Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-02-11
SOUTHERN FOLKS
VERY H0SPITABlE
CAPT. S. II. HARPER TELLS OF
COURTEOUS MANNER OF
ATLANTA RESIDENTS.
WRITES or THE PEOPLE
Interesting Letter from ottumwan is
Filled With Descriptions and Ways
Of Citizens Of Sunny Cline;
Politics Non-Partisan.

The visit of Captain and Mrs. S. H
Harper in the southland is most pleas
ant, as evidenced by a letter recently
received by one of the captains
friends in Ottumwa, which is filled
with descriptions of the people of At
lanta, Ga, their hospitality and their
patriotism. Captain and Mrs. Harper
while in Atlanta were entertained at
the home OF friend and the occasion
was made a most happy one. Politics
is touched upon in his letter, which
will prove interesting to Mr.. Harper's
many Ottumwa friends. The letter is
as follows:
II have been in the south many
times since the civil war ended, but
never had an opportunity to meet the
typical southern family in it's home un-
til a few days ago. When Mrs. Harper
and l took the oriental trip two years
Iago, our table companions on the ship
were Mr.. and Mrs. George King of At
lanta. We soon became warm friends
and were much together during our
trip through Palestine and Egypt.
Mrs. Harper correspondent with each
other, which led to Mrs. King propos-
ing trip to Florida this winter and Il
cordial invitation for us to stop over
at Atlanta and make them a visit be.
fore proceeding to Florida. We &C.
copied the invitation and spent four
days with them last week. They own
fine large house on Peachtree
street, one of the principal residence
streets of Atlanta, which is a modern
city of 100000 people. Atlanta is more
like northern city than any other in
the south. One-fourth Of its people are
from the north.
Northern Spirit Manifest.
Zone can see in the push, enterprise
and energy Of the people, that they
possess the northern spirit. 1t can be
seen in the ten to sixteen story build
ings and the beautiful residences that
line the streets.
"Our host and hostess, in an infor-
NAL way, invited few Of their friends
in to meet us. Among these were the
mayor Of the city and the president Of
the chamber of commerce. The gen.
tlemen were all southern born and
raised. talked with them quite freely
about the questions of the day and as
far as could draw out of them they
have little or no partisan politics. All
are great admirers of President Taft,
who is to speak in Atlanta on the tenth
of March, and they are preparing to
give him great ovation on the &C.
casion.
Il found these men were divided on
the tariff question, the tariff commits
sion and many other matters of pub
lie concern. In fact, they said they
never talked politics, that they were
for the state and city Offices. AS there
is only one party that has any strength
to speak of, in the state, the election
is settled at the primaries.
They are much interested in get.
ting northern men and northern capt.
tai to come to the south and to Atlanta
in particular.
Hospitality Not Lacking.
II never met more cordial and hos
pitable class of men than those of At
lanta. The new south has come to stay,
the sectional feeling has disappeared.
I met few ex-confederate soldiers and
they are as kind and cordial to the |
union soldiers as they are to their own
comrades.
"Revertipg to our host and his good
wife. will say that they were born and
reared near Atlanta and were about |
fourteen years Of age when the war
ended. Mrs. Kings father lived direct !
ly in the line of Sherman's march to !!
The sea. She says she has forgiven !
everybody connected with the war ex-
,ept Sherman, whom she holds respon-
sible for his soldiers taking her ia !
TIERS silverware, bric-a-brac. horses,
cattle and hogs. asked her If she was
not grateful that he spared the house
md barn. and she replied that she
ought to be- that many of her neigh
oors lost their buildings as well as
heir portable property. I was very
much surprised when Mr.. King brought
orth. with great pride, certificate
showing that he was descendant Of
me of the families who came over in
he Mayflower. He said that his grand
ather was born in Rhode Island and
,ame to the south about one hundred
years ago. told him was as much OF
southerner as he was that my an
,estors were Virginians. He replied
hat he felt that he was very much
# Puritan and was proud Of it. He
esembles a typical Yankee, tall, thin .
nd spare, but he has the southern ac-
ent. The south has made great prog
ess in nationalism and patriotism in
he past ten years.
yours truly, |,
rs. H. Harper"