Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1886-05-13
NayIs 1886.
TeSOum.

ATal- I1lMllAll- - Alr AtA-r u
Blaine, has 8 paper II The Forum enii-
tied Florida. She writes well II Rich
mond, but contempiuously of The scenery
en- route South, until she gets into The re-
gion Of Columbia. We makean extract,
But from Richmond, southwark, along
the old ~ude-water settlements, We fare
indeed through 3 pale. spiritless country.
There Is DO clear line IN heaven or earth
or the waters that are upon The earth, 10
depth II the woods, no verdure Of turf.
The serawny forests sprout . scaniy green
from & long lost habit q foliage, but
there i DO wanton langle q underbrush
and fern and vine and mos j i pow
erty-sui1ien land, and is poverty J.
matched by tbe misery Of senheni life.
The houses are sad abodes for human be-
ings-small, shabby, unshapely, revealing
DO attempt al decoration, The sweet en-
bellishment Of home, within OF without
The garb Of the people is unmingaied
early English-limp and dingy feminine
drapery, the fogu ririlis equally dingy
and more severe The inevitable and
conspicuous feature Of every railroad sta
non j. ~bar," and near each bar i a
languid group sitting On rough, wooden
bencbe. or sauntering Al limiiless leisure
smoking. gazing, noi apparently because
they are interested, but because il Is ems
ier 10 look than not 10 look and pres
emily You are surprised 10 discover that
they are DOT wretcbed. Il j you whom
their aspect makes wreicbed. They are
happy enough-not boiserous, not per-
haps mirihful, but serene, content, desir-
ing apparently nothing better or different;
and YOU plunge into uniathomable depths
Of gloom. What is 10 become Of our
country How shall this people be raised
10 real life for rise they must or they
VIII drag The nation down. Human D.
piration. divine observation-disclosures shall
they tie invoked This Tranquil resting
Oh q wooden bench with q clay pipe and
iDexhaustible leisure, this strange blank
Of vanity and coquetry, what does il por-
tend Oh. for The toss Of a saucy head,
the Hutter Of q smart ribbon, The siifness
Of one sirchcd dickeyi For thar ribbon
would futier upward that torture oi
starch would mean al least the moments
~ sacrifice Of ease TO an ideal Yet from
tins meager earth, from these rough bench
es, came soldiers whose valor surprised
the world. For these sombre homes they
abandoned ease, and embraced ioil aDo
Submission and suffering and death
through four endless ysars. Their cause
was wrong but Their conduct was heroic ;
al theories must take that fact into the
account These lands, ouiworn by I'd
wise cultivation long before TIE WY (;
these homes, shrireled under the blight %
slavery, produced men bow patient bow
proud, how brave, We never should have
known, We never could have dreamed but
for war Perhaps, too only tbe actual and
awful compact Of war could have oonvinc-
Cd the South that the mud-sil money
making North was also DOT without the
courage which could soorn money and fight
6ercely. From this new mutual resPcci
nav there Dot spring more real unity
than could ever have existed with the
misconceptions and the consequent ms
steps q continuous peace War i hard
wsy for people 70 become acquainted, but
i was better f0r the North and tbe South
70 ret acquainted with each other by WY
than Dot 10 be acgusiuisd 81 al
And ere we are aware tbe gray waste
are succeeded by broad hiled, rolling
feds, tbe careful cultrahon q industry
and hope We are gliding westward
through South Carolina; VIZ approach
Columbia; We 1ig Paradise. i u .
great house, with VIDE halls and spacious
chambers opening upon broad verandas
overclimiel with roses, 81 II beckoning
wilderness q great Tees and Towering
shrubbery alive with fash and song Of
bird, and lnkling fountains al aglini
with bronze and golden hsh securing
0ur fragrant and musical seclBsun bT 2
high, close wall between u and The sur
rounding CITY. Nor j. Eve wanting
beautiful, bouHiiiul, Queen q Paradise
n her OVID right Atier n eternity q
eight-znd-ibir1y hours II heat and dust
and disbesr1euIg, wake high Up above
Z bouu.eons ezrtb Il z brilliant heaven
q mag1oliA trees shining y at every Ein-
l.