Year: 1877




AS the summer sets in there is always a
general stampede of all our city people who
can get away In search of cool places, but 1t is
If those who go furthest to seek
them are always the most successful. Here,
only six miles from Marshall which lies
directly on the great Texas and Pacific Rail-
road, Is quiet, retired spot where seekers
after rest, cool breezes and recreation, OF
those desiring to recover their broken health,
may well be satisfied. These springs are
owned by Col. c. e. Hynsof, who has erected
a number Of buildings for the accommodation
of his guests, as their numbers have yearly
These are located on the summit
of q hill, which aspires to the mountainous in
this rolling country, and are quite comfort
able, with delightful and healthful breezes
sweeping through them day and night. The
surrounding atmosphere Is pure and invigor-
ating, quite tonic in Itself, while the mineral
waters of the various springs seem to contain
the veritable "elixir Of life." The properties
of these are principally iron, with magnesia,
sulphur and carbonic acid gas.


To the people Of Texas and North Louisiana
these springs are indeed blessing; and why
not to those further South The Orleanian
flies to Canada or Virginia, suffering the
fatigues and discomfort of the long journey
by rail, agonized In mind by having to submit
to the eontumely of bearish conductors and
diseourteous hotel clerks, who are the order
of the day throughout the whole Of the ''rude
North, and only to find crowded resorts and
shoddy pretension to solace him when his
destination is reached.


True, the trip to this place round by Gal
weston, would consume two whole days; but
then there are the gulf breezes en- route, and
one would be nearer home, which Is a great
consideration for an invalid, and besides he
would be among his own people and not be
constantly submitted to the irritation OF
alien habits and opinions, which are in
cessantly obtruded upon all Southern people
at the North, which is a consideration for
everybody.


The house and cottages here have been
crowded all the season, and the guests,
dispensing with the usual tiresome
formality of spring life, have heartily
enjoyed their summer. There is croquet for
the ladies, billiards and hunting for the gen.
tlemen, long rambles through the woods for
those rurally inclined, and evening dan 5es
for. the young folks who lean toward that
pleasant pastime. 1t is a simple life enough,
suggestive of DIR. Watts ideal OF books, and
work. and healthful play and altogether
charming for those indulging it, inasmuch as
1t partakes of the languor Of Southern
elimes.


Rambles in the woods, where the cool
mosses and ferns grow in profusion eonsti-
tute the daily constitutional There is,
too, much beauty in these woods-tiny
springs gurgling out unawares, and brown
branches where children wade with shining
feet. The varieties of fern are many and
lovely, the ground Is beautiful with red ber-
ries, and the trees with their tinted leaves OF
crimson and gold. Indeed, the outer world,
in its mad scamper after pleasure, health or
fashion, knows but little of this beautiful bor-
der land of Texas. Here are lofty hills, the
beginning OF the almost mountain range that
reaches away off into the heart Of the section
around Austin. And, aside from its wonder
ful resources that as yet remain almost un-
known, it has many attractions for the tour
ist and summer satlnterer, which in but q few
years will make it @ great resort.


OF course in our seelusion here we have but
little news and that little comes to us long after
you have had it. Still / have one little item
that you may not have stumbled on, and
which in giving | may not be Offering you
mere rechaM6e. Molie e. Moore, the "Texas
Mocking bird has been made the recipient
of quite an honor recently. She has been
formally adopted as the daughter of Hoods
Texas Brigade, and meet and worthy COM
pliment is this to her who wrote in memory
of them that string poem entitled, Winding
the Cap" perhaps the finest lyric the war
muse evolved.


Like the brook could Ego on forever" in
recounting the attractions of this place and
the people about me; but I fear 1 have tres
passed already too much on the patience OF
your readers. We have been having some
quite cold weather, indeed cold enough to
bring into requisition the great huge old
country freplaces, with their gaping mouths
full Of great logs Of cord-wood. Who that
has sat by these country fires can but regret
that coal and CRATES are gradually banishing
them from the civilized world, together with
their old brass andirons and the piles of crack
ling pine knots It is only in these fires that
I could ever see those wondrous pictures
down in the hollow close by the flare"


With them we country bred people have
lost much that made our hearthstones at
tractive and almost sacred, and we miss not
least of all the fine Rembrandt effects Of those
strong lights and shadows that gave our
homes a picturesqueness they shall never
have again, unless in some future day when
there shall be more homeliness in our homes,
we shall again sit around the old shining fire.
dogsi and watch the reflection Of happy faces
In their FURNISHED sides. F. b. J.