Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1893-03-30
NOTES FROM A SOUTHERN RESORT.
sketch OF the Place, Aiken, S. C.-The
Climate and the People.
AIKEN, s. c., March Il, 1898,

sketch OF the Place, Aiken, S. C.-The
Climate and the People.
AIKEN, s. c., March H. 1893.
To the Editor of the Free Press:
For many years, whenever have CHANGED
to be long way from home, l have writ
ten letter to the FREE Press. Not to
break the CUSTOM l send you this.
Tho Place.
Aiken is a city of 5000 inhabitants, about
one-bslf Of them colored, situated on the
South Carolina railroad, one Of the oldest
railways in the country and now in the
hands OF receiver. Ii is located
on sandy plateau, 565 feet above
sea level and east Of Charleston about
four hours ride by rail. The streets
and avenues, from 100 to $50 feet in width,
are with trees Of many varieties in alleys
through the middle. The houses are set
far back from the street and surrounded
generally with fine gardens. They are CON
structsd after the Southern fashion, without
cellars and with ample vine embowered
paz1es. In the outskirts are the cabins Of
the colored people, Imprinted or merely
whtewashed, but generally fairly clean and
comfortable. The cabins in the outside
woods and fields are more primitive, win
dows being dispensed with; a hole in the
wall being considered sufficient for light
and ventilation and the hole may be closed
by shutters at night and in cold weather.
This style of architecture has illustrated its
Inconvenience, this winter being cold one,
for it has been impossible for the inmates
both to see and keep warm.
To the northern eye, the country about is
q forsaken region OF sand hills or plains
covered with yellow pine forests which have
been more or less cleared for patches of
corn and cotton. 1t is only in recent years
that these uplands have been considered of
any value for either purpose. but there are
some places in the neighborhood where the
clay subsol comes near enough the surface
to warrant the use of fertilizers OH the sand
and in such places there are large plantations
which are said to produce good crops of
cotton, but the corn fields would make
Western man or oven Nermonter
sick to look upon. But no eye has gazed
upon a landscape wholly without charm.
And this is bright and smiling region
the sunlight falls upon the red and yellow
lands and the white kaoin, the green and
shimmerng pines, the blossoms of the peach,
plum or other fruits, and the wild tangle of
Towering shrubs where the mocking bird
sounds his merry note.
The gardens are beautiful in spite of their
lack of heritage. There are no lawns, but
out of the white sand spring many beauti-
ful trees and Towering shrubs of
many varieties The cedar of Leb
anon, pride Of China magnolia,
mock orange, and others unknown or
uncommon al the North. OF the birds that
fly about the branches, the blue jay is the
liveest at present. They seem to be hold
ing political conventions. In mass Of
mistetoe upon the branches of an oak | was
panied to hear the familiar but superlu Gus
zip of the English sparrow.
The Climate.
The weather here is var able as it is every
where on the continent east of the Rocky
Mountains, but the place is high and dry
and its reputation Is established as Il
health resort. There is rather more sun
shine than in most places, and the morning
after it rains, the ground is dry and SO deli
cate people are invited to 20 out of doors
and when they get out they may safely stay
out.
Cemetery for the Colored People.
The like of this do not think is found
| elsewhere. II lies on hill Of sand from
which the pines have been largely cleared.
The ground seems to be divided into lots
| by ridges OF sand upon which are some
times laid little shells. The sand is lifted
over the graves in mounds. There are but
very few stones or markers of any kind,
but every grave is decorated either with
shells Isuch pretty or with broken bits
of china, pottery, bottles and glassware Of
every description, including broken pitchers,
lamp chimneys and shades, cups, saucsrs,
table ware and cheap household ornaments
In decorating the last resting places oil
the loved and lost the poor people show theil
savage love of glitter In spite Of the
homogeneous association OF cracked domestic
pottery and death, the effect is not &C
Grotesque it might seem. The cemetery
| is not so depressing the great one in
Paris where wood crosses are crowded over
the graves of the poor and hung with ugly
mourning smblems.
The Race Problem.
There is no race difficulty here at present
1t may come later when the colored citize,
insists on casting his vote as to be count
ed, which he will surely do sooner or later