The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-03-15
ZEN ROUTE FOR THE SOUTH.
What Can Be Seen by Sharp Pair of
Eyes in a Railway Trip.
Fading Away from Northern Goodness Into
the Sensuous Southern Landscape
Sights and Scenes in New Orleans.

about a Southern trip is the trip South. The
gradual and beautiful melting Of wintry land
scapes, with snowy fields and ice-locksd streams
into milder regions where fields are plOwed
where newborn calves skip awkwardly about
where bare-footed darkies jump franticslly up
and down in greeting of our rushing train, Is an
experience worthy of chronicle; not to mention
the doubly distilled and triply concentrated hap
piness of getting away from the prosaic climate
of base burners and ash-piles, frozen pumps and
plumbers overcoats and arcties, ear-mufs and
mittens, and all other insignia of wintry woe.
Spring came slowly, however, even In this
latitude. Although we knew the fair goddess
was on the way, and We should soon kiss the
hem of her beautiful garments, she tarried
beyond our expectation. At Nashville we en-
countered an attenuated snow-storm. All through
Tennessee the air was chilly, but at Decatur, Ala
we dined with doors and windows all Open
Further down the road peach trees flashed into
bloom, here and there patch Of wild flowers
dashed across the vision, with everywhere
background of the wonderful and eternal
green of the Southern pines; and at Bay St
Louis we received spring first offerings, punches
of real violets and flowers which the little dark
of the externals of the trip. Internally, an ap-
propriate balance was maintained There are
blase individuals to whom railroad journey is
only railroad journey. There are other san
guine, verdant beings who ignorantly relish
every turn of humanitys kaleidoscope. The lat
ter class would have found our Pullman sleeper
Indiana an entertaining place. There are always
all sorts and conditions of men travelling Mice
people, who naturally cluster into little coteries
IF mutual entertainment and amusement;
and others who seem set adrift by the
sates for the express purpose OF divert
:ag their fellow travellers. There was
Nancy and Maria, who had to be reiuct-
antly indicted into the experience Of sleeping in
an upper berth, and who wanted all the
men in the car to withdraw while they
made the periloIs ascension. There was also
Thomas, vao made gratuitous announcement
that he wouldn't give a continental for a bed
you couldn't turn over in without falling out;'
and Charles, also, who informed the public at
large that he always put his collar in his
hat so he would know where it was
In the morning. Where he put his hat
he neglected to state, but its appearance in the
morning led me to infer that he keptit under his
reason strangely sorted out; Nancy and Maria
at one end of the car, while Thomas and Charles
were at the other end, and the night was saved
from too slumbrous monotony by Tom asking
Maria if she was asleep yet, or by Nancy vocif-
erOusly and facetiously urging Charles to 'get
up and make the fire and open the store" In
due time, however, Alabama melted into Miss
ssippi and Mississippi into Louisiana. The run
along the southern portions of these States
through forests of pine and live oak. picturesque
marshes and lazy Southern villages, is most de-
Gghtful The sun was warm and the breeze from
lake and gulf refreshing, but the sunny South
as a sunny South will have to be sued for dam
ages 1t doesn't come fully up to all the partic
ulars mentioned in the small bills. 1t is not
nearly as warm as it should be here at this
son. but as our severe Northern winter is held
responsible, it does not become us to find fault
At high noon our train rolled into New Orleans,
little behind time which does not amount to
anything down here, the land of leis-
ure where there is always time
to spare, and any time will do.
Here let word be said for the Louisville &
Nashville road. Anybody can praise railroad
when under the stimulating influence of pass;
ad-paid-for ticket can afford to tell the truth
lad shame the evil one. The L. & N. road is
ne of the most gentlenanly roads of my ac-
luaintance and take pleasure in commencing
it for the neatness and dispatch with which it
carries unprotected women and their Sunday
bonnets so many hundred miles, and lands them
in safety.
Delightful New Orleans! She is dirty faced
old girl but her breath is redolent Of sugar,
orange blossoms, jasmine and sweet olive This
untidy old girl can't keep house, but she always
has flowers in her vases and fruit on the side
board which must be accepted as compensatory
for her carelessness to hooks and corners.
When in her everyday condition she is a lazy
old girl, too; but she has on an unusual air of
animation nowadays She is awake and looking
with an eye to business, and greets the stranger
as Dckens's famous Mrs Todgers met her
boarders, with affection beaming out of one
eye and speculation. glaring out of the other"
Aside from the living expenses, which
are necessarily high although not exorbtant,
for exposition times there is every imaginable
temptation to outlay of money. The stores are
full of the most attractive goods of all kinds
Every store has its peculiar exposition souvenir;
tiny bales of cotton, flags, medals, match boxes,
cups and saucers, plates handkerchiefs, any
thing and everything that will bear the stamp of
the exposition is pressed into service and on sale
ant, but very cool, about like our own April
Let no one come here expecting to make any
decided change In garments, or to present their
winter underwear to orphan asylums. The only
change necessary will be the addition or sub
traction of wraps and overcoats. The cold is felt
more than with us, because the houses and peo-
pie are not prepared for it, and sanguinely ex-
pect that each day will be warmer. The guide
books, which inform the traveller that he can
wander in the moonlight and have his tresses
caressed by balmy breezes from the spicy islands
OF the gulf" neglect to mention that the afore-
said breeze occasionally feels az if it had blown
from of an iceberg Vegetation is not very far
advanced. The emerald earth and the turquoise
sky came off as advertised but roses are not vet
plentiful, although trees and vines are green.
The sun is warm, ard the foolish virgin who
Doesn't bring her parasol will have to buy one.
fasterdaY was Sunday alrhouph vou would haua