St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-10-08

spend their vacation in the lower or
main part of the town, for the place
looks positively dirty and gloomy, even
on the sunniest days. and the lean pigs
roaming about help to add to the mis-
cry OF 1t. 1t is therefore on the heights
and back on Camp hill where the sum-
mer population holds forth, and it is
long climb, and hard, dusty. rocky
climb from the depot. The liverymen
do good business, and all sorts of con-
yeyances are seen climbing the hill just
that captured us on our arrival at the
ferry, charged us % cents for ourselves
and 5 cents for our baggage. This
pleased US, as II is the first time in our
lives we felt assured that we were
worth more than our personal estate.
III Now, the old inhabitants say, and SO
does history, that before the coming of
John Brown, all of this dead calm in
labOring circles was unknown. The
United States arsenal and the rifle
factory gave employment to a great
many. several mills kept the place in
lively condition, and Harper'S Ferry was
as brisk town as one would wish to
put an energetic foot in.
) Off the main street, i'll the Shenan-
-dOah, nestles the Island of Virginius.
1t was on this island that the rifle
factories stood, with about twelve neat
brick houses, all in row, for the
factory hands, and three large houses
for the proprletorS of the -four mills,
which were also on this island. These
houses still stand, but were badly
damaged by the freshet of 1889. and are
Just being put in order. They We're
last used for hands who worked in the
Hour mill. erected since the war. The
, rifle factory is gone, but the ruin of an
old -four mill, fired by the ConfederaSes,
stands out staunch against the summer
Sky and looks towards the only busy
place now on that once busy island
the pulp mill.
THE ISLAND.
House No. 13 on this island is a large
house, three stories and a garnet high.
This house with the unlucky number
was flooded to the second story during
the freShet of 1889, but it looks very
sweet and peaceful now, with its coat
of new paint and it's bare, old-faShiOned
windows, almost covered by the willows
that tap against them. The house is
very old and charming, with its winding
stairs and quaint closets and oubby-~
holes, its deep dormer windows and
open fire places. "Just such place to
come and dream in" remarked as we
went through it one sunny day, but my
companion added. as he looked around
at the water which washed the sides of
the place, land to get the malaria ill.,"
1t takes man to be diSagreeably prac-
teal.
So this little island was once like
little colony in itself, and with its faded
industrial glory has more charms for
some people than the Island park. lying
to the north of the town in the bosom OF
the Potomac, where numerous picnic
parties from neighboring towns and
cities come every week to ride the
merry-gO-rOunds, hear the band play,
and swing in the wooden swings. And,
when the old inhabitants look around
this place and think how matters have
degenerated since the coming of John
Brown and since the war, they have
no heroic idea Of old Brown. We
expressed surprise that the citizens
did not protest against the moving OF
his fort to Chicago. but it seems their
tastes were not consulted about the
matter, and they did not care enough
about the old relic to protest very hard.
But, even now in that town, and in
Bolivar, people offer for sale relics of
that famous raid, and, as one old lady
said to me, 'If John Brown had a man
behind every pike offered for sale, as
belonging to him, he would have taken
the country for miles around in less
than an hour" which seems very likely.
The people are not backward in
amusements. About twice week a
dance is given at the new town hall,
and concerts very often. During our
stay concert was given at the hall of
St0rer college. college for the higher
| education of negroes. The buildings of
this college are used during the summer
as hotel, managed by cOlored people,
but patrOniZed by whites. as one Of the
! best hotels in the place. The other
hotels are managed by negroes, but peo-
| pie who patroniZe them say one would
never know the difference, as the man
7 agement is excellent.
And so this is the condition of historic
| Harper'S Ferry at this time-Harper'S
Ferry. where first the muttered anti-Slav-
cry feelings burstin cry, and the old
man used guns and powder instead of
| persuasion in the cause of freedom.
But it is the people who visit the
town, not those 5whO have lived there
tor years, who call up glorious things
of John Brown. Having their town
entered as it was by him, they can look
on him in no other light than that of a
| crank. lunatic, and as some good and
| brave citizens were injured on that
memorable day, some mOrtally. one can
we'll understand how they feel about the
| matter.
But, still the summer boarders, as
they go on straw rides in starry summer
nights, sing
John Browns body lies a Wondering In
the grave.
| His soul is marching onr'
But the last time l heard it sung at
| Harper's Ferry, realized it did not
make me thrill as once itdid, with grand
| thoughts Of that daring old man. but re-
| grettingly acknowledged, had gone to
see the town made famous by my hero
| from childhood, and in doing 20, lost the
| hero. CATHERINE f. CAVANAGH.