Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1893-02-17
AMERICAN LETTERS.
SIGHTS AND exPERIsNoss IN The SOUTH

!
A clouded day, but not cold. Yester-
day it rained hard the day before it was
cold enough to snow. | left the burgh
of Washington Friday afternoon at half
past four, reaching Richmond at twenty
minutes of nine. The plains of Virginia
lie quiet enough now, but many name
as we pass along suggests Il time when
all was activity and when "On to Rich
mond" sounded well as "A battle cry, but
the getting there was very slow. Years
went by and still Richmond, but hun
bred miles from Washington, without
the aid of amy difficult country to pass
through, but simply by the proves of
the troops that defended it, remained
unreached. 1t was wonderful exhibit
ton of courage and resources on the
part of our southern brethren, but the
end came at last, and the road, once so
difficult, by Manassas Junction and
Petersburgh and Appomattox, offers now
no barrier against the passage of any
one.
Pctersburgh is the most of place
and the only place of much size between
Washington and Richmond 1t presents
all the characteristics of a southern
town--negroes and negro shanties; some
streets of stores that are fairly well
built, and some of houses that are quite
inviting, but the great mass of the town
l,n
looks that are so usual in the North.
AS the evening came on the moon APP
neared mt the east, flecked with clouds
and but slightly raised above the fiat
landscape. Quite different scene it
made from the rising of the moon over
the Green Mountains at Bread Loaf.
| stopped at Richmond at the Ely
change, SAID to be its best hotel. 1t was
fairly neat, with pleasant parlors, but
the table poor, and the 4uildings hardly
more than third rate. Richmond itself
has improved very much in the last ten
wears. II has fairly thrifty look, and
claims now nearly 100000 population.
spent Il day in its State library, "A
very comfortable room, and went on
top of the State House that gives fine
view of the city and country around It,
The capitol is itself on the highest
ground. with "A handsome park of trees
about it. At the hotel in the evening |
made the acquaintance of two Nlrglhlahs
that must at least have been colonies IN
the late war. Ii was interesting to hear
them talk over their war experiences
for they we're both especially Intelligent
men and went through the whole OF II,
going IN at the start and staying to the
finish. One of them carried the news
of Lee surrender to johnson, VINO, he
said. made no remark whatever except
to ask if it WAS certainly true, ana then
stood for long time silent
One of these gentleman Is now a pro-
lessor in Virginia college; the other Il
leading business man of Richmond. Ihey
had not mot for some time ana hehct
their long talk over war "reminiscences
which could not help hearing, as sal
near them. The true Virginia feeling
was recalled. Hardship and peril dwel'
at every point and still the unflinchins
fight went on, The description of the
death Of several of their generals, par
ticularly of Stuart, whom they described
as the best of their cavalry officers,
man of the highest courage and charac
ter, unknown to utter an oath or drlhl
a glass of liquor, aud of Stonewall Jack
son, of like habits, was particular.
touching. Probably the world has nev
err seen greater fight made for caus
that was 50 hopelessly lost and with TN
final result that those who were beatel
rejoice rqu1lly with those who succeed
ed that i was lost. Slavery once de
stroyed becomes abhorrent to every
body.
From Richmond to Rtleigh is e it'll
over 100 miles. The Roanoke rive
alone breaks the monotony of the ride
which Is through the usual flat countr
of the South, aud abounds in pine land
ana COTTON UtiuS. IODaCcO. toos II
large product of Virginia and Mort
Caroline. was told at Richmond Tia
the largest tobacco mandatory in til
world was in that city and that the priI
cipal owner was wcrth Sl3, 600 900
made from this business.
We had dinner at a small place calle
Henderson, genuine southern mea
consisting of chicken, hominy, han
sweet potatoes, corn bread and mill
There are always other things, BIT
those mention are generally the bes
Fish may be good, but other meats al
apt to he lean and tough. | find. how
ever, at these largest hotels now yer
good beef that | presume is wester
beef
My acquaintance with Raleigh is "
but slight. There seems to be OF
business street, where the stores, cou
house, DOst office, in fine three-stuT