The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1906-03-15

nival in a blaze of glory. For weeks
before Mardi Gras they r fixing up
the streets, putting in millions of cleo
trio lights, on all of the principal
streets, which makes such a brilliant
illumination that you can see to
pick up a pin any place on three diff
erent streets. l should liked to have
seen the whole carnival from begin
ming to end, but we would then have
had to miss our river trip which we
all enjoyed lore than anything else,
it being a novelty.
We took passage on the steamer
Natchez, which is one of the largest
boats on the Mississippi, on Saturday
Feby. "a at $50 p. M. and arrived in
Vicksburg, Miss. on Tuesday, just
before oon On the boat, we occu-
pied two state Don which gave us
plenty of room, and the table service
is the best in the land. The journey
itself is quite enough but the noise be-
gins when they make a landing. The
novelty. of watching the hustle and
hustle never wears off. Everyone is
on the run Except the boss). Some
times they work for an hour, unload
ing all kinds of stuff, as lumber,
bricks, cotton, sugar, molasses, ETC.,
but Just as soon as the bell rings they
all have to get back on to the boat in
about two seconds, some of them al
most getting left, so they have to jump
for it. The boat swings around and
we are off again.
We stopped at several large cities,
as Natchez, and Baton Rouge, ETC.,
where we had a good view of the Cap
itol building. These cities are built
on the side hill so you can see only a
small portion of them. We went
down below and examined the engines
: of the boat. Ihad no idea it took
two mammoth engines to propel one
of those river steamers. This one is
extra large, being $50 feet long and 60
feet wide inside the guards. I also
went up and interviewed the Captain.
Everyone seemed afraid of him, but I
thought him quite affable. When we
arrived in Vicksburg we still had to
climb a hill to get to the city. We
stopped in this city 10 hours, of
course. we visited the National Gene
, terry and National Military Park. 1t
!, is one of the most beautiful places
= ever devoted to the interment of the
dead of any nation, and 1 think it is
the largest of the eighty-two, estab-
lished and maintained by the general
government. It contains the graves
of 1913 Union soldiers who lost their
~ lives in and around Vicksburk during
the memorable siege, of whom l2,71e
are unknown. The unknown graves
!, are all marked with a small square
stone, with simply the number of each
soldier. The KNOWN graves have
= larger stones with rounded tops, anc
the name on them.
=, OF recent origin, but probably the
more interesting of the two is the mil
, itary Park on the battle ground itself
. The region over which the contend
. ing armies fought, and the nature O
. the operations were such, that a drive
over the fine roads enables one to cas-
lily obtain a comprehensive idea of tn
- great struggle for possession of tn
city. Our driver informed us that i
cost the government SIS, 900 a mile tt
~ grade the roads and there are alto
= gether 30 miles of it. In addition t.
the historical features the location
affords such a charming view of tn
hills, valleys and river, that the parl
as a whole has the most p%icturesqu
and beautiful site that could be foun,
on the continent.
-. AS we are on W way north now
I will have to mail this immediatel,
or we will get there first.
Harry has shaved off those RET
whiskers, wears a stand-up collar ant
has purchased a diamond ring. I an
quite of the opinion that [ had bette
get him home as fast as possible.
-: For the benefit of those that though
we would be sorry we took the child
rem, I will quote what I heard on
woman on the train say to another
- "My little boy of S years gives m
- more trouble than all of those seven.
MRS. H. H. BAKER.
II "
ID