the complete writings-4-第39节

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tion　of　loafers；　who　had　hitched　their　scrawny　horses　and　mules　to　the　fences；　and　had　the　professional　air　of　the　idler　and　gossip　the　world　over。　　The　vehicles　met　on　the　road　were　a　variety　of　the　prairie　schooner；　long　wagons　with　a　top　of　hoops　over　which　is　stretched　a　cotton　cloth。　　The　wagons　are　without　seats；　and　the　canvas　is　too　low　to　admit　of　sitting　upright；　if　there　were。　　The　occupants　crawl　in　at　either　end；　sit　or　lie　on　the　bottom　of　the　wagon；　and　jolt　along　in　shiftless　uncomfortableness。

Riding　down　the　French　Broad　was　one　of　the　original　objects　of　our　journey。　　Travelers　with　the　same　intention　may　be　warned　that　the　route　on　horseback　is　impracticable。　　The　distance　to　the　Warm　Springs　is　thirty…seven　miles；　to　Marshall；　more　than　halfway；　the　road　is　clear；　as　it　runs　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　river　from　the　railway；　and　the　valley　is　something　more　than　river　and　rails。　　But　below　Marshall　the　valley　contracts；　and　the　rails　are　laid　a　good　portion　of　the　way　in　the　old　stage　road。　　One　can　walk　the　track；　but　to　ride　a　horse　over　its　sleepers　and　culverts　and　occasional　bridges；　and　dodge　the　trains；　is　neither　safe　nor　agreeable。　　We　sent　our　horses　roundthe　messenger　taking　the　risk　of　leading　them；　between　trains；　over　the　last　six　or　eight　miles；and　took　the　train。

The　railway；　after　crossing　a　mile　or　two　of　meadows；　hugs　the　river　all　the　way。　　The　scenery　is　the　reverse　of　bold。　　The　hills　are　low；　monotonous　in　form；　and　the　stream　winds　through　them；　with　many　a　pretty　turn　and　〃reach；〃　with　scarcely　a　ribbon　of　room　to　spare　on　either　side。　　The　river　is　shallow；　rapid；　stony；　muddy；　full　of　rocks；　with　an　occasional　little　island　covered　with　low　bushes。　　The　rock　seems　to　be　a　clay　formation；　rotten　and　colored。　　As　we　approach　Warm　Springs　the　scenery　becomes　a　little　bolder；　and　we　emerge　into　the　open　space　about　the　Springs　through　a　narrower　defile；　guarded　by　rocks　that　are　really　picturesque　in　color　and　splintered　decay；　one　of　them　being　known；　of　course；　as　the　〃Lover's　Leap；〃　a　name　common　in　every　part　of　the　modern　or　ancient　world　where　there　is　a　settlement　near　a　precipice；　with　always　the　same　legend　attached　to　it。

