Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1884-12-17
Letter from the West.

tSpeciai correspondence OF the Spectacle
PLATTsBURG, No., Dec 4th, 1884
Messrs. Editors: Before leaving Aug Is
IA county for this place, many friends asl
me t0write to them. With desire to CT 81
ply with requests betokening interest in ulv
welfare, and to treat all alike, as well a. :
WISH to interest your readers, | send yoa
this.
! We often speak lightly about leaving oi,
homes and going out among strangers 70
form new ones, but when the trial comes aud
we lind our own choice taking us from The
friends OF many years, whom we cannot
bid goodbye, but leave without part ?
were !; when we see our property to VIII
we have become so much attached ard
around which cluster associations aim st
sacred, pass to other owners, and fina y
are reminded by the clatter of the traiI
that we are indeed ''going West" much Of
the beauty of the romance is spoiled and ths
reality is not so pleasant. The bright hopes
for the future cannot clear away the SOL
bre thoughts that fill US as we speed away
Our journey was rapid and uneyentf9
one, and we reached here in forty-ni1z
hours after we left Staunton.
| This is town (the citizens call it a city)
of about 8, 900 inhabitants, and is the coun.
ty-seat of Clinton county. 1t is beautiful
| ly situated upon plateau and srr
rounded by very fertile country of hi
and valleys. The streets are generally wiz
and well shaded. The residences are rot
packed together like in so many towns, bIl
have pretty yards around them, so that the
corporation limits are larger than those OF
Staunton. A large majority Of the citize AZ
are descendants Of Virginia or Kentucly
ancestors, and inherit those distinguishil
traits of character that made their ances-
tors known and respected everywhere
But they have added the push of the West
and have imbibed western ideas SO that
many things We see seem strange to rs
Quite a number of residences were bull
this year, and some we're costly ones, b.
they are in western style. They take sue
such good care of the chimneys here-kee-
ing them all indoors. The most fashion
BILE houses are built without mantels ar a
without what we would call chimneys-o--
ly stove hues pop through the roofs wheae
you would not look for them. If they haya
clock they must have a clock shelf (whica
is a sort of bracket kept by the furniture
dealers But must not make this letter
too long,-I will say more another time
about the country.
Several young men asked me to get sitr
s~SAS~<o
say that business is done here pretty nue.
as it is there, and there are just as man
young men here watching for situations a
there, and they have friends to recommen
them or use influence in their favor ths,
strangers cannot expect. If you come here,
you enter the contest with all these thing
against you. But if you are successful Il
finding permanent employment, / thin
your chances will be better and your labc
more remunerative here.
While the Valley was suffering SO muc
from drouth this year, the season here has
been wet, and the crops are very large
The grass is green over the fields
which makes the contrast between this
country and that even greater than j.
should be, because when | left there an
vegetation almost would burn and the Ian
was barren.
We have had two or three light falls OF
snow, but the weather is very pleasant.
J. A. j. F.