Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1888-01-06
A TRIP TO THE SOUTH.
correspondence of the Register.l


New York | left at evening for Wash
ington, where we arrived just after day.
| went to the Arlington, but found every
room taken by delegations from Western
cities after the Republican convention.
SO changed to the Ebbitt. OF course,
Washington is a city of politics; all cap
itols have this quality. We find 1t at
Montpelier aud at Albany. Here there
itics this time connected with the church
"a meeting of the Evangelical Alliance.
| met a number of Vermonters here,
among them Albert Chapman of Middle
bury and Mr.. Crane, Jr., of Bridport.
The Republican party is on trial again
and the question is, as last time, whether
they will select to lead it a man in whose
integrity all have confidence. Last time,
on account of the scandal against Mr..
Cleveland, the contest was very close.
This time that has been lived down and a
very different result is in store if the same
contest is had again. | heard Gov. Bar
stow publicly say at Montpelier, last fall
that there were thousands who voted for
Mr.. Blaine last time who never would
again. Certainly the Republican party
ought to nominate a man next time who
has character enough to shake hands
with Mr.. Edmunds.
Washington is the great home city. 1t
may be that the dudes notions of dress
hamper some of its society, but, on the
whole, it is free and easy city of home
spun manners and kindly bearing. And
its thousands of homes are scattered
broadcast, most of them of modest pro-
portions. Its streets, too, are the best of
any American city, both smooth and
wide, and there are many little parks and
circles. No scarcity of room. The great
South sweeps up to it and says, take all
you want; the mind of man cannot con-
ceive the time when we shall not have
room enough. 1t is the trouble of the
South that they have so much that they
don't know what to do with it. When
cultivated land sells at So an acre there
must be enough of it.
Building just at present is overdone at
Washington. 1t is said there are 5000
houses to let on an average price of 500
month and over. OF cheap houses of
$50 to $50, there are few.
The distance from Washington to Col
umbia is about 500 miles. One can leave
at 10 o'clock p. M. and reach Columbia
at 6 p. m. the next day; fare, Sl5.5O.
This is by the Piedmont Air Line through
Danville, Salisbury and Charlotte,
North Carolina. At Charlotte there is a
change of cars and road. At Greensboro,
y. c., we had breakfast and very good
breakfast it was. The southern steak
was exceedingly tender. | speak of this
as it has usually the other reputation.
Weather was mild and pleasant. but I'M
derstand it has been mild and pleasant
all over the country. The southern rail
roads now are well run, average rate of
speed about 30 miles an hour. From
Charlotte to Columbia %. | found Col
umbia very much as left it two years
ago, quiet city with wide parallel
streets and southern climate. The
darkev abounds here of every hue and age
and form. Always polite and apparent
| ly contented. The native whites are very
easy hammered, more so than in North
Carolina. Columbia, too, is a capitol city,
| Lat, in, I
prised to see that bill to pension Con-
federate soldiers was defeated in the Sen
ate. | stopped here again at Wright's
Hotel, finding a number that | knew.
Last evening as sat in the parlors up
stairs woman of middle age came in
with little girl. For while they sat
talking; the child was loving, and the
woman fond. The mother wanted the
girl to play, and at last she took her seat
ut the piano. The short feet wouldn't
touch the floor, but the little hands found
the keys and played them so lovingly
that pretty soon the old piano woke up
and begun to discourse most excellent
music. Gretchen had soon coaXed from
it some of its sweetest melodies, and then
she slid down and went back to her moth
er's lap. "Madah," said, "the little
girl plays very finely; she has genuine
talent" The lady was little reserved,
but told me soon that her daughter was
thirteen, had played since she was five
but had had little instruction except
what she herself had given her. The lit
tie girl slid back to the piano. Not es-
pecially handsome, but she had an excel
lent face, showing throughout marked
character and intelligence. Once more
the fingers bothered with the chords
Strain followed strain until the intrica-
cies blended as rays of light, then sud
denly there flashed out in all its beauty
with every line raised and with every let.
ter printed, that brave old Scotch air
"Coming thro' the Rye" learned after