Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1886-04-02
LETTER FROM SOUTH CAROLINA.
AIKEN, South Carolina,
March %, 1856.

contradistnction from the lowland or
coast part, and which probably includes
about half of the State, the northern half
as it rises from the swamps and with in
crcasng undulations goes up to visit the
royal mountains; we say that we do
not wonder that they have been accus-
toned to boast of their State and even to
think of it as the paradise of the world.
The lower or flat part, and that includes
Charleston and the coast for Il hundred
miles back from the sea. we detcst. 1t
would seem to us to be full of miasma
and dampness. We should suppose it
would be filled with mosquitoes. 1t is
filled in part with water. But up here,
a. the daylight breaks, and the strength
of the hills. more than Il hundred miles
away. reaches down to the rescue. there
comes the charm of the southern climate.
soft, warm and beautiful, and at this
time of the year certainly it is the para
disc for those who want to get out of
doors; neither too warm nor too cold.
| lift Washington Friday by the At
lantc Coast line route through Richmond,
Weldon, Wilmington and Florence, to
Charleston. The weather was especially
warm and fine. some ten days in advance
of the average, they Informed me at
Richmond. where stopped for the night.
Delightful it seemed to get out of the
cars at each stopping place, if only for
fpN monnuts and hn Il; in tbp warm sun
shine. At Richmond fields of early grain
were green. That night came a change
in the weather saturday it rained, though
still warm. | stopped at Richmond at
Ford's Hotel. an old-time house. and one
long occupied by Virginia legislators,
much as the old Pavilion used to be at
Montpelier. had intended Saturday to
look over Richmond. but the rain pre-
vented. The most noticeable thing | saw
there was Herbert and his brother; and
who was Herbert? His last name was
Bee, he said. and he made the letter with
his hand several times, so that | should
get an object-esson comprehension of it.
1t was the brother that first came to me
! NIlll>l l sat near llc stove Ill tlle large
office of Ford's Hotel. He had small bou-
quets and offered them for sale. 1t was
Il little boy neatly dreSs ed, with light hair
and big hazel eyes. lie was polite boy:
his manners were good and his look hon
est. | bought bouquet of course. and
! talked with him Il little. His intelli-
gence was of the quick kind. He couldn't
have been over eight or ten years old.
but he was wise far beyond his years.
He came back pretty soon and said :
"Mister, have you got tO-day's paper" |
told him not with me. lie said. "There's
Il man here's got one but he won't let me
see it: he thinks | want to sell it.
wouldn't sell his paper; if did Id give
the money to him. | want to see if
they've caught the burglar. DO you
know, MiSter:" \ little while after my
ly reading it,Sitting in one of the seats of
the office. "They have caught him. Mis-
ter, he said, as he noticed was looking
at him. | found afterWard that Il burglar
ii'lli -NNN VI il'l'i illl'i' Il blS NtllN'-
F. ton at Richmond day or two before,
= having wounded one policeman with Il
revolver and gotten away from half doz-
: en- of them. He ran into the country ten or
: twelve miles. but got starved out of the
woods, showed himself boldly in the city
, again. and was caught. My lad soon put
: down his paper and was busy again sell
ing his bouquets. Quick and silent aS Il
cat he moved about, going to any one
: that came in. Perhaps an hour after he
left was accosted by another little boy
: with bouquets. started, for he looked
E very like the first. about the same age.
! only little handsomer. his eye Il little
, brighter, his dress equally neat. hair
neatly brushed back, manners Il model
for book of etiquette, but with all these
the same steady application to business.
| bought my second bouquet and being
utterly without use for it, gave it back to
him. | asked him if he had little
brother selling bouquets, he said yes.
TO further questions he said his name
was Herbert: his mamma made the bou-
quct> his father was out of work: there
were IL children of them, ten boys and
three girls, but five of the boys and one
girl were dead. didn't succeed in learn
ing ages, for lac said his oldest sister
wouldn't like to have him tell her are.
The evening wore ON; the other brother
came back, IA few bouquets left. He sat
down in the commercial room by the Ia
BILE where ! was writing and seemed to
be amusing himself with Scribbling on Il
sheet of paper. | thought the child al
ways must have some amusement. Her
bert came along and Jared the table. II
say, Herbert, don't you bother me, you'll
get into trouble" This was spoken with
= decision from evidently the older brother,
but llerbert's eyes snapped, and they
: kept swapping, though he said nothing.
\ chance for trouble ahead, | thought