Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-05-01
FROM FAR SOUTHLAND.
Journal Correspondent in Texas Writes
Human Interest Letter.


How swiftly another two months
have passed by since | sent You my
first letter from Texas. Meanwhile
summer redundant and I. s. soldiers
abundant have come 70 us, and home
seeking immigrants from many parts
are pouring into the Lone Star state
in trainloads; but still there is room
for millions more.
or the soldiers. mary passed through
| this town b. train. but made only
short stops; their sphere of interest
and scene of "maneuvering" lies hun
dreds of miles southwark. The home
seekers also usually go farther into
the state than this our border coun
ty, Harrison, on the Louisiana line
which is fairly settled: but here also
land is still plenty and cheap. And
the Marshall Progressive League"
whose spacious office in this city re-
Gently visited. exhibits great variety
of good things raised in this county
from cotton. corn and vegetables to
choicest fruit of many kinds.
Potatoes and corn were growing
finely several weeks ago, and with the
abundant rains of early spring and
DIlGi Ilitltiil SIiO"tIS SifiCt, Iub
prospect for early crops is excellent
There have been several great thun-
derstorms since early March. One of
the seYerest, about week ago, was
accompanied by a tremendous fall of
very large hail. However, but little
damage was done to vegetation. We
have enjoyed nice garden sass for
several weeks; and full grown June
bugs and butterflies were out a month
ago. What contrast this to the grip
of winter in which even the latest
news from home, received this morn
ing. still report the dear Pine Tree
State
In my former letter | mentioned
Capt. w. ?. Hudgins of Marshall as to
me the most interesting local character
of swiftly passing generation Let
me here give YOU Il few factsabout him
which | secured from his own lips, in
a very pleasant interview at his
beautiful home in this city Capt.
Hudgfns WAS born so years ago in
Matthews county. Virginia. the son of
a shipewner engaged in the West In
dies trade. He graduted from Beth
jany College and Virginia University
entered the teaching profession i'm a
| private school of his native state, and
after proving his success in this cali
| ing. purchased the establishment and
| conducted il successfully until the
| Civil War. He was among the first to
enlist for the CGnfederacy, in the 10th
Virginia Regiment. with firm convic-
| ton that the Southern side of the ar
gument was right. In the battle of
Gains Mills he was so severely wound
ed that further service in the field be-
came impossible. He then disposed
| of his school property for $4,000 in
Confederate money, which he still
owns and cherishes as an evidence of
| wars destructiveness, for its value
soon became that of old paper only.
Would some rich Northern curio- hunt
| err like to purchase it, or part of it?
| Disabled from military service,
Capt. Hudgins entered the postmaster
| generals department at Richmond.
After Shermans march to the sea had
cut the Confederacy in two, a Trans
Mississippi Department was created.
with Marshall, Texas. for its capital.
Capt. Hudgins was sent here in charge
of the postofiice and treasury depart
ments, and crossed the Union line and
the Mississippi river at great peril and
with much hardship. Thus it came to
pass that this city was the last head
quarters of the Confederacy after all
the Mississippi valley and states north
of it had surrendered to the Union.
When the last hope of this forlorn
cause had died even in the Lone Star
state, Capt. Hudgins returned to his
profession as teacher, by establishing
a private school in this city. He IS a
faithful and devoted member of the
Baptist church. and has become a
Reconstructed Confederate" accept
ing the failure of the cause for which
he fought sincerely, mot of men, but
as the will of God"
| His political reward for loyal SER
vice to a lost cause came with the first
election of Grover Cleveland as Presi
dent. One of Mr.. Cleveland's first APP
pointments was that of Capt Hudgins
to a good federal Office in Austin.
| Texas. When Gen. Harrison succeed
ed Mr.. Cleveland, a Republican re-
placed Capt. Hudgins but with Mr..
Cleveland's second term Capt. H..
returned to his former office also.
promptly to be disposed again when
Mr.. Cleveland vacated the White
House finally. / need hardly tell YOU
that Capt. Hudgins still calls Mr.
| Cleveland Our greatest President
since the days of Washington and JEFF
| ferson."
To illustrate how political issues are
sometimes forced to go right in this
FOL lat t,ea1