Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1888-10-16
MISCELLANEOUS.
Letter from Mississippi.


The following letter written by one of our
county boys. and referring TO the prosperityof
Jefferson county boys in the South, will be of
interest to the many friends of the parties:
BOLIVAR. Mss, Sept. 18th. 1883.
9F,r Deu,- f,atfSSu
Did you ever take a trip down the Missis-
sippi? MOI Well then we can do no better
in this letter than to give you an account of
not run on schedule time. rs train. She Is
due some time during a certain day. We pack
our trunk and patiently wait until we hear her
deep. base whistle eight or ten miles up the
river. We then go to the landing. The boat
has just come around the bend The great
gang planks. thirty feet long-one on either
side, inclined at an angle of 45'-glve the boat
the appearance of some great white swan just
ready to fly from the water She blows for the
landing. She swings around by the wharf the
gang plank lowers dozen deck hands rush
by us for our baggage, aud whatever freight
thereis to load. The captain meets us with a
smile and bow. He is veritahle gentleman
except when he makes the air luridwith inycc-
tives at some poor unfortunate devil who has
let bag of cotton seed drop in the river. Tie
unfortunate ruShes down the bank into the
water and bringing ont the dripping bag. starts
off in trot. We are conducted up stairs to
fhe cabin and office. A profHsiOn OF cut glass
mirrors aud vases filed with flowers greet ns
on every side. We register. pay our fare.
which is about that of first-class hotel. and
are shown to our state-room. After putting
aside our baggage we come forward on the
promenade deck. We have left the landing
behind us, and are heading straight down the
channel Phe hum of voices Games up from
the lower deck. The deck hands are stretched
out on the hinge bales of cotton. humming
plantation melodies. We draw up chair and
Sit down. The great logs floating in the cur
rent, andSthe eddying of Stre water around the
boat attracts our aftcntion.E A delightful
breeze Is blowing There are no MOSQUITOES to
hotber us II Is late in the evening. we light
cigar. Were .such delightful sensations ever
drawn through one befores doubt H.. The
Itthpnders. 'Ccinr,nar streaks Of iightuing
il1uninate the western kics The clouds grow
bi9cker. Theif fdSes tecon,e crimson cpl
Co., % ! !. 4. =. -, ~, y '';
clouds nashes like FURNISHED silver. The
cfonds part and the deep red stu peeps just
above the horizon. lie sheds lurid light
over forest and river. A streak of gold lies
before u.s.. It dies out. The sun has gone TO
rest beyond the western skies. The sea gulis
cease to shrick. There is no rain. The great
base whistle hiows again Forty or fifty deck
hands jump to their feet. The boat barely
touches the shore. A wing drops TO. the
ground. solitary passenger walks OIL
There is no house in sight. nothing but
dreary waste of forests. You feel sorry for
him. However. he follows q well beaten path.
and in quarter of mile crosses the levec.
and is at home. The Mississippi is an awful
stream. II builds and unbulds in the same
hour. 1t is ever undermining. securing ana
building. 1t takes an acre from one side
and puts it on the other. We build u 1eyee to-
day. i'll q few months or years it is gone. II
is an impatient stream. never content to re-
main in n constant channel The light from
our cigar dies out. The stars shine brightly
forth in the southern skies. Oar thoughts are
| at home. The boat plOws ahead. The mas
sve engines breathe regularly. their ponder
our strokes vibrate the whole boat. The night
air grows chilly. we go to our berth. No use.
| Morpheus does not smile on MS now. The
mosquitoes bite us fore aud oft" tits getting
late. Our room Is next to the escape pipe 1t
is hot. The engines make sixty revolutions
| per minute. We take just sixty maps per min-
ute. Each exhaust of the cylinders awakens
us. We would give ANYTHING for just one
hours surcease from that eXhaust pipe. How
! we roll and tumble. and in our minds consign
those engines To n hotter land than this. All.
! well. il is nearly over The boat blows for
our landing. it is four o'clock in the morning
| She swings around to the quay We step off.
we at Lake Providence. There Is no hotel
porter about. We walk to the town. and see
almost the first thing. the Office of our old
! friend Dr. Will Long. few vigorous raps. n
few audible murmurs from within. He has
visions Of a ten mile ride to the country before
breakfast. Rubbing his eyes he pulls aside the
curtain. recognizes US. opens the door and
fairly drags us in. How delighted we are !
| How VIC talk of home of friends: Of times
that have been. But ] will not tire far
| ther. suffice to say that the brightest antici-
patton of our genial Dr's friends have been
| and money. Well he deserves it. for no other
young man ever left our town followed by
| such prOfusion of regrets of his friend.
| We are in the midst of the richest country
on earth. Nature has indeed smiled on it
She has been lavish with her gifts. The alln-
| vial soil is inexhaustible- hundred forests
| have melted and contributed their substance 10
enrich it. And such forests Vegetation here
is something wonderful. The forests are itn-
Penetrahle. Trees of a hundred different spe-
cies elbow each other. Some of them look
! strange TO Us. Here is giant trunk fifty-fect
high. a perfect mass of leaves. Parasitical
wires entwine Themselves about il. They have
driven their faugs into its arteries. Its days
are numbered. Another will soon take its
place Life and death are CngeDdcred in the
same awfnl crucible. They go hand in hand
Cypress and cotton wood trees rear their tops
a hundred and fifty feet TO see the sun 1t il
: n race for life. The odOr of decayiD2 ve2eta-
tiOn inspires one with awe. The greenish light
that penetrates from above gives everything a
| sOmbre look. Day time never enters here
II is always sunrise or senset. The atmo%-
pherc is forever laden with the elements
that sustain life. The soil is scarcely ne
cessaTy. The cypress "knees" prove this
| They are the lungs of the tree. come mp to in
hale the essence of life. If you cfTt the bark
around tree. it will live two or three years.
This is decidedly new country 1tis hOzpi-
table one. and extends a warm welcome to who
ever wishes 70 share its destiny. There are q
number of fine plantations in the surrounding
country, many of which are Handsomely i'm
proved. The planter is a noble specimen oi
manhood. chivalrous and brave Enter his
house and the atmosphere seems laden with
hospitality. Tney remind me of our Virginia
gentlemen of 90 yc olden times Our friend
took us everywhere. The road down the lake
in one Of fhe finest drives we ever saw. 1T Il
his JdoOTi'e. The lake is a lovely expanse o
water. Lake Cbamplain has but one advan
tage-frs mountain scenery. and vet We dc
not know but that the great fish fOunderins
about in the water. the white cranes wadins
about and the immense focks of wild ducks
impressed more than the mountain Eceuer,
of Champlain. This Is indeed the land O
ducks-the mecca of sportEmcn. / canno
pass by without word about the Southern
women The Southern girl seems born Il
dance. 1.-the and graceful. she trips the IigIi
fantastic with ease seldom seen elsewhere
Nor are the arts of painting and music iguoret
in her education Even now there comes Il
me vision of loyeliness. girl and gUftaT. ant
the air seems to Tibrate with - I'll be all smile
tonight love" For the present bid yoI
adieu. Yours. &c. ISsoaAB.