The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-10-04
TIE NEW "EDEN..


THE NEW "GDEN."
1T is curious and amusing" said
President Roosevelt in his speech at
Cairo yesterday, ito think that even
as genuine lover OF his kind, man
normally so free from national preju-
dices as Charles Dickens, should have
selected the region where we are now
standing as the seat of his forlorn
Eden in Martin Chuzzlerit., ~
1t is also curious and amusing to
recall that when Martin Chuzziewit
landed in New York, he was greeted by
u newsboy, with these words of So
licitastion: Here's the New York Sew
er! Here's the Sewers exposure of the
Wall Street gang!"
Martins first acquaintance was Colo
mel Diver. editor OF the New York
Rowdy Journal. and Colonel Diver in
vited him TO the Office. where he pre-
scented him to Mr.. Jefferson Brick, war
correspondent, esteemed contemporary.
You have heard OF Jefferson Brick.
see, sir" quoth the colonel. England
has heard of Jefferson Brick. I have
reason to know, sir, that the aristo-
cratic circles Of your country quail be-
fore the name of Jefferson Brick"
But Martin had not heard or Mr..
Brick. nor of his writings, and this
confession of ignorance so amused the
war correspondent that he invited the
lInglishman to take drink.
Upon another occasion Martin and
Mr.. Brick We're walking on the street,
arm in arm, and the colonel and Major
Pawkins, slde-by- SIDE before them
when, as they came near to the majors
residence. they heard bell ringing
violently. Immediately the colonel and
the major dashed off. and Mr.. Brick
detachng himself from Martin, made
a precipitate dive in the same dlrec.
ton.
Good heaven!' thought Martin
'the premises are on fire. 1t was al
alarm bell"
| But there was no smoke to be seen
and when Martin made further lnves
tigation, he found that the men were
merely going to dinner.
But Martin and his friend Mark Tap.
10y We're bound for the West ant
after short stay in New York, board
led railway train, on their way tt
Eden, where they proposed to settle
AT the end of the railroad journey wa!
a small town containing the "Nationa
Hotel" In front of the hotel was ;
wooden gallery, sin which 1t asSrath
or startling, when the train stopped, tt
) behold a great many pairs of boot
and shoes, and the smoke of grea
many cigars, but no other evidence
Of human habttation.. BY slow degrees
however. some heads and shoulders ap
peared, and connecting themselves wit
the boots and shoes. led to the dscov
cry that certain gentlemen boarders
who had a fancy for putting thei
heels where the gentlemen boarder
in other countries usually put thei
heads, We're enjoying themselves afte
9 their own manner in the cool Of tn
evening"
Martin met many strange men her,
but, finally closing n deal with tn
a Eden Land Company. he and Mark too
q steamer down the river in compan
with other passengers. But. one by on
II the passengers went ashore, and flna
If ly Martin and Mark We're left alon
y They travelled through fiat moras
Is "bestrewn with fallen timber; a mars
A. on which the good growth Of the cart
m seemed to have been wrecked and ca
he away. that from its decomposing ASH
A. vile and ugly things might rise; whe
IN fatal maladies, seeking whom the
al might infect came forth at night
vi misty shapes. and creeping out upt
W the water. hunted them like spectr
nc until day: where even the blessed su
80 shining on the fostering elements
corruption and disease, became a, no
~ ror: this was the realm of Ho
through which they moved.
-, AT last they stopped-at Eden, Il
I'M The waters Of the Deluge might ha
lett 1t but week before, SO chok
sse with slime and matted growth w
as the hideous swamp which bore til
,en name"
for Martin and Mark finally made TIL
ra way 10 shore, where they found a 81
eff eiement of log houses and a few en-
rm ciated people half dead with malar
rec One of the settlers met them, told
pluful tale Of suffering and death, a
guided the newcomers to one OF
deserted cabins. when the log,
VS. received them, Martin lay down w
les. the ground and wept aloud"
Of And the country thus bitterly
IT. sailed. SAID President Roosevelt.
ost now one OF the most fertile and y
ru- ductiye. portions OF enc OF the m
ma fertile and productive territories
4. InII No arid ~,