Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1894-04-18
la Grange, Texas.

ELHO7 hcpuU!ICuU.
/ think / must write another letter of this
little thriving place. I am inclined to think
| it the most delightful little city of the South,
even with darkest Africa thrown in. Since
! becoming more acquainted with the people
| and surroundings, / find it charming in
| many respects, especially since the fresh new
| green enlivens the scenery. The trees are all
| leafing out in lovely foliage, some with light
blossoms intermingled, such as the white
! plum. the peach bloom and the china berry
| blossoms while the Marechal Neil roses are
blooming and spreading their fragrance on
the balmy .air. The court house and the
court yard look very attractive. AS all
nature smiles when she puts on her emerald
garments and covers many an ugly blemish
thereby, a beautiful vine will hide many an
unsigthy shrub, and now that!summer has
truly come, | awake to the natural beauties
Of La Grange. The town lies mostly in val
ley and the Colorado river, with high blufy
banks, runs through it and is crossed by two
very high bridges-a road bridge and rail
way bridge, both leading north. The popula-
ton of the city is about3, 600 There are four
papers edited here-The Fayette Democrat,
The Journal, ones German paper and one
Bohemian paper. The leading dry goods
houses four in number keep first-class stocks,
including millinery. There are several drug
stores among us and physicians are well
represented. There are a number Of churches
here. Rev. DR.. j. S. Perry is the very able
rector of the Episcopal church, which is a
very home-like edffce. We have nice class
of inhabitants that keep up with the times and
a large circle of young fashionable people.
The colored population are largely in the as
tendency, should judge, by being obliged
some days while trayersing the sidewalks to
absolutely tread my way among none but
negroes, here and there it being almost
necessary to jostle elbows with darkest
Africa" or Saturday there is battalion
of ponies tied to the court yard rail, passive
ly awaiting their masters will. Everybody
rides horseback here in Texas-male and fe-
male. The people, the stores, the theatres
the thrift and the surroundings make this
pretty town. There is surely a charm and
fascination in the South. The air. the sun
the lovely trees, the genial warmth, the busy
people, the idlers, the all outdoors life the
luxury of sauntering without furs or wraps
the novelty of the sunbonnet era, the spread
ing water oaks, the. bunchy smistletoe, the
sweet roses, and the soft breeze of a South
ern cline, all combine to tinge the days with
romance and the nights with ease.
People lead now as ofold, a nomadic life, but
not exactly. in the same mode. They stin
cling to tents" and pick 'up their ,tents:to
pitch them again and again, metaphorically
speaking, which means travelling in Pullman
palaces, locating at some suburban retreat,
or some noted springs, or palatial lake re-
sort, to enjoy the forced 'luxuries of the sea-
months in some charming little. place like
this, to gather up the broken threads of
health and strength. Such is the nomadic
life of to-day made easy for mankind--to be
able TO migrate, like the birds to an inhabit-
able cline, on the flying wing of reclining
chairs, over steel roadway, out of the
frosts and SHOWS of discomfort.
One word more in justice to their Opera
house here. Since seeing the interior it re-
minds me of the "Concordia" ut homeland
any reminder of home.is quite delightful; so
we will not condemn the outside of it, which |
is not of artistic dimensions. Also the large
school-house has been repaired!and strength !
ened, and is now in good standing. They
have no afternoons here; it is all evening |
after II o'clock noon. Neither do they have |
pennies or shillingS; it is enc, two four and |
six bits-fOr shIllngs. Vegetables raised |
from seed this spring have been served on |
the table. such as onions, radshes and let |
tuce. Peas are in blossom and potatoes half |
a foot high in the Lester house garden. And |
now that l have given you a small guide |
book of La Grange, mayhap for some future |
use, will close. HIS
Henry Ward Beecher once informed |