The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1890-08-08
AWAY DOWN IN Dixie.
What a Michigan nan Said About the
South.


Mr.. S. II. Moores. of Michigan,
recently made visit 10 the plney
woods country Of Mississippi, and
on his return home his neighbors
piled him with all sorts of ques-
lions. The following conversation
is published in the Brookhaven
Times a first class Mississippi news
paper, that is published by gentle
men who recently came to this
Stale from he North. The Times
is doing a good work in convincing
its Northern friends that this is
the best country III the world, and
that all decent newcomers are
heartily welcome, no matter what
was the color Of their clothes "dur-
in Of de wah." Mr.. Moores said :
GLOW do | like the Southg I
like II very much and if some
one will buy my home and farm
| will bid good by 10 the North"
"Isn'i it awful hot down there 2"
swell, l have been absent this
lime about two weeks. Been TO
Mobile and New Orleans, butlnost
OF the time in southeastern Missis-
sippl, about 100 miles from The
gull, and | never experienced
pleasanler days in June than hose.
While it was hot in The sun here
was at all times delightful breeze,
and in the shade you were perfect
ly comfortable. Their hottest
time is about sundown. Last Fri
day night, they claim, was as hot
a one as they ever see, yet l drew
a double blanket over me before
morhiug.'
"How do The crops look 2"
splendid. | went into corn
field-cleared from the pine
stumps-stood beside the stalks,
and my hat would not touch the
ears that hung over my head.
Neither could |, by standing my
tallest, reach The tips of some of
ears. Cotton Is now above knee
high and in blossom. 1t bids fair
for all abundant yield. Sweet and
Irish potatoes. peanuts, etc, look
well All the peaches in the South
were killed by a frost on The 9th of
March. Fig trees are loaded and
every body has them. Plenty Of
wild berries"
''DOn't the mosquitoes and bugs
bother you?"
''No, there are fewer mosquitoes
in the 'piney woods than in the
city Of Lansing, and as for others
not any more than here, except it
be an occasional flea, if you visit a
neglected barnyard."
"How about the snakes "
"That'S all in your mind. Last
time l was down (about six weeks
ago. | was in the woods nine days,
all the time, and saw three snakes.
This time | was in the woods two
days and saw ncDe aside from
moccasins in the swamp. Snakes
are a scarce article"
"What about the people?'
81 find them hospilable-as hon
est as Northern men; mere inclin.
ed 10 do justice to the right doer,
and mete it out 10 the one who
does wrong. The thief Is punished
by law or justice, as the case
seems to demand. Thieving in the
country and villages is almost un-
known, | 60 to sleep on the ground
floor with doors and windows wide
open, and no fear of being molest-
ed. A storm coming up the other
day, 1 stopped at country school
house; school had been out some
time--all gOne-but the door was
open and the windows out, the
books and states were there ready
for next days use. Think of a
Northern schoolhouse being left
that way. Schools in the South
are not so plenty, nor children or
parents generally so we'll educated
as in the North. All things down
there occurred before the wah' or
after The surrender but aside
from using the war as 4 date, there
is seldom a reference to it. They
seem satisfied with its outcome"
do you think it a good place
for a poor man TO locate Z"
II certainly do; and if had no
home nor means would gettogeth-
er what little | could and locate
homestead in the piney woods of
Mississippi, just as soon as pOssi-
BILE. Michigan families who have
lived there three years tell me
they meyer enjoyed lie so much,
and have no desire 10 return. l
know of no place, and | have seen
every State in the Union, where so
little work brings so good a return
for the farmers