The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1892-07-07


OF the passengers who thought they
ought to he real '.spo"ny' as most
| youn" people are under similar clrcnm
stances. She looked prim and sat up
| right next to the window and reao
a novel or toyed with bouquet o.
! flowers, while he occupied the outside
part of the seat close to the rail ant
| only spoke to or cast glances at his
newly-made bride when he noticed
that 10 one CHANGED to be looking al
them. But after awhile their manner
! changed. They had left home ;.nc
friends behind and getting lonely
doubtless each felt the need of conf
partnership and closer communion
Then half a days journey had accus'
toned them to those Of us who were
passengers on the same car. They
sat nearer each other-they got close
together. They talked aloud-they
even whispered as the cars kept up their
ceaselesss'c lackety -clack, clang-clang.'
She was getting tired and he became
sympathetic. Her head was weary and
she craved rest. What more natural
resting place could have been suggested
than his convenient and ready shout
der? She pillowed her head there.
He caressed her brow. Some Of the
passengers smiled but these young peo-
pie were too deeply lost in the solitude
of their thoughts OF each other to take
office of that.
We were passing through some fine
{l,Ic TO hnt IL n
greater demand for the attention of our
party than did the dying calf looks and
candy kiss love talk of our newly
married travelling companions. So
they were left alone as it were in
blissful indifference to their surround
ings, not even furtive glance being
cast at them from behind the pages of
an outspread newspaper. The country
is level, abundantly watered and well
timbered. The chief products are small
grains, grasses, stock raising and timber
There had been great deal of rain
all along the line and during a good
part of the night and early morning we
travelled through beating rain storms.
Crops had been seriously damaged
and the outlook was not encouraging
for the time Of the year. This was
particularly the case in that part of
Tennessee through which we passed
in the day time. But these people
do not depend upon any one crop. It
is a fine grass country almost rivaling
the famous blue grass region of Ken
lucky, and stock raising (horses, mules
and cattle) is extensively engaged in.
Further out through Kentucky, Indiana
and Illinois, there had not been so
much rain and crops showed to better
advantage. The land is fertile and
produces we'll. The country is broken
just enough to give variety to the land
scapc and a beautiful prospect was
spread out before us as we viewed the
shifting scenes from the car window.
Wheat, oats, rye. corn, grasses, &C.,
were in hourishing condition, and as
a farming country Southern Illinois
impressed me more favorably than any
section / had seen thus far Oh the
trip.
Just after nightfall st. Louis was
approached. The country for miles this
side was under water. The city was
ablaze with electric brilliancy. Bridges,
boats and houses were studded with
Jets of light. These reflected in the
waters danced and sparkled and pre-
scented picture Of beauty and devas-
tation such as we had not seen before.
East St. Louis ION the Illinois side Of
the river was almost wholly inundated.
Houses were washed away, turned up
side down or stood with the water
coursing through the windows of the
second story. The inhabitants had
fled to the hills and places Of safety
abandoning everything but few has
tily collected articles Of clothing and
bedding. Railroad tracks were sub
merged, long trains of box cars laden
with merchandise stood in the yards
looking like so many huge serpents
with their tops just showing above
the water. One large engine was seen
with its drivers hid under water and
the angry and muddy waves flashing
its FURNISHED sides and beating through
the cab. These of course were on the
lower tracks near the river. The road
we travelled on (the Louisville & Nash
ville) was the only one that was run
ming regular trains into st. Louis from
the Southeast, and a portion Of its
track was under water, so that stop
could not be made at the regular sta
ton in East st. Louis. For a consid-
cradle distance we had to move slowly
and the track was carefully inspected
before venturing over it to the great
bridge which spans the mighty Missis-
sippi. AS a result we were delayed
about half an hour but got into the
Union Depot in time to procure our
sleeping car tickets On the outgoing
Santa Fe train. Some Of the ladies of
our party were considerably agitated
at the sight of so much water and the
death and destruction caused by the
flood. The thought of having to cross
the river on that long high bridge made
them shudder and the conductor had
to assure them very positively that
there was not the least danger of its
foundations being washed out and the
structure going down before they ceased
to regret that they had not foreseen
all these things and stayed at home.
The famous Eads bridge, over which
we had to pass in entering St. Louis,
is one of the worlds greatest triumphs
i'll engineering skill. Reaching the
West side we passed under the busy
business section of the city through
carefully constructed tunnel in which
are two tracks, one for incoming and
the other for outgoing trains. This
bridge is Il magnificent structure, one
of the finest and costliest in the world,
and if space permitted l would like
to give some figures as to its height,
dimensions, cost of construction. length
of time in building, sc. St. Louis is
a great railroad centre, and when it
is stated that during the morning and
evening mainline passenger trains ar
rive at intervals of less than two min
utes and depart as frequently, while
the local and suburban service is almost
continuous, some idea may be had of
what a busy, bustling scene the Union
Depot, with its perfect network of
tracks preSeDtS Eyarvtbipr roac -,