The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1900-08-25

After writing you my last OF July oth
/ took trip up the Mississippi river
and when arrived at the mouth Of the
Missouri il was wonderful TO see the
muddy Missouri mixing with the clear
Mississippi and then. too, about 20
miles above ST. Louis. the Mississippi
is not now where it was 30 years ago.
being at least miles westward and 40
miles up it is about the same eastward
In May where corn was planted now
steam boats are running These changes
are constantly going on. Millions and
millions of dollars have been spent TO
improve these western streams, aud IL
seems but waste Of money, save the
taking away Of the snags Of trees. and
the lights, for the pilots 90 not know
one day where the channel will be the
next dag in certain places where the
river is wide On my return | stopped
again in Cincinnati and bought new
carriage for the madam, and she is more
pleased than when she got her present
husband
The b Y.P u was in session there,
and such happy set l never saw Ihey
are indeed powerful and strong-this
city, for its population, being the great
est hog. packing in the country l also
called 20 see some of them. and 1t was
so sickening it saved me money, for l
did not feel like eating for over p
hours afterwards
At Charleston, W Va the delegate
Of the State convention boarded our
train, and a jolly set they were, dis
tnbuting Senator Elkins speech, which
was about the best l ever read, save the
negro question. Like DE Barranger, Of
the University Of Virginia. say the
ballot should be given the negro las
reward of progress, not as a weapon OF
revenge
After an eventful trip Ireturned home
there TO remain sick for two weeks, and
while in bed my mind was turned to
things above and my negligence Of duty {;
then the Chinese question came 20 me,
and do not they, notwithstanding we
are told they do not use the Bible, come
up to the standard thereof nearer than
we do. am told they are much more
honorable than we are. Doing unto
others as they would have them do unto
them. A brother Baptist preacher sGid'
Just below you, that missions reminded
him Of having a bucket Of tar and then
empty itout Of one into another until you
reach ten, then you would have only one
tenth in the last bucket, rs a little
would stick to oil the buckets and so
a little Of It sticks 20 every man g pock-
ct. and when it reaches China only one
tenth gets there and as my son John
says the word fund is spelled wrong
it ought TO be century fun, for lots OF
fellows will have lots Of fun.
Talk about your national and State
tax, why it is nothing to our church tax
now.
July 3lst started on a trip through
your city TO the bay in buggy, taking
the river road, stopping the first night
with that genial gentleman, DIR. Bruce
Morton, whose good sense is profitable
in the extreme in fact, the Tidewater
people are the best in oil the world l
ever met with, but good Lord, deliver
me from the soil, climate and mos
quitoes. From Fredericksburg to Cen
ter X, 70 miles below on the river road.
the lands are not worth half as much as
they were 30 years ago when ours are
worth double Why, the roads are al
most closed with bushes and the bridges
can hardly be crossed for they are
made with pine poles and old pieces OF
planks Oh the bushes and briars, the
bushes and briars, turn out pairs Of
lions, bears and panthers and in few
years they would take possession Of the
country for the jungles OF Africa won {
hide them any better and on my return
came by Bowling Green and Spotsyl-
vanis o. II. and it is about the same
Essex is great on blowing about her
brave and ohivalrous soldiers and passes
resolutions In regard TO them. yet l
know of q rich one who allows his
widowed sister with a daughter to suf-
fer for the actual necessaries Of life
win he say 20 grave, where is thy
victory o death. where is thy stingI"
No doubt some of them like 10 talk
about the war when they had the best
time of their lives, either before or since
the war. wearing the best of clothes
and shoes, and fat horses, eating and
drinking of the best. Would nt You
like to 20 over it again? While we
poor fellows were in the ranks half
starved, half clad, and scared nearly to
death half our time then these officers
did all the fighting, and such fellows
as Andrew Whitlock. Emmett Lipscomb,
Winburn Mitchell, Rob Rousie and vii
lie Waripg l never hear word about
What did Capt. Latane do so much
His pompsred horse took him in the
: enemies lines and he was simply shot
COW that's all, in the first engagement
Of his company, when the above named
fellows achieved victory after victory
and not word is said of them and al
but one are now sleeping in theii
graves. AS 20 the members Of the both
1 saw and knew nothing of them. bu
have heard Of lots of their brave deeds.
May God, in his ever kind proyi
dence, look and provide for those WHIT
are left desolste on account Of those
: that are gone.
l found not IS many places that
showed progressiveness from Freder