Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1889-01-11
Dome Department.
THE BEAUTIFUL SOUTH.
DECEMBER 20, 1885


yesterday as we journeyed on the Allan
tic coast route from Washington and
Richmond through North Carolina and
as far as Florence in South Carolina.
When we arrived at Florence, though
eleven o'clock in the evening, so soft was
the air, though tinged with cool, that it
could hardly inure the most delicate
lung.
It's great climate for the darkey. He
thrives in it; looks healthy and happy,
and great many of him. He seems to
be sufficiently indolent, with plenty Of
time on his hands, and little business,
and yet almost all are reasonably well
dressed and apparently as well fed. The
darkey, we think, must pick up his liv
ing easily. We understand here that be-
sides raising cotton he gathers turpen-
tine, the latter by far the most lucrative
business.
| am now once more at Columbia, South
Carolina, and from the window of my
room look out upon the principal street
of this beautiful city, over roofs of store
buildings that are mostly of two stories
at the postoflice building, a large three
story one of marble-and off on the dis
tant fat country. Negro women with
charges, white girls with aprons, darkeys
riding on donkeys and on horses are
passing by. Two civilizations blend to-
gether, two races at least; each equally
at home; in the main friendly and we
presume will remain so, unless my friend
Clarke of the Rutland Herald comes down
here and arrays them against each other,
so as to develop the Republican vote.
The negro South is improving and ap-
pears exceedingly well. AS have said,
he is as a rule well dressed, and his man.
ners are phenomenally good. He is care
full, considerable, respectful. l wish l
could say as much for the treatment OF
him by the whites. His treatment by
them, think, is honorable in deal and
in the main fair and kindly, but he is
subjected to insults in cars, etc., utterly
uncalled for, and very contemplate. l
do not believe in a negro's ruling, be-
cause he is not fitted for it, but | do be-
lieve, and | cannot see how any man who
is q man will fail to believe, in his being
treated like a man when he acts like one.
One tinge of manhood makes the world
akin.
1t was the second day of December
four weeks ago yesterday, that l drove
over the hills from Rochester to Pitts
field, Vermont. There was but very
little snow, unless on the higher noun.
tains; and through the long valley OF
the White River the road was frozen and
rough. At Pittsfield we found a small
country tavern. with its barroom, where
as Vermont is prohibition State, liquor
is not sold, but where a good-sized stove
gave forth its heat to the sundry chairs
that partly filled and partly empty stood
around it. There was small desk and
on it number of Vermont papers, with
possibly one or two Boston dailies
There was a narrow piazza to the hotel
and from it we could look up and dowr
the street that mainly forms the village
Of Pittstield. A narrow park extend:
through the center of this. There are
two churches, one on each side of the
park, and cemetery that comes to the
street. The Congregational church haC
no service in the morning. There wa.
one at the Methodist and we attended
The fires were good, but the audienc,
small. | think not over 80. After thu
meeting we walked into the cemetery
with its record of old and young, many
very old, who had lived here among thes,
spruce-crowned hills, and died. W.
! looked off upon the hills and thought W,
detected over them the look of mourning
Was it for their lost forests: Dilapida
) ton here had not been restored by cult
} yation. With the destruction of the for
est the romance of the position had beel
destroyed.
From the village we drove down tn
valley to Stockbridge. Here are signs O
a higher prosperity. The hillsides nov
, are clothed with woods of second growtl
> or grass-lined to their top. Sunlight o
Q shadow alike is beautiful. At Stock
bride is the White River Valley, and W
doubt if there is any more beautiful o
n earth than this, from its beginning a
4 Granville to White River Junction, wher
the White River joins the Connecticut
. Coming to the plain of Stockbrdge wit
its one exceedingly pretty home, its rura
store and old hotel, we turned again t
. the north and in seven miles through tn
romantic road arrived at Rochester.
Q The inn at Rochester is new one an
d very well kept. We were given an e,
= ceptionally large room with good fire fo
q the night. The next morning drove I
r Hancock, where we were busy throug
d the day and at evening started hon
Il across the Hancock mountain to Riptol
, The firstfour miles is up the narrow gle
it Of branch of the White River. The