The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1885-02-28
ATour Through the Nils.


18th inst, we rode up to the residence
Of Mr.. G. w. Bruce ON Gray's creek
and took advantage Of his kind invita-
ton to pass the night. Sunday it
rained, sleeted and showed by turns
until dinner time, after which it cleared
off. Bidding our host and his good
wife adieu, ye scribbler found his way
10 tie home Of Mr.. Joshua Kemp, Sr..
at which place the latch string always
hangs on, the outside. At this place
there is no fear Of the larder giving
out, as Master Scooter" Kemp inform
cd us lie had killed seventy fat hogs
this winter and expected to kill several
more before the cool weather ended.
In the matter of meat supply we also
found that Wessrs. Samuel Waits,
Matthew NngeDt, +. AZ. Hamil and
several others in the Fish creek and
Saddle bayou country have an abund-
ant supply, the mast having been ex-
ceilent and the hogs all in fine order.
unfortunately this abundant supply of
meat is confined to but u few Of our
farmers, the most of whom are short
in both corn and meat, beside in many
Cases being deeply involved in debt.
On Monday we took dinner with j. j.
Blackwell, Esq, who WAS rolling logs
with the help of several neighbOrs,
and at night stopped with Esquire ).
* Mt al If 4
day night received hospitality ut the
hands of Mr.. L. Swaiforl, living on
saddle bayou. w. dnesda, morning
we were panied to hear of The death oi
AIR. Geo. Cray, Oh Fish creek, who
fell and hurt himself dangerously on
tuesday while la the tlirOrs Of an APP
poplecilc tit. He fingered between
lie aud death about twenty four hours.
AT noon W ednesday we rode up t., the
house of Mr.. ~. Melton, about eight
miles from Winfield, to make s..Il,e
inquiries. The old gentleman was Just
sitting down to dinner, and, with the
proverbial hospitality Of all our farm
ers, cordially invited the hungry etli-
tor to disIn0uut and dine. He proved
to he wide-awake IN all subjects, and
it was a treat to hear the old fellows
emphatic aud quaint remarks. We
were told that a gO0tltlell of sickness
existed on some of the streams near
Winfield, and within four miles ut
that town We found Mr.. w. f. Long
just able to sit up from a severe case
of pneumonia. A mile further on We
came upon Mr.. J. r. Hand in the md
die ut IL twenty acre new ground, sur
rounded by some eight or tel, Ut his
neigib0rs, who We're lending him a
hand at rolling. Log Ruling, in fact.
seemed to be the order Of the tlay
everywhere, as we passed not less than
six during our trip. Night found us in
winfield. where We remained over u
day and two nights,
The reports of sickness pneumonia
were confirmed by conversation amons
the citizens, and we learned that the fol-
lowing persons had died in about ten
days: Is. +. Bailey, Mrs. j. s. Deloach
and child a child OF Root. Goram, Mrs.
Graees child of Wesley Gorafn, and a.
w. M. doram. On Thursday we found
Senator Geo. A. Kelly in his new ground,
discoursing IN the gee, whoa, haw," YER
nacular to pair of steers hitched to a
wagon. He was engaged with young
man to assist him In building fence
around his new groun1. After an inter-
view, which we shall publish in our next
issue, there was no getting away from the
Senator until after partaking of an excel
lent dinner prepared by Mrs. Kelly for
the special occasion; and it was such a
repast as rural editions seldom get chance
at. In WINFIELD We found MIR. j. L.
wallace temporarily in charge of O
grange store, lately established by the
WINFIELD Cooperative Association with
capital OF $500. Mr.. q. p. Long, the
regular agent was absent in the city,
where he had gone to lay in a stock.
After pleasant evening at the fireside Of
bob" Jones, the popular clerk Of the
couft, Friday morning saw us on the way
to Montgomery. which was reached by
the middle ct the afternoon.
In response to the invitation of Mr..
Jno. L Mccain, we shared his hospitality
for the night, and also had the pleasure
OF being present at musical rehearsal,
held at his house that evening, and oil
which his accomplished wife was the life
and ruling spirit. Two dozen or more
friends were present to listen to instru-
mental and vocal selections rendered by
Miss Eva Mccain, Miss Leila Dunn and
Miss Nettie Bernstein, pupils of Mrs. Nc
Cain, who all show wonderful musical
qualification and give excellent praise oil
the drilling talent of their teacher.
Saturday morning opened with snow
storm, which covered the ground fully
three inches in depth, being the heaviest
tins winter. The weather being too in
clement for business the best part of the
day was spent in frolicsome sno w-balling,
at which pastime several young ladies
demonstrated that they were more than
match tor we quill driver. fter dinner
with Mr.. Philip Bernstein we started for
home, reaching Colfax just in the nick OF
time to eat supper with wife and babies.
And thus ended very pleasant trip, al
though failure financially, owing to the
stringency of the times. Lack of time
and space forces us to be brief, and many
items have been omitted or imperfectly
described that would perhaps be of con-
interest m o,,r raolax,