Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1896-01-15
CORRESPONDENCE
Xantippe Tells of Beautiful Au-
gusta.
Happy New Year! Dear ADvER

am writing to you this, the
first day of the New Year, 1896,
and I wish old Edgefeld happiness
and prosperity all the year through,
granting you some clouds and rainy
days, which we may al expect
while we live IN this transitory
world OF ours. l shall quote just
here a verse from Lucille, and it is
not the first time / have fitted In
Owen Meredith's genius to my'own
case. These Lines seem to suit me
sometimes.
"with irresolute fl ser, I've knocked
at each one
Of the doorways of life and abided in
none.
My course by each star that would cross
If, is set,
And whatever do l am sure to re-
gret."
However I am determined to
build up success on failure.
I speat quiet, but very pleas
ant Christmas with friends, and
the latter part of the holidays finds
me en- the Sand Hills. beautiful
suburb of Augusta. II is a village
of handsome-priva residences,
and spacious grounds belonging to
refined and wealthy families. This
place is called summerville, and a
line of street cars run through i
from early in the morning till
twelve in the evening. These cars
take you directly to Broad street
in about 25 minutes. Elegant
phatons close carriages and those
naughty looking traps which seat
two in front and two perched up in
the rear, drive along these aristo-
cratic thoroughfares, and pass out
to the grand promenade on Broad.
Ladies, gentleman, and children in
high dress, are seated in these be-
witching traps, driver in beaver
hat, yellow or white gloves. and
brass buttoned suits. Blooded
horses and glittering horses make
up the picture.
In passing along the drive, there
is the Schutzen Platz where the
German shooting matches come
off, and where Hans resorts on the
Sabbath, to drink lager, and smoke
his pipe. Ycu also pass the fa-
NOUS Bon-Air which looks like
castle with turFet and easement.
This hotel accommodates several
hundred guests; it was packed last
season, and an addition of o e
hundred rooms was made. A large
park surrounds it of glade and for
est trees, huge pines, oaks magno-
lias, and mock oranges, with inter-
walls of grassy glade and huge boul-
ders of granite rock. The hotel
has every modern improvement
and rivals, perhaps surpassas. the
Highland Park at Aiken. 1t be-
longs to stock company, and l
suppose is very renumorative. [
should suppose poor hacking
Northerner with only one inch of
lungs would arise from his death
bed IN this delightful place.
I am awakened every morning
by the booming of the cannon at
tie Arsenal. This garrison is
few steps away. I shall investl-
gate it soon. In stones throw is
a memorial church, built.of bricks,
with gothic windows. 1 see gleam-
ing through the mock orange hedge
the white tombs of the cemetery,
where suppose the Summerville
people are buried.
Not long since With three bright
young girls, Pauline, Stella, and
Maggie, went up the Lakeview
car line. Reaching Lake Olmstead,
we descended, and going along
road bordered by pine
woods, for about o mile and half,
we passed up broad avenue to
Berckman's and saw fields of all
varieties of rose bushes, with ne
groes puning cutting, and tying
in bundles; smoothly kept walks
with hedges of mock orange, cedar,
magnolias, fountains and minia-
;ure lakes, a residence, cottage
style with stone colored walls, sur
rounded by verandas, also build
ing with Office printed over the
1oor. We also saw Mr.. Berck-
mans and his son, who kindly in
vited us to 60 through the long
inc of greenhouses, which were a
of ferns, palms,
'milax, exotics in full blow. We
closed each door after US to keep
;ut the biting air. No one accom-
panied US, but over each was
olacard, "please don't touch the
plants, so being trusted alone and
,ut on our honor, we did not pill
er, though I could have easily
slipped a large bouquet. This fa-
nous florist sends fruit and flow
r. cuttings to all parts of the Uni
ed States, and even to Australia.
We have attended services at the
irst Presbyterian church, once to
ear Japanese preach, which was
quite amusing as well as interest
ng. Another time to hear Moody
Who preached to a crowded house.
lie is just an earnest good preach
r and I enjoyed listening to him,
Dr.. Plunkett is pastor of this
.hurch, and is much beloved. 1t is