Chariton courier. (Keytesville, Chariton County, Mo.) 1878-current, 1884-11-28
Richmond, Virginia.
NovENBER 18th, 1884.

0kAh OOOhtER:-4 tnank you 1Of
your kind words concerninp my leav-
| ing Missouri. and for your good
wishes for my future welfare. Ifeel
| that many OF truest and best friends
are in old Charlton, and they are
very dear to my heart, and it was no
| light matter to turn away from them
and cast my lot in other parts. / did
hope TO visit Keytesyille again and
passed by you on the train, Oct, 81,
and my heart craved SO earnestly to
jump of and grasp the hands OF old
friends one more time before my de-
parture. but my engagements were
such that could not stop. Ny semi
annual visits to my old home during
my stay in Missouri, was always joy
to my soul, and it may be that / will
yet ''drop in'' and see you again.
II was detained in st. Louis un-
til the night of the 9th inst, when
left on the old reliable line of the o.
& M. train for Louisville, KY. I
never so fully realized that was q
homeless tramp as did in Louis
vile when I registered at the hotel.
had left Missouri, and had not
renched Virginia and I did know
what to call even my state Some
are born to such life, it is pretty
rough, but it is my lot and Imust ac-
cept it. / spent Sunday in Louis
vile and had pleasant day with
some of the good brethren of that
beautiful city. 1t fell my lot to
preach at the Broadway Baptist
Church to = magnificent congrega-
ton. But / was weary in mind and
body and Was not happy in my work.
AT 7:15 p. m., left for Rich
mond and had capital run of 26
hours over the Chesapeak & Ohio
route to this city. The scenery along
the route is not surpassed in all the
regions Of the Blue Ridge and Allie
ghany mountains. The skill of the
engineer Is seen at every stop
through those ragged and precipitate
hills. And yet the train goes rush
ing madly on, up the streams, across
bridges, through long dark tunnels,
and yet it ran smoothly, safely and
rapidly.
ALI day Monday l sat 1T the
window and counted the miles that
separated me from my little ones
whom I had not seen since last De-
cember. As night drew on and !
knew that only one hundred miles
renamed, my heart began to trem-
BILE and hutter with anxiety and impa-
tiense to squeeze the dear little dar-
lings. At Gals p. M. the train drew
itself into the depot and / made haste
to put myself within hack and 1 is-
sued the order to put me speedily at
1884 West Grace street, the home Of
my little folks. A mile and half
must be passed and just before the
town clock sounded out 10, / stopped
in front of the door and hastily /
seized the bell knob and gave it =
jerk. The noise of feet rushing
through the hall was heard and the
door epend as slipped in amid the
shouts and yells Of my three chill
dren who stood ready to receive me.
1 bowed on my knees and all fell up
on me at once and joyous and hap
py greeting we had. It had been
more than ten months since We part
ed, and during all these weary days
no disease had found its way to any
of us and all rejoiced in the blessing
of excellent health. It is refreshing
to see the devotion and deep affec-
tion of my dear little ones, notwith-
standing our almost constant separa-
tion during the past 26 months.
II have not decided on any fu-
ture work, have several things IN
view but no definite plan yet. I
have an eye towards Georgia and /
rather incline to that state IL the
Lord opens the way. may yet re-
turn to Missouri and put IN some
years among you, if the Lord would
show me that duty calls me back. 1t
would not be unpleasant to me to re-
turn.
1T Is very dry here. scarcely any
rain since August. The pastures
are thoroughly parohed, and the peo-
pie are compelled to feed as in mid
winter.
Politics seem to rnn pretty high
in this state, and almost every fellow
is an enthusiastic politician, although
he may be as ignorant of the poi:i-
cal issues of the day as I am. The
great question at issue here is wheth-
er the whites or colored shall rule
the state. More anon.
II. HATCHER.