Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1902-01-23
FROM MILLER MORRIS.
Former Mexican Nicely Located in the
Land Of Sunshine and Flowers
Some Bits of Shadow

Z 0nhA Va RuhclAAnQ uAA AVWGAp
Some Bits Of Shadow,
Correspondence Of the Ledger
STOCKTON, CAL, Jan. 9.Dear Sir
In compliance with your request made
before left Mexico | will give you a
few items from this Gland OF sunshine
and flowers But it is not all sun
shine, for the last ten days we have
| not had a glimpse Of sunshine. For
that length Of time 1t has looked every
minute as ifit would begin to snow Oh
rain, but neither has come yet and I
am told that the grain growers Of this
great valley are getting uneasy about
the next crop as the rainfall so far is
considerably short Of that of last sea-
son at this time; but there is plenty of
time yet in which the deficit may be
made up.
What do l think Of California? Well,
l think much of it in many ways. 1t
is a beautiful land and no doubt a
healthy country, 1t possesses every
degree Of climate under the sun and
many kinds Of soil much wealth and
a goodly share Of poverty, more lunatlc
asylums than any other state, com
pared to population; more beautiful
homes and handsome women than any
place ever visited by this scrlbe-ex-
cept Mexlco,eof course.
OF course, the horizon OF my vision
has been, so far, confined to the city
Of Stockton and its vicinity, but !
want to get out and see if can find
some of my old Missouri friends in
some of the adjoining counties.
| have met here quite a number of
Missourians, but only few whom /
ever knew. Dr. Dameron, who, for a
short time, practiced medicine in the
Skinner neighborhood He is now
Superintendent OF the San joaquin
county farm, or county hospital they
call it here, about s miles from the
city. He is married to lovely Cali
fornia girl and is doing well, in good
health, and is happy.
HSinkn Redford, nephew of S. r.
Emmons, lives and is employed by a
Mr.. Bartholomew three miles north
of this city. He has been in to see us
several times, is well pleased with
the country and his employer, and
they are pleased with him. A young
man, Price Haggard, Of Columbia, is
here visiting relatives. He attended
the Fleet Military Academy in Mex
leo one season. J. n. Rutherford, an
attorney at Moberly l3 years ago, a.
native Of Pike county, and who knew
Judge Forrest, Jno. NJ. Gordon, S. NJ.
Edwards, of Mexico, lives in this city
and practices his profession.
Capt. j. w. Smith, harbor-master of
this city, is another typical 'Plker"
from Louisiana, before de wah," and
who wants another office Hal Hal
Besides these l have met people here
so much like persons l knew in Mex
leo that could hardly keep from say
ing "Hellol" to them; for instance,
Lou Shootman, Judge Edwards, Abe
Hit, Bill Kemper, Sam Cook, Charley
Campbell, Luke Morris, Emmett Cum
ningham, and the money-order clerk
in the post-ofiice here is as much like
Lutte Saunders as two peas out Of the
same hull, and his lady assistant is the
very likeness of Mrs. Upham, Of Mex
leo.
The weather here is an enigma to-
me. October was warmer than Sep
tember. The coldest day so far this
winter was % above zero, but 1t seem
ed zero to me. 1t now ranges from 40
to so above, when think it should be
10 to 20. People here have small stoves
and little fire. Coal and wood out of
sight at IL dollars a ton and 0 dollars a
cord. Coal, like everything else here,
is sold by the sack Of 100 lbs. and ] be-
lieve wood would be sold the same way
If it was not so crooked that they can't
get 1t in sacks.
our health is good, except our
neuralgia and rheumatism (which we
brought with us from Missouri and
which seems TO thrive in this f0ggy,
damp atmosphere during winter
months. am at present fireman at
Morris Bros. (my sons) store and /
keep them pretty busy ordering sacks
of coal The holiday trade was splen-
did here and began In November and
ended with the new year. Morris
Bros. had extra clerks, besides the
old man, and had a special delivery
wagon to deliver packages. The boys
are well pleased with their location,
and their trade is gradually increas-
ing. Roy is delighted with his situa-
tlon and will remain In the employ Of
his brothers. He has gained Is lbs. in
weight and added q inches to his
stature since coming here. My wife
also has gained L. lbs. with plenty OF
room for further gains
Well, this letter isa little personal
and about as long as Il should be. II
I write again l will tell you something
about Stockton, its homes and people,
manufacturers, buildings, business, etc.
| send geetings TO all my friends.
p NJ. MoRRis.