The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1897-07-15
Il



A FEW IMPRESSIONS,
During these quiet summer months
when the merchant is complaining o
trade, and nearly every n else in tn
town feels the effect of this same ANN
al depression; and the planter does lit
tile but sit on his launches and whistle
for rain. it is pleasant TO contemplate
the steady manner in which Greenwood
is assuming an urban appearance
A few years has made a vast difference
in the town, and the good work is still
going on at a n~oticeably rapid rate
Within the past few years the electri,
lights and the ice factory have been rs
tablished, and as the people begin Il
appreciate the advantage of these limo
v~ations they desire greater improve
ments-a result of which will be thu
water works in the near future, In tn
course of a short walk through thu
town | noticed many other improve
ments, especially in building, for in
stance, on River Front, the Reimar
house is rapidly assuming proportions
which give the promise of its being 1
fine structure. The men at work on
this binding remind me of ants around
an ant hill. Then Mr.. NJ. L. Stoddard
is LAYING the foundation for a fine two
story frame residence, Over in G. Z
town Henderson and Baird are erecting
a large sheet iron warehouse, and neal
it a number of neat cottages for the use
of the darkies. Near the ruins of the
Lamon hotel, Mr.. - Clark has built Il
commodious store, in which he will
soon place a stock of merchandise,
Near this there are n number of cottages
being erected. Over in / c. town Mr..
Jno. Dahmer is building a number OF
tasty little cottages which he will rent
to negroes, Up in the city Prof Frank
H. Rice will o o built n fine two story
brick store. And thus the town grows
in every quarter except that known as
the cemetery.
BY the way. speaking of that same
cemetery, | have arrived at one conclu-
sion, | don't wont to die in Greenwood.
In fact | don't want to die anywhere,
was reared q pet and have a decided
aversion to being thrust beneath the
green sod, But when | observe the
chill hand of death reaching ont after
me, ] intend moving from this vicinity.
A recent trip through the cemetery has
decided me on this. | entered by tho
rear drive way, that is | crawled owe
a dilapidated fence and started to cx-
plore the jungle of the dead. The first
thing that struck me was the ancient
appearance which the tangled under
growth lends to the enclosure. | have
visited the old graveyard in Trinity
c%hurchyard, New York, and compared
to Greenwood's city of the dead, it is ms
a new-laid egg compared with a board
ing house chicken, as far as the appear.
ance Of antiquity il concerned. ] no.
ticed one fragment of a headstone, with
the cmblematical square and compass
craven upon its moss grown face, lying
in a tangled mass of weeds, denOting
that somewhere in the vicinity the dust
of n Mason reposed. On every side the
evidences Of neglect were apparent and
doubtless there are many graves which,
unmarked and nncared for, have re.
sumed the appearance presented before
the ground was ever broken to receive
the remains of somebody's loved one.
| also observed q few cows c~ontentedly
munching the foliage which grew over
the graves, and although not supersti.
tious it produced an uncanny feeling in
my mind when | thought of eating but.
ter produced from the bushes which
cover the resting places of these depart,
ed ones. Even oleomargcrine would be
preferable.
There is always a feeling Of admira.
ton aroused by the display Of more
than ordinary intelligence by animals.
watched with interest the conduct of
a couple of dogs last Sunday morning
who evidently did not believe that
swimming on the Sabbath was general.
ly conceded to be n dangerous practics.
These very bad dogs raced down the
bank, very much like a pair of school
boys, each Of whom was determined to
be the first in" Without any of the
shuddering and hesitancy generally
shown by boys, however, the dogs en-.
tered the water neck and neck and
started for the opposite shore. They
evidently had been there before. They
appeared at first to he racing, but this
Thought was soon dispelled by the
actions of one Of the animals, evidently
the better swimmer, which, when it got
too far In advance Of its companion,
CONSIDERABLY turned and waited for it
They reached the shore together, and
started on a prospecting tour through
the woods.
! heard a good one" on Mr.. d. S.
Goodrich the other day, He and a par.
ty Of friends were fishing at Blue Lake
and were having the best kind of a
time. and were rapidly d%cpopulating