Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1886-02-10
Letter from the South.
AsHEvILLE, North Carolina,
Feb. 6. 1886.

49, ~ 'S'''
I Mr. McMAsrER Il send you this
little scrap from n spot nearly as high
as the top Of Mt. Ascutney, and Just
now itsis little cool up here. This
is the second cold snap since Christ
mas. The "cold waves" that started
in Dakota and Manitoba have been
, particularly rough on this region this
season. No such ice crop ha, ever
been gathered since white men lived
here. The thermometer has this time
marked II degrees. Three weeks ago
the record here was the same as N
Boston. But the air is dry and very
pure, and hence a given degree Of cold
is not as hard TO bear as the same
would be if the air was moist. Sweep
Ing over these everlasting mountains,
the atmosphere loses all its moisture,
and you feel as though you we've
breathing concentrated oxygen. TO |
this fact mainly, the hcalthtulneS Of
this section is to he attributed. The |
water is as pure as the air, and then
there are no swamps or swamp lands,
up here. There is but one spot in the
United States, and that is in Colorado, |
where there are rs many bright days
in a year as there are here. The |
knowledge Of this section as Il fine |
health resort, is very recent. Now
you will meet people from all parts of
the country. was invited out to
dine the other day. Ny host was
from Ireland, born in the same county
with Parncll--hc who now holds
conspicuous place in English politics,
and to whom even Gladstone is taking
off his hat. This host Of mine knows
that Parncll man well. aud gave me
some incidents OF his career and char
acter. My hostess was Philadelphia
lady. At the table | met a gentleman
and his wife from New York city,
lady from Boston, young lady from
Bridgeport, Conn. another from Ohio,
a gentleman from Baltimore, another
from Washington and yonr humble
servant did what he could in this cir
Gle TO represent our Green Mountain
state. Over the soup. the boiled NUT
ton. with mint sauce, the roast spare
rib, the fruit, ice cream aud black cof-
fee. We discussed English politics, the
silver coinage, and
filled up the chinks with small talk
about the cold waves of the winter.
was the only Invited guest at that
table. The Others were regular board
ers. 1t was not a small place at all.
Only one Of many you would find scat
tered about on those hills. the people
| mean, for would not have YOU I'M
derstand that you would lind such
table in every house as ! CHANGED
there 10 find at that one All the
houses here are open to the seekers
after health. IT is estimated that
million dollars are left here every year
by tourists and health.sCckers.
But do not suppose jnat this particu"
lar spot is the Que favored place in this
region. You think Of Saratoga as the
place where alone its much-sought wa
tcrs can be drank fresh from the foun-
ain head, but Asheville is only one
Town in Il large tract of country where
Inc divine elixir Of this wild mountain
air can be inhaled without money and
without price--so far as the air goes.
What is known as Wertem, North
Carolina, is as large as all Vermont, {
md some besides. This whole state,
if well worked up, would make quite a I
garden patch. If you pivot the State I
1t Cape Hatteras light house and
swing it round to the north, you could !
'tep off from its southwestern corner
IN to the railroad platform at Brittle {
1oro. Doubtless less is known to-day |
~ q majority of New England peopl2,
rs regards this section than of any
other spot of equal area in the United s
States, aud yet l am only twenty t
a0ars from Washington, and about !