Year: 1866

The following sparkling letter from a
young lady from Chicago, who is now
South teaching school, was recently re-
ceived at the General Office of the Freed
mans Aid Society at Washington !:


81 left Galveston Tuesday morning,
and reached Houston about noon, where
we found that, as the cars did not connect,
we must remain until the next morning
SO we went to the Old Capitol House for
the night. The next morning it was rain
ing-no! not raining, but pouring down
buckets full--and the roof the passenger
accommodation leaked like skinner, so
we soaked and rode all day over the love-
ly' prairie, and arrived just before dark,
in the midst of an unusually copious del
uge at Beaumont station. Thence we
were carried three miles further in an
open wagon, and at last brought up before
low, one story brown house. After de-
clining, as best we could, the affectionate
(and otherwise) caresses of an indefinite
number Of the canine species, we found
ourselves glowing and steaming before a
huge fire of logs, in an open mud fire
place. / was little tired and even hum
CRY, but the simple salt junk and half
cooked corn dodgers were not appetizing,
and there was the question OF how all Of
us were TO pass the night; for | noted
that there were but three rooms, and the
family in the residence numbered seven
before the accession of sister and myself.


"My conjectures were unnecessary, as
I soon discovered we were allotted an
airy corner in an apartment which had
the recommendation of thorough ventila-
ton. An opening had been cut in the
side of the house for window, but finan-
cial or other embarrassments had delayed
the complete realization of the architec'
tural ideal, and the opening remained II
innocent integrity. The door was swoller
with the rain, and declined the embrace
of its frame; while yawning seams il
the floor and wall admitted the 'nativ'
air with true Southern hospitality.


/" But l slept soundiy, soothed by th
treble of the wolves and the me!odioui
basso profundo of the nearer dogs.


"Our host is the only Union man in th'
place. He is native Of the township
| and has been content to look no farther
than its borders for each of the four wives
who have successively ruled bis heart and
home. His plantation, the title of which
is his own, and is unincumbered, covers
five thousand acres of land. Wild cattle
and horses roam owes his prairies, and the
deer bound away unmolested.


There is not church of any descrip-
tion in the place, There was formerly a
Methodist church, but it was blown down
last fall, and the Minister said that, after
inquiring of the Oldest inhabitants he fail
ed 10 learn that there had been single
conversion in the place since more thar



twenty-five years; when both he and hi!
people deduced the logical inference iha
the institution didn't pay its way, and hat
better stay blown down. The member.
divided the timber and ecclesiastical dis
cussions were indefinitely postponed.


/" We use the Court House for schoo
house, having only Hobson's choice. The
more chivalrous of our neighbors announce
an intention to indefinitely postpone Alri
can education, by the prompt annihilatior
of Yankee school ma'ams and descend
kindly to ample specifications. | do no
learn of entire agreement as to he bette
method, however. Some think it better
to poison us, but to this it is objected tina
the food might be mishsndled by som,
stupid servant, and more innocent victims
suffer in our stead. Others contend tha
nothing is so neat as a clean bullet-hol,
in the skull, and to this the majority seen
10 agree. A respectable minority depre
cate personal violence, but think there
could be TO objection to the defagratior
of the court house, of the value Of which
for any of its ordinary uses, only a mod
crate is entertained, and it is somewha
cogently argued that as there is no othel
shelter for the school, possible or conceiv
able, the desideratum can be reached
without bloodshed; which, although no
seriously Objectionable, may as well b.
avoided out of aesthetic consideration
when it is entirely convenient.


The shooting could be very easily
done by practiced hand, as l go NOR,
than mile across the prairie 10 my daily
evening school, and return at ten O'Clock





"One of The most peaceable and quiet o
of colored men was shot in the street las
week, just TO see him kick as the 'ver,
respectable young murderer explained
As some of the more moderate citizen
talked about it, the young gentleman ha
4 -.