Year: 1865

I


e Views on the Licking have so FIRE


quently been made a subject for the pen
Ioil of Frankenstin and other of our Ohic


artists. The road has evidently been al
expensive one, there beingseveral tunnels
and bridges and much rock e1tting. This
is true Of all the roads ii Kentucky to &
considerable extent and makes the build.
ing of q railroad here very different
affair from what it is in Ohio.


At every step along the road one is
reminded that he is in a country which
has recently been the seat of wars and
| yet there are just as many evidences that
the war is over. One no longer sees the
garrisons at every town and guards at
Ievery bridge and trestle work, but at the
crossing of every important stream he
sees the deserted blockhouse, erected fol
the defence Of the bridge, peeping up out
of the ground with its loop holes for
musketry-some of them the scene Of
sharp conflicts. Occasionally the familiar
form of an army wagon and mules or a
cavalry soldier is seen at a station, and
everywhere-on the cars and at the sta
tions are seen the favorite instrument OF
the present Administration in the paci-
fcation of the South negro soldiers
They are good looking men generally,
make good looking soldiers and have
no doubt with discipline would make
good ones. The objection to their en-
ployment in my mind is not their want
of fitness. In a foreign war if hard
pressed I would have called on them
without hesitation and with confidence.
But that their employment stimulated
the resistance of the rebels during the
war there is no doubt-and that they
should continue to be selected for garri-
sons and guards at the South in the face
of the well nigh unanimous wishes-tho
prejudices If you wiii-of the people is
only another evidence of the temperof the
party in power and It's tnftneSs to govern
and restore peace and contentment to the
country


At Paris, the county seat Of Bourbon
county we found a great crowd waiting
to take the train-young ladies and gen
tlemen-a string band from Lexington
and a large delegation of the colored
population. It was the breaking up of
the county fair. The Kentucbians are
eminenly an agricultural and a social
people and their county fairs especially
in the celebrated {" Blue Grass" rcgionof
which the rich old county of Bourbon
forms part, have always been the per
feetion of such displays. The fairs have
here toe more of a social element than
with US. Every one goes to town-os-
pecially the young fOlks-from all parts
of the county and the adjoining counties
and every evening during its continuance
is generally celebrated by hop" at
one or more of the hotels or private
houses at which the visitors are enter
tanned. Hence the string band and the
young ladies and gentlemen above men
toned.


Speaking of voting ladies the traveller
eau hardly fail to be struck with the
justhess Of the Reputation which Ken
lucky ladies have acquired for beauty
Judging from what we saw we can hard
ly advise any of our bachelor friends like
you Mr.. Editor to fisk visit to G Ken
lucky fair unless you are prepared tOsur-
render at discretion.


As wedraw near Lexington the country
becomes open and highly iniproved-the
county Of Fayette being one of the garden
spots of Kentucky. Lexington itself
seems unchanged since I was here last
which was in January 1865 just before
the war.


At Frankfort 1 renewed acquaintance
With old and valued friends and heard of
others whom 1 had not seen or heard of
since my school days. Near Frankfort



as is generally known is situated the
Kentucky Military Institute military
school under the supervision of the State
which has left its mark on the war Just
closed. For many years before its com
mencement it had been sending forth an
ually over tho country as graduates or
otherwise a number of young men more
Or less versed in the military art-the |
best of its graduates being as good in
fantry officers as graduates Of West Point.
With hardly an exception SO far as my
extends they have been in the
war on side or the other according to
.heir residence and procIivities. The |
majority of the cadets being from the
South the most Of them have turned Up |
n tbeSOuthern army, but it has furnished
70 the Union q ny Gen. Eli Long, Gen.
WaloOtt of Ohio, Adjt.-Gen. Lindsey of
Kentucky sundry Colonels, Majors
Ind Captains and such small fry. The
Southern Major General Hoke was also
cadet at the institution some years ago.
t seemed strange as I walked the familiar
treets of Frankfort-for they are hardly
hanged at ALTO think Of the old school !