The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-09-20
ON A GEORGIA RIVER.
LIFE ALON0 THE BANKS OF THE
WORLD FAMOUS SUNANEE.
Poor and Shiftless Settlers According to q
Northern Traveler-How They Regarded
the Yankee Who Sought In Vain For
Their Pride IN tho Stream.

Ertuc tLac otfehHis
All the world knows of the Suwanee riv-
er through the song that has immortalized
the stream, but not one in ten can tell you
where the Suwanee river Is, where it rises
or whittier II Cows. AS matter of fact
the map shows that II rises In Georgia,
flows south through Florida and empties
into the gull Of Mexico.
Along It's banks in Florida the land Is
low and marshy, and there is not much in
the scenery 10 inspire sentiment, tender or
pathetic. Ia Georgia there are many pretty
spots along its banks, but the trouble Of
reaching them takes away, In agreat meas
ure, the enjoyment they impart.
i was disappointed in the river and it's
scenery, bot what the river lacked the ma
tives along its shores made up to me. The
Cracker" has often been delineated and
hts characteristics commented on at length,
but he never strikes you twice alike and is
therefore always an object for interest and
study. An uncOnquerable dislike for labor
and oontentment that strangles ambition
at it's birth are the most prominent traits
of bis character.
Why should be poking along the river
and padding up and down without any ap-
parent motive aud taking pictures was
something that they could not guess with
out doing some thinking, so they let it so
as a mystery, and when a man is on mystic
rious business IN that part Of Georgia they
take 1t for granted that he is hunting for
stills
One old fellow who was sitting on log
deludinR himself with the idea that he was
fishing became so interested In my opera
lions for taking photograph that could
not resist the temptation to add little by
way Of extempore moves to the process. For
q time ~as fearful lest he should dislocate
his neck trying to watch me, as was be-
hind him. Finally he compromised with his
anatomy by straddling the log. l knew
that he was Just dying with curiosity TO
know what was doing, but wanted mo to
tell him without his asking
| carefully measured of triangle with
leg of the tripod and then set the camera
within the mystic lines. Then l stood at
each corner Of the triangle, wheTs | had
driven q little stake, and waved my arms
In the air paid no attention 10 the audi
ence Then focused the camera and made
the exposure Incidentally. Then | laid u
little train Of magnesium powder from the
camera to q hollow tree near by and fired
the train. There was a line of smoke, but
of course no fame showed. Then walked
to the hollow in tho tree and apparently
took from the cavity dark, flat bottle--it
was full.
Without word / walked up 10 the old
man, who had not Let a move escape him,
unscrewed the top and handed him the bot
tie. lie took it. looked at me, smelled Of
it-when he handed it back there was not
q drop IN tall Ia silence. Without say
ing anything I saw who the joke was on,
put the bottle IN my pocket, gathered up
tho camera and walked away. When got
behind some bushes, turned and looked
back. The old man was trying TO pry that
dead tree open with his fishing pole
One man that | met was not at all inn
pressed by the fact that fate had domiciled
him near the ripping waters Of the cele-
brated stream. opened conversation with
him.
"a great river, this'" waving my hand
over the river
Yep
known all over the world, wherever the
English language is spoken"
Guess So"
"And The Suwanee River will be sung
while the language exists"
whats that yer driyin at9"
"Why about this riyer-the Suwanee riy-
err"
"rhat ain't no river"
"Why, that's the Suwanee river"
mo. faint, that's ther branch
"Tbat is no branch; that is the main riv-
er."
II tell you, mister that's the branch.
There amt no S'wanee river bout here"
Did you ever hear of the Suwanee riv-
err"
''Nope"
Did you ever hear the song. Tie Old
Folks at Homer"
Nope"
DO you like singing?"
Don't mind leetle of it sometimes"
"All right I'll sing The Old Folks at
Home foryOu."
| straightened up and began TO sing. Be
fore the first verse had been killed he grew
uneasy aud shifted from one foot to the
other, so did not attempt the second, but
asked:
How do you like thatS"
"ToIerable"
"Would you like SOME moreW
mo, you needenter mind.
VERY well. but you want TO remember
that this Is the Suwauee river, one OF the
most celebrated rivers in the world, and
YOU ought 10 be glad that you are SO fortu-
nate as 70 live near such celebrated
stream" ~
"Glad I'm Twin herel Why mister, I'm
that dinged pore that | can't live nowhere
else"
left him. He was too prosoic and ran
crossgrained 10 the romance was looking
for. That night when | returned TO my
boarding place they said a man had report
ed a crazy Yankee running at large along
the branch and cautioned them 10 look out
for him as be might be dangerous. They
asked il had seen him. had not.
II Is not to be wo2dered at that the poet
EXPRESSED the liyeiIest kind OF longing fol
the old folks at home and took it out In
longing If he was wise He may have gam
boiled along the river with his little brother
In innocent childhood, but when he began
10 hustle for the luxuries Of lilo along the
Suwanee river" WAS not the place for him
10 hang out.
We know. however, that aituence Is not
necessary for the existence OF happiness
and though the farmers along the Suwanee
river do not count their cattle ON thou
sand hills or contemplate gamers filled to
bursting. yet they are happy and contented
the happiness Of ignorance the content
ment of laziness. But the source OF the
fountain is not questioned as long as It's