the complete writings-4-第29章

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er　that　left　its　memory。　　We　were　lodged　in　a　detached　house；　which　we　had　to　ourselves；　where　a　roaring　wood　fire　made　amends　for　other　things　lacking。　　It　was　necessary　to　close　the　doors　to　keep　out　the　wandering　cows　and　pigs；　and　I　am　bound　to　say　that；　notwithstanding　the　voices　of　the　night；　we　slept　there　the　sleep　of　peace。

In　the　morning　a　genuine　surprise　awaited　us；　it　seemed　impossible；　but　the　breakfast　was　many　degrees　worse　than　the　supper；　and　when　we　paid　our　bill；　large　for　the　region；　we　were　consoled　by　the　thought　that　we　paid　for　the　high　connection　as　well　as　for　the　accommodations。　　This　is　a　regular　place　of　entertainment；　and　one　is　at　liberty　to　praise　it　without　violation　of　delicacy。

The　broken　shoe　of　Jack　required　attention；　and　we　were　all　the　morning　hunting　a　blacksmith；　as　we　rode　down　the　valley。　　Three　blacksmith's　shanties　were　found；　and　after　long　waiting　to　send　for　the　operator　it　turned　out　in　each　case　that　he　had　no　shoes；　no　nails；　no　iron　to　make　either　of。　　We　made　a　detour　of　three　miles　to　what　was　represented　as　a　regular　shop。　　The　owner　had　secured　the　service　of　a　colored　blacksmith　for　a　special　job；　and　was；　not　inclined　to　accommodate　us；　he　had　no　shoes；　no　nails。　　But　the　colored　blacksmith；　who　appreciated　the　plight　we　were　in；　offered　to　make　a　shoe；　and　to　crib　four　nails　from　those　he　had　laid　aside　for　a　couple　of　mules；　and　after　a　good　deal　of　delay；　we　were　enabled　to　go　on。　　The　incident　shows；　as　well　as　anything；　the　barrenness　and　shiftlessness　of　the　region。　　A　horseman　with　whom　we　rode　in　the　morning　gave　us　a　very　low　estimate　of　the　trustworthiness　of　the　inhabitants。　　The　valley　is　wild　and　very　pretty　all　the　way　down　to　Colonel　Long's；twelve　miles；but　the　wretched…looking　people　along　the　way　live　in　a　wretched　manner。

Just　before　reaching　Colonel　Long's　we　forded　the　stream　（here　of　good　size）；　the　bridge　having　tumbled　down；　and　encountered　a　party　of　picnickers　under　the　treessigns　of　civilization；　a　railway　station　is　not　far　off。　　Colonel　Long's　is　a　typical　Southern　establishment：　a　white　house；　or　rather　three　houses；　all　of　one　story；　built　on　to　each　other　as　beehives　are　set　in　a　row；　all　porches　and　galleries。　　No　one　at　home　but　the　cook；　a　rotund；　broad…　faced　woman；　with　a　merry　eye；　whose　very　appearance　suggested　good　cooking　and　hospitality；　the　Missis　and　the　children　had　gone　up　to　the　river　fishing；　the　Colonel　was　somewhere　about　the　place；　always　was　away　when　he　was　wanted。　　Guess　he'd　take　us　in；　mighty　fine　man　the　Colonel；　and　she　dispatched　a　child　from　a　cabin　in　the　rear　to　hunt　him　up。　　The　Colonel　was　a　great　friend　of　her　folks　down　to　Greenville；　they　visited　here。　　Law；　no；　she　didn't　live　here。　　Was　just　up　here　spending　the　summer；　for　her　health。　　God…forsaken　lot　of　people　up　here；　poor　trash。　　She　wouldn't　stay　here　a　day；　but　the　Colonel　was　a　friend　of　her　folks；　the　firstest　folks　in　Greenville。　Nobody　round　here　she　could　'sociate　with。　　She　was　a　Presbyterian；　the　folks　round　here　mostly　Baptists　and　Methodists。　　More　style　about　the　Presbyterians。　　Married？　　No；　she　hoped　not。　　She　did　n't　want　to　support　no　husband。　　Got　'nuff　to　do　to　take　care　of　herself。　That　her　little　girl？　　No；　she'd　only　got　one　child；　down　to　Greenville；　just　the　prettiest　boy　ever　was；　as　white　as　anybody。　How　did　she　what？　reconcile　this　state　of　things　with　not　being　married　and　being　a　Presbyterian？　　Sho！　she　liked　to　carry　some　religion　along；　it　was　mighty　handy　occasionally；　mebbe　not　all　the　time。　　Yes；　indeed；　she　enjoyed　her　religion。

The　Colonel　appeared　and　gave　us　a　most　cordial　welcome。　　The　fat　and　merry　cook　blustered　around　and　prepared　a　good　dinner；　memorable　for　its　〃light〃　bread；　the　first　we　had　seen　since　Cranberry　Forge。　　The　Colonel　is　in　some　sense　a　public　man；　having　been　a　mail　agent；　and　a　Republican。　　He　showed　us　photographs　and　engravings　of　Northern　politicians；　and　had　the　air　of　a　man　who　had　been　in　Washington。　This　was　a　fine　country　for　any　kind　of　fruit；apples；　grapes；　pears；　it　needed　a　little　Northern　enterprise　to　set　things　going。　The　travelers　were　indebted　to　the　Colonel　for　a　delightful　noonday　rest；　and　with　regret　declined　his　pressing　invitation　to　pass　the　night　with　him。

