The Dawson journal., 1886-07-15
A SMALL PARADISE.
EDITOR DAWSON Journal:

81
high plateau containing about
three thousand acres of light, fer
tile land, in a high state of cult
vation and situated twelve miles
north of Dawson between Bear
and Kinchafoonee creeks. 1t is
inhabited principally by old Con-
federate soldiers and their fami-
lies, who think that it is the duty of
the government to make it as hard
az possible for man to go wrong,
and as easy as possible for him to
go right. They always take aim,
have no confidence in luck, fully
believe that duty is supreme and
act upon the theory, 'Duty is
ours, results are Gods" They
are social and generous, frank.
open-hearted and charitable, and,
have little patience with that dis
position of society which is so
much concerned about the graces
of social intercourse and conven-
tional rules that it prefers polite
insincerity to blunt candor, and
rather tolerates polished hypocra-
cy than plain, plodding truth.
Here is no place for the sluggard,
the vicious, or even the man of
mere selfish ambition. He would
necessarily breathe purity from
the pure air and acquire industry
from the busy scenes. He would
imbibe true religion from both
the precept and daily example of
those surrounding him who be-
lieve in and practice honesty and
religion seven days in the week
instead of one. 1t is communi-
ty of Baptists, Methodists and
Lutherans, who live in harmony
and lave no chickering's over their
faith. They are interested in the
ame!ioration of the human fami-
ly and in general education, not
merely technical, but that broad
and enlightened instruction which
makes good and useful men and
women and Intelligent and self-re-
speeding citizens. 1t glories in
clean thoughts clothed in Ian
guage ftly chosen. The great
com non wealth Of Georgia in her
political sky has q vast milky way
of twiukling orbs Of doubtful
magnitude, the uncertain refec-
ton of which tends rather to
make obscure than to make clear
the highway Of public duty and
|
political preferment. Such orbs
in this neighborhood are eclipsed
by fixed stars whose light, if not
brilliant, is certain and constant.
This is not community of vaci-
lating politicians, but Of enter
prising, energetic and patriotic
farmers who delight in their or
chards and vineyards, thsir fields
Of grain and staples, their homes
and their firesides. Here are the
peach and the apple, thu pear and
the plum, the strawberry, raspber-
ry, dew and blackberry, the
fig and the pomegranite, the chin
quepin and chestnut, the hickory
NUT and walnut, the haw and per-
simmon, and other varieties of
wild fruits grow in richest abund-
ance. THIS is the land Of milk
and honey, o'possum and potatoes.
Truly, the soil teens with staples
and fruits and flowers and vegeta-
blesss 50 beautiful and SO natural
as almost to beggar TIE heathen's
dream of the garden of the Hes
perides.
Mr. Longfellow says: Life is
read, life is earnest" but life in
many respects in this enchanting
Fork is a romance. 1t is the
cloudland of LIES sky; it is the
imagery which Lies just beyond
the reality; it is the golden bo-
der on life's shadows; it wanders
to the side of fancy and adds i'm
pulse to all joys.
1 have written this hasty and
imperfect sketch Of the Fork and
its surroundings not without pur-
pose, but for the rare enjoyment
and enlightenment Of some of the
readers of your newsy paper.
Here the crops Of corn and cot
ton are in good condition and are
growing finely. An excellent oat
crop has been harvested ready
for the threshing machine.