Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1897-04-20
LETTER FROM VIRGINIA.
MANASSAS, VA, April 3, 1897
Editor Democrat i:

Some time has elapsed since writing /,
II ne TO our dear old Oxford paper, bu
we are no less interested In its perusal
although our hearts are saddeued By the
occasional passing away Of our former
n,ighbors, the last one being Orvillt
X ,biuson. In his death Peru has lost
OF e Of her most substantial citizens, thu
ne ighborhood kind friend, the family q
thoughtful and provident husband and
IA her.
Pleasant memories come to us Of day:
pa ssed In Peru and surrounding towns
| IL was the one period in our life wher
an ;icipation wasn't more than realizt.
| tion; and We wish some of our old
| sch oolmstes now men and women
would occasionally let US hear from
them through the columns Of your
est Unable paper.
Winter has been over with US since
Fet rusry, bnt we have had such terrible
roa,is. Every old soldier who tramped
thrt ugh here during the war, will readi-
ly understand what Virginia mud means.
IL III stick 10 you closer than brother.
Farmers will begin planting corn next
weel;. Wheat and grass are looking ex-
coed ngly we'll; gardens are being push
ed forward rapidly; the budding fruit
trees give promise of an abundant fruit
crop, which will be hailed with glad
ness, as the crop was short In this vicin-
ity last year.
When We get homesick for the Pine
Tree state We 90 down 10 Washington
snd here find such families as Ex-
Governor Perhsm's. We expect them TO
make Manassas visit before turning
their faces northward. Governor Perham
is one Of the substantial men. The only
regret Is that he can't have a lease OF
life. He can always be depended on to
speak Tor the right-a good temperance
Republican. Pity the whole party
wasn't composed Of the same sort, and
then our eyes wouldn't be panied by
seeing the faces OF our chosen leaders
hung ID the breeze from every saloon
and bsudy house in Washington, as We
did AT the Inauguration. i can't under
stand how a good man like Mckinley
could make the number Of speeches he
did dur ng the campaign and not speak
out for temperance. There verify must
be something rotten in Denmark"
Your correspondents experience In
Georgia Is different from ours in Virgins,
for white people" do work here. Ii is
remarkable TO see their industry, when
We realize that the conditions OF slavery
only rendered IL necessary for the very
poorest of the whites TO labor in ante
Rebellion DAYS. The sons Of slavehold-
ers-mOst Of them-show commendsble
spirit la keeping abreast with the times,
imitSting the more modern methods Of
labor introduced here By northern and
western people, and being busy, and the
colored people Il don't allow myself TO
call them "niggers') majority OF them
are industrious, own houses, and por-
ton Of them well titled farms.
Slavery was curse 10 their morals,
In fact the female sex could not be
moral. but believe the parents, as n
general rule, try now 20 inculcate moral
ity into the minds and lives Of their
children. The teachers OF the colored
industrial school as well as the pastor OF
the only colored church In our town,
endesyor by precept and ex ample to i'm
prove their race, Thereby improving the
community and are succeeding sdmira-
bly,.
VIC are uut Ult-stu With CpmuiuuttN
where liquor isn't TO be had, on the con-
trary any one having ten cents, or whose
credit is good, can get IL, but don't
think there Is much more disorder among
the eolorei than white when under its
influence. fail to see how the color OF
the skin could change the effect OF the
whiskey. A drunken person Is about
the same no matter what the sex, race
or color. Some Of our more respectable
colored citizens here and Ia Washington,
would greatly resent this wholesale on
slaught on the morals and industry OF
their race. you would hardly find
southern raised msn doing IT. and am
myself much surprised that he claims To
be MSiue q guess Oxford County,
Republican.
More Anon.
EsrELLE GREENE CROSS.