Year: 1860




Messrs Editors With pen in hand, and by
a fire that would do justice to the mountains of
West Augusta, now proceed to close up our
correspondence for the present.


The month of December so far has been cold
and stormy, something more than usual, for gen.
orally speaking the Winters here are very mild
and balmy compared with what we West Vir-
ginans are usually accustomed to-.


Though il be cold, business is not suspended,
for as / write, the moaning of the cotton gin may
be heard one direction, while in another che blows
of numerous axes and the falling of trees awake
the echoes of the virgin forest in her white at
tire. The emigrants who set out late for the far
West, are exposed to much severity OF weather
at present, and no doubt many of them think
with regret of the homes which they have left
and would give much could they reach the
threshold of their old homesteads once more and
let we'll enough alone little while longer at
least. A few become discouraged and return
anyhow, upon reaching their destination, and
not realizing their expectations A few days
since, during one OF my excursions, overlook
party on their return from Texas, composed OF
respectable looking people. Their outfit had been
very good. bnt three months work on the road
hadreduced their horses aud broken their wagons
Ivery much. inquired what objection they b !;
to Texas. that induced them to return so soon sa
the older states again2 One of the party veiy
quickly answered to this effect: "As to the WI :
ter there can be no objection, for where we were
there was none to be objected Of" The rail
timber / did not like, for it takes two trees to
make rail cut" Why did you not go on furtherg
because they told US the farther we went the
worse it was. and so we concluded to turn back.
What is your objection to Arkansas, can't you
find place here to suit you without going back
to Tennessee2 % they don't bury their dead here.
see too many living corpses walking about to
make it pheasant to live here" concluded af-
ter this it would be best to let him pass and great
ly to nv relief squirrel took a tree near by IN
pursuit of which he went and travelled on.


Before reaching my journeys end, however,
/ passed spot where young man had fallen
from his horse and was found dead not long be-
FORE | remembered him well, for on one 1.-THE
first occasions that attended preaching in Ar
kansas, he was present with his young wife and
only child, an interesting little daughter OF ten
der years. Among the quiet and attentive
bearers was the deceased, and had he knowniit
to be the last sermon he was to hear, suppose
his attention, seemingly, would not have been
more fixed or respectful. The day was calm and
serene-one of those sweet and quiet SabbathS
which seem to be let down from Heaven, to af-
ford US foretaste of that blissful rest remaining
for those who fall asleep in Jesus. In the SER
mon that was preached, he heard how Jesus left
the throne of glory to seek and save the lost
how he suffered and bled and died to save the
souls of men, whose guilt is 80 great that moth
ing but his blood can atone; whose danger is so
great that nothing but his arm can rescue them
and whose situation is SO perilous that nothing
but the pleadings of an advocate with the Faith
err Jesns Christ, the righteous, can mitigate its
horrors. But be following Thursday he died as
above indicated


1t may have been that he had some conscious
moments as he lay dying man, in that lonely
forest, curtaned by the darkness of the night,
and his dying words, if any, lost amid the wall
ings of night-winds and the rustic of falling
leaves, for there was no fond mother, affection
ate wife, or weeping child near him to hear his
last words-to leave a tear of disconsolate love
upon his dying cheek-or, to impress a fare
well kiss upon his pale lips, as the parting soul
was leaving its frai tenement of dust. Who
knows but in these conscious moments he might
ha ve remembered Jesus Christ, who alone can
do helpless SINNERS good, and cried as he was
sinking in the dark river, "Save Lord or per-
ish."


1t is my hope, Dear Spectator, soon to return
to our beloved Virginia again; having in my
heart many tender and pleasant memories of this
distant land and It's kind people, but etter, all
there is no place like horne.


81 T. ANGUILLE.