Jasper County Democrat, Volume 3, Number 39, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 January 1901 — Tennessee Letter. [ARTICLE]

Tennessee Letter.

Paris, Tenn., Jan. 2, 1901. Ed. Democrat: —As there may be a few of The Democrat readers who would find interest in reading a letter from Tennessee where a great many of their Jasper county friends have located in the late years, 1 will send this one for publication. Tennessee is a southern state where many people of Northern Indiana come to, and, from whence many of the same at the end of a few weeks stay, are more than willing to bid farewell to. The town of Paris as well as the surrounding country is very broken. There are houses here built over gullies from five to ten feet deep. One passing on a certain street would say. “Those houses are set flat on the ground;” but on passing through the alley on the opposite side of the house they would find, to their surprise, that the back of the houses set five feet above the ground. The car shops which were located here last year, from Memphis, are a great advantage to Paris and have caused the population to rise rapidly. Prosperous farmers left their farms and came here thinking there would be work in the shops for them and that the salary they earned would put them in better circumstances than their former position. But ah, it was a sad mistake. They have an over supply of employes and cannot possib y hire any more now unless, some of the firesent employes leave, which is not ikely. That is the reply to the late applications made. Well, the farmer has rented his farm and cannot go back, while it would be somewhat difficult to find one at this time of year that was not rented; so he sells some of his stock and pays house rent; which is not less than ten dollars, and lives hereon the products of his last year's farming until he can find success in renting a farm. Of course this is not the case with those that came early, but we must understand they did not all come early. Holidays here were rather dull, but Christmas was lively enough for any one, a great deal too lively to my opinion. It was more like the celebration of the 4th of July. Cannons and all sorts of firecrackers were being fired until one would think the British and Boers were surroudMing the town. Red berried holly was in great demand, and, as it was easily secured in great abundance, many homFs were made extremely beautiful by its use. Miss Ellen Donnelly, a student in the high school there, was piesented with a box of the same by the writer. The weather here at present is rather cool, the coldest we have as yet had this winter. Of course, we can all say we have experienced a great deal “cooler" weather elsewhere than here. We have not had any snow but plenty of rain, which we are the worse for. The winters of Tennessee are complimented with rain instead of snow. The soil here is of a red clay and the least of rains makes it very disagreeable traveling in any foim, not saying what traveling is after a continued rain. A short distance of travel would be apparant knowledge as to the character. The rumor of small-pox is again rageing furiously through the town of Paris, causing great trantic among some people, which makes vaccination the order of the dajy, but not with me, I prefer the small-pox. Many persons may be seen on the streets carrying an arm in a sling. More excitement has Been caused from the results of vaccination than from the epidemic of the disease. Three deaths here were caused from vaccination, varioloid taking place alter vaccination. It has been reported that two persons had their arms amputated. Yesterday a man was taken home from the car shop whom it was said .had the small-pox. If the disease is spread through the shops times will be very dull for the shop men. One cannot grant all that rumor says, as truth* for it is adapted to exaggeration more 'or less. The doctors of Paris do not take us much care to prevent the disease, that is the expansion of the disease, as those of Rensselaer. Drs. McSwain are the two leading doctors in Paris. The weather we had previous to Christmas was more like Indian summer than December days. To iny opinion there is not much beauty in this portion of Tennessee during the winter months, ouly the climate. The country is desolate after and during the winter rains, but when spring comes, with her glowing sun and warm showers, which cause nature to appear in all her splendor, then One can pass through parts of the country with keen enjoyment, gazing upon

most beautiful landscapes. A lover of nature would always find new beauties of nature here during the spring and summer tide. The people in general, are of a sociable class, or, as quoted by some, "warm hearted southerners." They are very hospitable to a stranger and one feels as though they had know their host and hostess for years instead of a lortnight. Hoping that this letter will be read with some interest and sending best wishes and kind regards to The Jasper County Democrat, I am, Very Sincerely Vours, Florence Thompson.