent the long flight of stairs
leading from these porches to the
: steet, and one by one, they woulc
t wend their way to the one Hotel o
: the city, "The Eagle" This Hote
4 was located in the centre of the town
Q and along the entire length of th'
4 great portico, new benches were fasten
e ed. Upon these benches all the live-lonJ
a day did these old fathers sit and chat
e Repeating the oft told story of thei
t times and exploits. Every man tn,
r living biography of his own and Iii
e neighbors lives. On one occasion
e Yankee visited the town, and observ
b ing that these old men, like the It'd
II at the foot of the hill would regularl,
d come and go, ventured in their pres
Il ence, the remark that the town offere,
IS the best opportunity to an enterpris
ing man for speedily realizing a fol
tune on small capital over any cit
Of its size in the South. When aske'
what investment he would suggest, h
= replied; II would buy eggs, set ther
- under these old buffers ,hnd hate
~ chickens all the year round" It
n needless to remark that this man wa
o. ostracized thereafter He was avoit
V ed as one would avoid a leper. Th
- old men, as he passed, would pine
- their snuff and blow their great re
&c noses in contempt. Their dignity wa
g insulted, and to appease this ether
n was no balm in Gilead." The goo
wives in secret laughed at the pointe
~ sally of the stranger, and wished th
enterprise success, publicly they wisl
ed him speedy trip to the bottom {
the sea. rrt' l'oc
"Wbere the purple mullet
Il And the goldfish rove"
~ / appeal to my former letter, deI
ie COMET to bear me out, That it col
tn tains no word of levity and no Offer
le sive remark. Nothing therein contain
in ed was intended to wound the pride
Id any citizen ef Greeneville, and if
I'd have unwittingly offended | subm
my case to the mercy Of the war
le, men and fair ladies Of Greenevill
I trusting they will "deal gentle vii
re the erring." Yours,
W W. LASGnoREE