There　is　a　little　village　at　Warm　Springs；　but　the　hotelsince　burned　and　rebuilt（which　may　be　briefly　described　as　a　palatial　shanty）　stands　by　itself　close　to　the　river；　which　is　here　a　deep；　rapid；　turbid　stream。　　A　bridge　once　connected　it　with　the　road　on　the　opposite　bank；　but　it　was　carried　away　three　or　four　years　ago；　and　its　ragged　butments　stand　as　a　monument　of　procrastination；　while　the　stream　is　crossed　by　means　of　a　flatboat　and　a　cable。　　In　front　of　the　hotel；　on　the　slight　slope　to　the　river；　is　a　meager　grove　of　locusts。　　The　famous　spring；　close　to…the　stream；　is　marked　only　by　a　rough　box　of　wood　and　an　iron　pipe；　and　the　water；　which　has　a　temperature　of　about　one　hundred　degrees；　runs　to　a　shabby　bath…house　below；　in　which　is　a　pool　for　bathing。　　The　bath　is　very　agreeable；　the　tepid　water　being　singularly　soft　and　pleasant。　　It　has　a　slightly　sulphurous　taste。　　Its　good　effects　are　much　certified。　　The　grounds；　which　might　be　very　pretty　with　care；　are　ill…kept　and　slatternly；　strewn　with　debris；　as　if　everything　was　left　to　the　easy…going　nature　of　the　servants。　　The　main　house　is　of　brick；　with　verandas　and　galleries　all　round；　and　a　colonnade　of　thirteen　huge　brick　and　stucco　columns；　in　honor　of　the　thirteen　States；a　relic　of　post…Revolutionary　times；　when　the　house　was　the　resort　of　Southern　fashion　and　romance。　　These　columns　have　stood　through　one　fire；　and　perhaps　the　recent　one；　which　swept　away　the　rest　of　the　structure。　　The　house　is　extended　in　a　long　wooden　edifice；　with　galleries　and　outside　stairs；　the　whole　front　being　nearly　seven　hundred　feet　long。　　In　a　rear　building　is　a　vast；　barrack…like　dining…room；　with　a　noble　ball…room　above；　for　dancing　is　the　important　occupation　of　visitors。

The　situation　is　very　pretty；　and　the　establishment　has　a　picturesqueness　of　its　own。　　Even　the　ugly　little　brick　structure　near　the　bath…house　imposes　upon　one　as　Wade　Hampton's　cottage。　　No　doubt　we　liked　the　place　better　than　if　it　had　been　smart；　and　enjoyed　the　neglige　condition；　and　the　easy　terms　on　which　life　is　taken　there。　　There　was　a　sense　of　abundance　in　the　sight　of　fowls　tiptoeing　about　the　verandas；　and　to　meet　a　chicken　in　the　parlor　was　a　sort　of　guarantee　that　we　should　meet　him　later　on　in　the　dining…　room。　　There　was　nothing　incongruous　in　the　presence　of　pigs；　turkeys；　and　chickens　on　the　grounds；　they　went　along　with　the　good…　natured　negro…service　and　the　general　hospitality；　and　we　had　a　mental　rest　in　the　thought　that　all　the　gates　would　have　been　off　the　hinges；　if　there　had　been　any　gates。　　The　guests　were　very　well　treated　indeed；　and　were　put　under　no　sort　of　restraint　by　discipline。　　The　long　colonnade　made　an　admirable　promenade　and　lounging…place　and　point　of　observation。　　It　was　interesting　to　watch　the　groups　under　the　locusts；　to　see　the　management　of　the　ferry；　the　mounting　and　dismounting　of　the　riding…parties；　and　to　study　the　colors　on　the　steep　hill　opposite；　halfway　up　which　was　a　neat　cottage　and　flower…garden。　　The　type　of　people　was　very　pleasantly　Southern。　　Colonels　and　politicians　stand　in　groups　and　tell　stories；　which　are　followed　by　explosions　of　laughter；　retire　occasionally　into　the　saloon；　and　come　forth　reminded　of　more　stories；　and　all　lift　their　hats　elaborately　and　suspend　the　narratives　when　a　lady　goes　past。　　A　company　of　soldiers　from　Richmond　had　pitched　its　tents　near　the　hotel；　and　in　the　evening　the　ball…room　was　enlivened　with　uniforms。　　Among　the　graceful　dancersand　every　one　danced　well；　and　with　spirit　was　pointed　out　the　young　widow　of　a　son　of　Andrew　Johnson；　whose　pretty　cottage　overlooks　the　village。　　But　the　Professor；　to　whom　this　information　was　communicated；　doubted　whether　here　it　was　not　a　greater　distinction　to　be　the　daughter　of　the　owner　of　this　region　than　to　be　connected　with　a　President　of　the　United　States。

