The Asheville citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1885-1889, 1885-10-30
Our Friend DR.. VANDIvER

h0OAt0o viz AOiApH1hS AAOtN - : ~.
ponse to the pleasantly we indulg-
ed in a few days ago at his expense.
We know our friend feels the ive-
lest interest in all this beautiful
section, and often have we sat at
his feet, like Paul at the feet of
Gamaliel, and learned wisdom cons
eerning this great country, and It's
needs TO make it the grandest in the
South. But to the letter
WEAyERyILLE, 26th inst.
MEssRs. EDIToRs:- i am sure your
remarks in Fridays issue were made
in the purest kindness; but am fear
full they may produce differences
that | am cool towards the Fair and
the city. To show that 7 am not Il
sent samplesfrom nv Gardens to the
former; and in 1871, when "a large
gathering of friends to a rail road
from Spartanburg to Asheville was
held in the old court house, after
Col. Cannon and several others
were through, at the instance of
very influential gentlemen, ] arose
and made very short, but strong
talk. And when the proceedings"
came from the press. the flaming
speeches of erery one of the others
was alluded to, and not word
about the flights of truthful elo-I
quence, with which I had 'swayed
the giddy throng," on the same oc-
casion. Of course my conclusion
was, that an ordinary man, could
be of very little service to an extra
ordinary community; and that for
the time to come, [ should paddle
my own canoe" mostly. But ifthe
points in that little speech-doomed
to "blush unseen, had been heed
ed, the trains would have been snor-
ting and screaming into Asheville
more than six years ago. But for
the present city of Asheville, its
teaming pushing thousands, l am
in the purest sympathy. I hope it
may increase, until you can send
your servants to my Garden gate.
and take home the cabbage seed,
without the trouble ofmailing them.
You talk about = lssitting cross
legged" which l do. The position
indicates thought. You never see a
successful student that don't "cross
his legs" But when I "chew," I
don't chew the "bitter end" of any
thing; l chew the sweet end, if it
has any, and if it hasn't, I fling it
away. Of course I have a mode
rate feeling of regret at the exist
ence of numerous things. But /
always guard against ''overloading
the team" 1 regret that our Fairs
often have more race horses and
than tend to the. general
good. l regret that our county
town, now merging into cityhood-
the great paragon for all our small
towns and villages-don't have all
the liveries and back doors bishops
and saloons closed up on the Lords
day, and every body invited to
church and to their knees. I re-
gret that "T. G. W." who writes
very smoothly, can't find some one
dead or alive-more deserving
place in history than the devl.
Many of his points are notintelligi-
bic to children and young people,
and will be apter to do harm than
good. If there is no devil in the
world, there is pretty smart sprink-
ing of bad men, and surely Mr..
wv" doesn't want the youths of the
to initiate them. AS t0vis- !:
ting the city only once in seven
years, there is no foundation for the
ale. l where I please, and when
transact my business I 60 back
home. l think very well ofthe hab-
ts of a British gentleman by the
name of Wesley, whose invariaple
rule was, to go nowhere unless he1
had business, and when he transact
ed his business he went back. I |,
nave hundreds and thousands of
warm friends iii Asheville, for any
Dr. all of whom, I would do any fa-
vor in my power, except make rail
road speech. The echoes of the one
made-long since wasted upon
;he desert air. us all they can get
out of me.
Truly, ETC.,