Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1884-06-20
A countyyman Abroad.

dents Of my trip TO aud weeks stay
in the queen city of the West-Chi-
rago.
thought would not do so, but
the pressure is so great can not rc-
sist. Old men have asked me, bright
blue eyes have looked into mine and
rosy lips have mnrmurcd, "Please
do" Oh. that | could write as in
the days Of long ago-Oh for the III
spiration that the hills Of my own ma
tive county used to bring me. But,
the dca people are clam OrouS TO
know something about Chicago, and
must keep close 10 them. Full well
Ito | remember how | asked them
four years ago to place in my hands
one Of the most responsible trusts
they had to give, and then, two years
later how asked them to say by their
ballots. "Well done good and faithful
servant" and how they responded is
matter of history. And then later
still, when great storm cloud gath
ercl over my head in the social
world and the lurid glare Of its fork
ed lightnings lit up the armament
Of my enemies, and the deep toned
rumblings of its mutt1red and sullen
thundcrs threatened TO destroy me,
it was the people, the brown skinned
sunburncd yeomanry Of the county
that whispered to me that the Storm
would be over, that there would
come n rift in the clouds, that the
sunshine would again come laughing
and dancing back 10 me and to my
liie. ! can not 80 back on tie people.
Perish the thOught-palsied forever
be this tongue and wiihered forever
this arm, if the first should ever utter
a syllable, or the latter ever be raised
against the people who never refused
me anything have ever asked at
their hands. If it were left to me |
would not write an account of this
trip, in fact feel tonight like cX-
claiming as the Savior did in the gar
den Of Gethsemanc Would to God
this cup might pass
1t is the inspiration of life time
TO see Chicago. Poor As am Tonight.
knowing full well as do that in six
short months 20 from here with the
cream Of my life behind me, the open
jaws of selfish world fore me.
without dollar ia my pocket or a
spot can call my home, with great
debt hanging like Il milestone around
my ncck--SO great in its proportions
that only general bankrupt law will
erase it, Notwithstanding all this
would not Danish from my memory
| Chicago with its wild turbulent
scenes for all the diadems that ever
Sparklcd in the crowns of Europcs
kings and queens, living or dead. In
fact could not Danish from my men,
DRY broad prairics, green as the bay
tree AMI fertile as the valley of the
famed Nilc-clcgant cities, rising up
before me all over the State Of Hi
nOiS-grand churches rearing their
tall spires until they are almost lost |
amid the stars-beautilul steamers
walking the lake like things of life
gifted and imprisoned orators telling |
to surging thousands of the heroic
deeds of our civic and military heroes
the wild cloud splitting huzza from
the excited multitude at the mention
of the name of the sainted martyr |
who stepped from the top round of
flames ladder into heaven with the
broken shackles of four million slaves
in his hand. The eternal racket of a
thousand ncwsboys, the endless jim
Gle of a hundred street-car bells, the
stealthy tramp of as many policeman,
the surging, roaring sea of people |
that rushed hither and thither and |
everywherc-somc with fixed pur-
pose, others like myself, just moving
around aimlessly AMI objectlessly, as
an atom floating through space.
Forget all this | would as soon at
tempt to forget the pale, sweet face
all wrinkled and battle stained by |
more than three score years and ten,
of her who first taught me to whisper
her own hallowed name, and later
still, of that bright forever" beyond
the shading and the shining of which
the good people sing, and into which
we all hope to glide when the sicken-
ing scenes of this weary world are I
over. There was only one thing that
Swallowed my trip. | am as super
stitious as negro. l wont ride with
a lockwood switch, kill cats, stir soap
with any sort of stick except sassa-
fras, or split stove wood Oh Sunday
In fact am so superstitious that
do not like to split stove wood even
on Monday. This is so strong in my
make up that it amounts almost to
intuition. | felt all the time was
gone that some great impending cal
amity was hanging over me. Il be-
licve as firmly in fate, in destiny, as
Napoleon the frs! did,; and when |
left here | felt | should return no
more, and as the train sped on and
rode through my dear old home just
south of Crolton-notwiIMtud NJ | |
knew it was gone from me forever
that the loved ones were scattered all
over the length and breadth of this
broad countrY-that strangers |