Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1888-04-26

UuTlg- tue year A'paf "'"e
on an excursion over the Sun
set Roate; a line that extends
from New Orleans to Los Ange-
les, California.
Occasionally, I jotted down
aa incident Of the trip, or some
striking peculiarly OF country.
and sometimes o scrap OF hlsto-
~ recalled b tie SCENE where
tie events occurred. From such
memoranda. the ollow inE more
extensive notes lave developed.
DEPARTURE.
The hour approached for the
excursion 10 leave New Orleans
\ vast coacoarsc Of people are
assembled at the Southern IA
cifc depot Good humOr pre-
walls -r,. every fico seems RI
Iiaat with anticipated pleasure
After Some delay attendant
upon procuring berthe. having
tickets examined a-d stamped,
"all aboard gings cut above the
clamor of many voices. and \
human tide laden With iisten1
ed yalises and packages Of W.
lrious sizes, Tushe5 through an
open gateway INTO a large and
cOmmOdi0us boat. As tire yes
sc! wends its way across the
wave, ITS deck is througed With
silent spectators of the bread
bosom OF the grand monarch
Of rivers
Once more on terra tirma, We
find a train of ears awaiting us.
Each member of the excursion
finds his appointed place, or set
ties himself in a coach uutil
some investigating official finds
it for him. Section number one,
consisting of ten PulIman cars
starts off. Behind us, and run
aing within ten minutes Of our
time. comes section number two,
another collection Of ten sleep
ers. Away we 90. amid long
stretches of level land emtel-
lished with frequent glimpses of
lImpid water. Sometimes We
are gliding pas. rice fields chez
ured with aqHeducts, and some
times we penetrate q vast mo
gsss dense with trees and vines
In a lagoon, OH n green hilloct.
sits a st0ltd turtle gazing fear
lsssly at the rushing train
Again, a iazy alligator blinking
in the sunlight is seen stretched
upon a slanting log that is part
ly sunk ia the marsh. Station
after station is passed without
hating hnt not without receiy-
ing The good cheers of the peo-
pie by the wayside. Many of
them, kndwing that we are
bound for California, wave hats
and handkarchiefs, and 5est0w
upon us gdod-humored smiles
81 length, sudden bread flashes
IN the distance, spprize us that
we ale ia q region ofsmall lakes.
Live Cabs are plentiful aud from
almost every bcugh, the weird
looking gray moss, Lillandsia.
hangs in graceful festoons, OF
waves in pendant masses, like
the dropping mouruful branch
es OF a weeping willow. 1t
length The utility Of the "old.
grey BEARD IS suggested oy
seeing t banging on yard ienc-
cs- Negroes prepare it for the
mattress market ny boiling It.
or by burying it in the ground
until the life is destroyed. This
process being completed. they
wash out the dirt and dry the
moss in the sun.
The occupants of our coach
are chiefly thoughtful, inteIli
gent, earnest persons, whose
eallings are in the higher walks
OF life. Quite Il number ofthem
have seen much of other parts
of the world besides America.
SECOND DAY.
Shifting scenes of pIairies,
sparsely wooded hills and val.
leys, and low aratIe land, sue.
ceed each other, rs WIS speed
through the Lone Star State.
we are nearing San Antonio.
A gentleman makes the an.
nouHcement that We are to 'stop
over tive hours at that place.
What a stop over ~ eiacu
lated one, whose face expresses
surprise and disapprobation.
What is that fer 2" inquiries
another starting up suddenly.
TO favor the tourists they
say;to give them a chance to see
The city, replies the one who
brought the information.
"Pshaw. We want to get or
Nv hat is there worth seeing
IN San Antonio, Ia like 10
know -
Yes, that's the question.
what more than in any other bic
town -
Its to SUIT the convenience
OF the railroad authorities that's
All.
That's it. It's all a pretense
about fsvoIiug the tourists
Many more remarks are made
showing . spirit of opposition
to the arrauupmaut i'll -.