A　certain　air　of　romance　and　tradition　hangs　about　the　French　Broad　and　the　Warm　Springs；　which　the　visitor　must　possess　himself　of　in　order　to　appreciate　either。　　This　was　the　great　highway　of　trade　and　travel。　　At　certain　seasons　there　was　an　almost　continuous　procession　of　herds　of　cattle　and　sheep　passing　to　the　Eastern　markets；　and　of　trains　of　big　wagons　wending　their　way　to　the　inviting　lands　watered　by　the　Tennessee。　　Here　came　in　the　summer…time　the　Southern　planters　in　coach　and　four；　with　a　great　retinue　of　household　servants；　and　kept　up　for　months　that　unique　social　life；　a　mixture　of　courtly　ceremony　and　entire　freedom；　the　civilization　which　had　the　drawing…　room　at　one　end　and　the　negro…quarters　at　the　other；which　has　passed　away。　　It　was　a　continuation　into　our　own　restless　era　of　the　manners　and　the　literature　of　George　the　Third；　with　the　accompanying　humor　and　happy…go…lucky　decadence　of　the　negro　slaves。　　On　our　way　down　we　saw　on　the　river…bank；　under　the　trees；　the　old　hostelry；　Alexander's；　still　in　decay；an　attractive　tavern；　that　was　formerly　one　of　the　notable　stopping…places　on　the　river。　　Master；　and　fine　lady；　and　obsequious；　larking　darky；　and　lumbering　coach；　and　throng　of　pompous　and　gay　life；　have　all　disappeared。　　There　was　no　room　in　this　valley　for　the　old　institutions　and　for　the　iron　track。

　　　　〃When　in　the　chronicle　of　wasted　time　　　　　　I　see　descriptions　of　the　fairest　wights；　　　　　　And　beauty　making　beautiful　old　rhyme　　　　　　In　praise　of　ladies　dead　and　lovely　knights；　　　　　　We；　which　now　behold　these　present　days；　　　　　　Have　eyes　to　wonder；　but　lack　tongues　to　praise。〃

This　perverted　use　of　noble　verse　was　all　the　response　the　Friend　got　in　his　attempt　to　drop　into　the　sentimental　vein　over　the　past　of　the　French　Broad。

The　reader　must　not　think　there　is　no　enterprise　in　this　sedative　and　idle　resort。　　The　conceited　Yankee　has　to　learn　that　it　is　not　he　alone　who　can　be　accused　of　the　thrift　of　craft。　　There　is　at　the　Warm　Springs　a　thriving　mill　for　crushing　and　pulverizing　barites；　known　vulgarly　as　heavy…spar。　　It　is　the　weight　of　this　heaviest　of　minerals；　and　not　its　lovely　crystals；　that　gives　it　value。　　The　rock　is　crushed；　washed；　sorted　out　by　hand；　to　remove　the　foreign　substances；　then　ground　and　subjected　to　acids；　and　at　the　end　of　the　process　it　is　as　white　and　fine　as　the　best　bolted　flour。　　This　heavy　adulterant　is　shipped　to　the　North　in　large　quantities；the　manager　said　he　had　recently　an　order　for　a　hundred　thousand　dollars'　worth　of　it。　　What　is　the　use　of　this　powder？　　Well；　it　is　of　use　to　the　dealer　who　sells　white　lead　for　paint；　to　increase　the　weight　of　the　lead；　and　it　is　the　belief　hereabouts　that　it　is　mixed　with　powdered　sugar。　　The　industry　is　profitable　to　those　engaged　in　it。

It　was　impossible　to　get　much　information　about　our　route　into　Tennessee；　except　that　we　should　go　by　Paint　Rock；　and　cross　Paint　Mountain。　　Late　one　morning；a　late　start　is　inevitable　here；　accompanied　by　a　cavalcade；　we　crossed　the　river　by　the　rope　ferry；　and　trotted　down　the　pretty　road；　elevated　above　the　stream　and　tree…　shaded；　offering　always　charming　glimpses　of　swift　water　and　over