The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-01-03

Ehie Jordan, Waiter Walker 1a1inia rollor, Alice
and Mary Little johu. Minnie Rhodes James L.
q iNeIt, Annie Beanc, Emma Echols, n J. hin,
tieNiy station. Lillian Holmes and nolc White
head. Thomas lfawHcr. Leila Reynolds Fannie
Heai!, Henry uarpo" Salic Brown. Prior Wc>:.
-O----
DEAR CHILpBEN: l want to tell you that
some of my best letters lave been left ont this
week because obey were too long olg letters
or letters writes with a pencil viii never 90
III. / know you Will gladly welcome a letter
from Uncle VIII" / always do,
"AUNr SUSIE"
DEAR NrPHEws AND NIECES: 1t is winter
and cold, but we will take a trip north, because
what we shall see cannot be seen in Summer.
Each season of the year has its wondrous
beauties. Night and day reveal different
wonders which we can only know because of
the hour of light and darkness. The beautiful
llfc-giving sun gives its light in the day but
without night we could never sec the beauteous
stars that gladden. our sight Summer has its
bright sunshine, its wealth of flowers, its de-
icious fruit. In winter only all nature is
clothed IN its gayest garment-ice. Those of
you who live far south know very little of ice
and snow, so we viii make short trip through
Michigan in midwinter. OF course, all my
but if any of you have forgotten look at the
map and there high up you will see a part sep
arate from the main portion of the state; this
is called the northern peninsula and We are
going there We leave Grand Rapids about
midday and for the first few miles we see
little OF the ground, but then for more than
three hundred miles we see nothing but snow.
We pass through the forests of white pine,
now being cut away and from which millions
OF dollars have been made. We shall see very
lew farm houses, an occasional village, lum-
DerlncnS camps, and now and then as we come
IN sight OF tho borders of lake we see very
pretty towns but the beautiful villas and cot
taSes are deserted now; they only are occupied
III summer We can see far out into the Lake
and as high wind is blowing we see immense
masses of ice hurled against the shore, broken
INTO fragments and falling in pieces the water
helps them to freeze together, and it looks as If
wall of shining silver was along the border of
the lake. just about night we get to Macanac
City. Pull your cloaks around YOU and hoods
down, for the wind is biting cold as it comes
with binding force over the ice and snow. We
must spend the night at the hotel-and a very
nice one it is-for it Is too dangerous to attempt
to cross the straits at night. You are called ut
five O'Clock in the morning, and though the
cold pinches you good and hot breakfast
makes you feel good humored. We take the
cars to go down to the boat. The snow now is
two feet deep and we cannot walk in it, We
have the choice of crossing the straits of
Macanac, that connect Lake Huron and Lake
Michigan, in an open sleigh. in an omnibus on
runners, or an iron steamboat. As the lattor
looks the largest and strongest we take that.
The straits of Macanac are seven miles wide.
We leave lacanac City and 60 to st, Ignace,
where we again take the cars. This place was
settled by Pere Marquette, very devout
Catholic priest, who spent his whole life here
trying to instruct the Indians Only o few
years ago his remains were found and now
they have built a monument to him. For
many years he served to prevent the Indians
going to war with the whites, and both revere
his name. Just as far as we can see is a sheet
of ice about three feet thick. This steamer on
which we are is of thick iron and so shaped at
the bow that it slides on the ice and brushes
it and thus makes a channel for itself. 1t goes
over night and morning, but every morning
the ice has formed several inches thick, so
strong that man could walk ON it, and she
must break her waythrough again. We stand
at the stern of the boat and see her try to
break way for herself. Her immense pro-
peler turns and the water boils under the ice,
breaking it, and she moves back n little, then
the wheel turns again and again and gradually
she breaks place large enough for her to turn
around. Now we will go to the bow and see
how she brushes and crunches through the ice
Her bow slides along, and of course she has to
90 slowly, but she will strike huge piece of
ice and it will turn up SO we can see it, about
a yard thick Sometimes the boat strikes her
side against the ice and you can hear il grind.
and you will be in doubt for little while
which is going TO give way. Then you hear a
loud crack and looking out see the particles of
ice flashing out in the sunlight looking like
diamonds, all along the crack. hundred wards
long, which the boat has made in the ice. Far
out on our left we see the slcighs and omnibus
running over the ice. 1t would be bad place
for a bath, for the water is cold and about
seventy feet deep; that is about as deep as the
Mississippi at New Orleans. But the ice is
thick and the horses trot along just as safely
as if on ground and much more easily. Far
out ON the ice we see man standing; he is
fishing. lie cut hole in the ice to catch Mac
anac trout, very delicious fish The wind
blows over the ice, but he does not mind it.
lie has spread huge blanket behind him to
keep the wind from striking him, and then
stands in the bright sunshine TO watch for his
fish If lie gets at all cold he skates for a
while and comes back warmed by the exercise.
But we have in about one hour broken
through the ice and take the cars We only
pass n few towns, the most important being
Marquette and lshpcming. They are really
beautiful places and flied with people in
summer, most Of whom are very rich. There
are large quantities Of iron and coppcr mines
here of very fine quality, and it has made many
of the owners very rich. The two towns
named are on Lake Superior, the largest Of
them all. If we should pass by the Northern
Pacific road through the upper part Of Wis
consin we would come to Duluth in Minnesota
There arc a great many other places to be seen
here, but we must leave this trip for tho last
time / saw the newspaper man who comes
for Aunt Susie's letters; he made n face at me,
says / cannot write. How would you like
that? Ahcctionately, UNCLE Will.
q
Correspondence.
Hattie 1ompkns, Tugcumbla, Ala.--I live four
miles south Of Sheffield. IT Is quite city now,
scarcely four years old, IT claims 10 have three