The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-12-27

goes,
But everybody now should have little
sum,
TO brighten up the year at it's close.
And SO my wifc-thoughtfu wo-
manifold me that had better start
out and see if l coudent talk the good
people out of enough to make the
grandchildren happy. The weather
was unpropitious and my old boucs
were grumbling, but obeyed the ma
ternal orders and went. Inertia is a
great invention. The older We grow
the more inertia we have. When
have stayed at home few months, |
want to keep on staying there and it
nearly Kills me to rouse up aud 80
away for even week. After J. have
gotten on the road the harness seems
to warm me up, my inertia is broken
and new scenes and people and friends
absorb my attention.
[ have just returned from Alabama
from second trip and the welcome
h me has settled me down SO calm aud
serene that my inertia has began to
work and | feel like could never go
away any more. The weather was
against me somewhat, but I reckon
sold enough talk to run US through
this Christmas. I hope so, for
it may be the last, and thcn-what
then?
There is wonderful difference be-
tween the people Of big cities and
those Of little unprctendiug towns.
BY request visited Childcrsburg, a
village of u few hundred people, whom
did not find too busy to talk TO me:
especially the old Confederate vc,cr-
ans, whose grizzly beard and settled
features always mark them. I can
tell them hundred yards off. aud
the common people heard Kim gladly.
saycth the scriptures. just so have
found the yconianry Of our sunny
Southland are my most willing hear
ers. [ love them and love to talk 10
them, for they have neither policy
nor hypocrisy. am glad myself to
belong to the middle class and to
minglc with them. Aristocratic So
cicty has but few charms for me. The
sweetest poet who ever wrote verse
said that Abou Ben Ahdam was
placed high in heaven because hc
loved his fellow men. That was his
only credential.
InaChildersburg the good people
gathered at the Academy that cost
nothing. In fact not anything cost
anything, and was most Hospitality
entertained and left with kiss ON the
lips Of sweet little girl who recited a
speech for me that her aunt had
taught her. She was only little
child. Befor. / left home I had a
letter from a cousin in Birmingham
cordially inviting me to his house, and
said he would meet me at the depot
with brass band. Also another
letter from lady friend, widow,
who said / must come to her house
and she would meet me at the depot
with open arms. q When my wife read
them asked her where I had better
go, and she replied with peculiar en-
phoo;o ttno E~o1fe
Birmingham is wonderful city and
very beautiful one. A large, clear,
well arranged depot receives you.
Broad, we'll paved streets and side
walks delight you, and magnificent
commercial blocks astonish you.
Everything has been planned on
grand scale and everybody is busy
with trade and industries that seem to
be increasing and spreading out in
every direction. Thousands of beau
tiful dwellings adorn the highlands
that environ the city and hundreds
are being built on new streets that are
being graded and paved as fast as it is
possible. There are Churches that
cost over 100000 each. Money,
money, money! It is there by the
million and keeps on coming from all
points of the country for investment.
Wealthy merchants from other cities
have planted branch houses there and
the child is outgrowiDg the pareut.
All around this center the whole face
OF the earth is dotted with iron plants
and their fires are ever burning. 1t
is magnificent sight to approach
Birmingham by night, and on either
side Of every railroad to see the angry
looking flames going up from thous-
ands Of ecEe ovens and hundreds Of
smoke stacks. 1t makes one think of
Dante's Inferno and Hades and Pluto