The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1906-02-07
The Lexington Dispatch.
Wednesday. February 7, 1906.
Our Virginia Letter.
To The Editor Of rne Dlspatcn:

Saturday morning is an unusual
time for me to write letter, but We
are shut in by the snow. One en-
gagement last ulght with the choir
and one this afternoon with the chill
dren has tc be annulled, so having
prepared to meet these I have more
time at my command than usual.
Yes. it is showing. The genuine
article is falling, ard has been off
and on for p hours. There being
no school today We have hard work
to keep the children 10. 1t is low
about 8 inches deep and is st Il fall
ing. So far We have had an exceed
ingly mild winter. Last week it
was almost warm. It took very lit
tie FIRE TO keep room comfortable.
It made me think of South Carolina.
Indeed, We have had many things to
make it home like this week. FIRST
we had shipment of cane syrup,
four barrels. Few people had ever
seen any up here. Then came a box
of sweet potatoes and good Dutch"
sausage. This was the first encased
sausage We have seen since leaving
home. Then we have tried ever
since We have been here to get pearl
grits. 10 this we succeeded just
two weeks ago. To complete the
thing, Monday evening Rev. J. q.
Wyse, whom many of you know,
came to see us. Tuesday morning
at breakfast we felt very much at
home, and hope the grits, sausage,
potatoes, etc, did too. Rev. Mr..
Wyse stopped OF She way back from
the funeral of his mother.in- law, Mrs.
Hinderlite, of Marion. He is now
pastor near Stauntor; seems we'll
preserved and can laugh just as
heartily as ever. We enjoyed his
visit very much. He now has seven
children, the youngest being only
about four months old
Since last writing have been do
ing come travelling. Bristol is SO
mules from here, ard I have made
two trips there in thetinterest of our
church. 1t has about Is, 900 inhabi-
tants, with 19 churches and "a bar
rooms, SO I was told. Here I rode
In two States at once. State or Main
street is the line between Tennessee
and Virginia and the car line is in
the centre OF this. About half the
city lies in either State. The post
ohics is in Tennessee, but the union
depot is on the Virginia side. 1t has
q furnace, large tannery with a
capacity of 1,600 hides a week and
several numbering plants. I also
visited and preached in churches in
and around Marion. This is only Il
miles away. Prof. Copsnhaver, of
Marion Female College, and I were
school mates. I preached also in
the asylum. II was in long hall
with the pulpit at the side. The
patients were on either side with the
visitors directly in front among whom
wes my friend, Mr.. Copenhaver. He
saw me turning to either side in
order to face the patients, and told
me afterwards he thought I'd better
look a. them as the patients might
throw me of. said: Yes, I thought
about that, but I looked on each side
then in front, and [ didn't see much
difference in the audience, 80 7 de-
cided to look wherever it suited"
The good dean of the institution,
wishing to make me feel good after
the services, said: why, you speak
to these people just like you are used
to speaking to such," which I said
was quite ioke on my congregation.
Ali are we'll More anon.
S G. Ballentine,
Rural Retreat, Va, Jan. 27, 1906.
P. S. In my other letter it was
stated that my father-in-lsw was