The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1889-04-04
Letter From DR.. wild
II Sr. LOUIS, Miss. March 20, 1889.

DAT Or LOUIS, Mlas, Mhrcu 20 loov,
Dear Journal:
Had any one ventured the assertion
when our party left Manchester on the
Goth day of February that ia Que month
we five people would be keeping house,
in the state OF Mississippi. We should have
scorned it as an idle tale. Yet such is the
fact. AGd the train o. circumstances
which brought it about is rs strange as the
fact itself. This place Is 80 miles from
New Orleans. aud Is a fashionable summer
resort for the people Of that city. One Of
our newly made friends owns cottage
here. aud by his kindness we are occupy
ing it. After three weeks OF city life. the
change is refreshing and delightful. The
place itself is beautiful. The soil is light,
white sand, Around us are thick pine
woods Before us is tho Gull Of Mexico,
right at our front door. Fully one-third
OF our horizon is water, stretching away as
far as the eye can reach; and to those
whose home is among tho far away noun
tsins the sight is luxury well appreciat-
cd. Nor are these all tho attractive fea-
lures OF our situation. Our cottage by
the sea" stands in fruit orchard. Hun
dreds OF orange, pear, peach, cherry, and
plum trees are growing aroupd us. many
Of which are now in blossom; and from
where sit can see at least one tree that
has yellow oranges upon it, as we'll as
flowers. In our front yard are china trees.
magnolias, honeysuckles. and sweet vie
burnum, rs we'll as lesser shrubs and flow.
ers. Mocking birds sing sweetly TO MS,
while the signing Of the breezes and the
murmuring OF the waves furnish an appro-
pirate Accomplishment to their vocies. 1t
Is enough to make even prosaic Vermont.
or lazily poetic to see such sights, hear
such sounds, and breath such balmy air.
am sitting in the open air as write, with
cloudess sky above me. The mercury
(fer We have y thermometer with all the
rest OF our ''6xings') stands at seventy.
Near me sits Mr. Hard writing letter to
GEORGE" The two ladies OF our family
are in the house "doing up" the after din
nsr work, and chatting gaily over the du-
ties aud amenities OF Independent social
lie; while Walter plays in the sand, men
tally wishing no doubt that Clark, Ned,
Winifred & Co. were with him instead of
the elder people whose sole society he is
obliged to put up with. We have no lack
OF eatables, for the butcher. the baker and
the candlestick maker wait upon us most
obsequiously. Every thing we want is
brought to our door Including foe oysters
at twenty-five cents ('two blts'' per hun
dred Aud we might catch our own fish
il We knew enough, for there are plenty in
the salt water close by, and as good ones
20 we're ever caught
/ wish there we're 10 darker things than
these to tell you But truthfulness will
not let me stop here. The human life OF
this region is not beautiful. There is the
same lack OF thrift aud enterprise which
we have noticed elsewhere in the south.
1t may DO that our northern minds are
and our Yankee eyes measure
things by too straight standard; but wha
have written is our opinion, and We are
all agreed. The people. both white and
colorej, need educating intellectually and
morally. There is a sadness about this
subject which Expresses me already. and
would become intolerable II l we're to
live here q year. can but feel that the
curse OF the past still rests upon the sun
ny land, and that only future Of patient
christian labor eau remove it.
In two days more We separate. The
Hard part OF the family goes to Jackson
vile. while the Wild portion retnrns 10
Sew Orleans for few more days OF sight
seeing and (tell it not in Lonisisna)s we'd
iingl We hope TO NEE. again on the At
Ian.ic coast next week, and pursue our
journey northwari. Vt least 10 part iogeih-
or. E.P. W.
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