The　ride　down　the　Swannanoa　to　Asheville　was　pleasant；　through　a　cultivated　region；　over　a　good　road。　　The　Swannanoa　is；　however；　a　turbid　stream。　　In　order　to　obtain　the　most　impressive　view　of　Asheville　we　approached　it　by　the　way　of　Beaucatcher　Hill；　a　sharp　elevation　a　mile　west　of　the　town。　　I　suppose　the　name　is　a　corruption　of　some　descriptive　French　word；　but　it　has　long　been　a　favorite　resort　of　the　frequenters　of　Asheville；　and　it　may　be　traditional　that　it　is　a　good　place　to　catch　beaux。　　The　summit　is　occupied　by　a　handsome　private　residence；　and　from　this　ridge　the　view；　which　has　the　merit　of　〃bursting〃　upon　the　traveler　as　he　comes　over　the　hill；　is　captivating　in　its　extent　and　variety。　　The　pretty　town　of　Asheville　is　seen　to　cover　a　number　of　elevations　gently　rising　out　of　the　valley；　and　the　valley；　a　rich　agricultural　region；　well　watered　and　fruitful；　is　completely　inclosed　by　picturesque　hills；　some　of　them　rising　to　the　dignity　of　mountains。　　The　most　conspicuous　of　these　is　Mount　Pisgah；　eighteen　miles　distant　to　the　southwest；　a　pyramid　of　the　Balsam　range；　5757　feet　high。　　Mount　Pisgah；　from　its　shape；　is　the　most　attractive　mountain　in　this　region。

The　sunset　light　was　falling　upon　the　splendid　panorama　and　softening　it。　　The　windows　of　the　town　gleamed　as　if　on　fire。　　From　the　steep　slope　below　came　the　mingled　sounds　of　children　shouting；　cattle　driven　home；　and　all　that　hum　of　life　that　marks　a　thickly　peopled　region　preparing　for　the　night。　　It　was　the　leisure　hour　of　an　August　afternoon；　and　Asheville　was　in　all　its　watering…place　gayety；　as　we　reined　up　at　the　Swannanoa　hotel。　　A　band　was　playing　on　the　balcony。　We　had　reached　ice…water；　barbers；　waiters；　civilization。




IV

Ashville；　delightful　for　situation；　on　small　hills　that　rise　above　the　French　Broad　below　its　confluence　with　the　Swannanoa；　is　a　sort　of　fourteenth　cousin　to　Saratoga。　　It　has　no　springs；　but　lying　2250　feet　above　the　sea　and　in　a　lovely　valley；　mountain　girt；　it　has　pure　atmosphere　and　an　equable　climate；　and　being　both　a　summer　and　winter　resort；　it　has　acquired　a　watering…place　air。　　There　are　Southerners　who　declare　that　it　is　too　hot　in　summer；　and　that　the　complete　circuit　of　mountains　shuts　out　any　lively　movement　of　air。　　But　the　scenery　is　so　charming　and　noble；　the　drives　are　so　varied；　the　roads　so　unusually　passable　for　a　Southern　country；　and　the　facilities　for　excursions　so　good；　that　Asheville　is　a　favorite　resort。

Architecturally　the　place　is　not　remarkable；　but　its　surface　is　so　irregular；　there　are　so　many　acclivities　and　deep　valleys　that　improvements　can　never　obliterate；　that　it　is　perforce　picturesque。　It　is　interesting　also；　if　not　pleasing；　in　its　contraststhe　enterprise　of　taste　and　money…making　struggling　with　the　laissez　faire　of　the　South。　　The　negro；　I　suppose；　must　be　regarded　as　a　conservative　element；　he　has　not　much　inclination　to　change　his　clothes　or　his　cabin；　and　his　swarming　presence　gives　a　ragged　aspect　to　the　new　civilization。　　And　to　say　the　truth；　the　new　element　of　Southern　smartness　lacks　the　trim　thrift　the　North　is　familiar　with；　though　the　visitor　who　needs　relaxation　is　not　disposed　to　quarrel　with　the　easy…going　terms　on　which　life　is　taken。

Asheville；　it　is　needless　to　say；　appeared　very　gay　and　stimulating　to　the　riders　from　the　wilderness。　　The　Professor；　who　does　not　even　pretend　to　patronize　Nature；　had　his　revenge　as　we　strolled　about　the　streets　（there　is　but　one　of　much　consideration）；　immensely　entertained　by　the　picturesque　contrasts。　　There　was　more　life　and　amusement　here　in　five　minutes；　he　declared；　than　in　five　days　of　what　people　called　scenerythe　present　rage　for　scenery；　anyway；　being　only　a　fashion　and　a　modern　invention。　　The　Friend　suspected　from　this　penchant　for　the　city　that　the　Professor　must　have　been　brought　up　in　the　country。

There　was　a　kind　of　predetermined　and　willful　gayety　about　Asheville　however；　that　is　apt　to　be　present　in　a　watering…place；　and　gave　to　it　the　melancholy　tone　that　is　always　present　in　gay　places。　　We　fancied　that　the　lively　movement　in　the　streets　had　an　air　of　unreality。　　A　band　of　musicians　on　the　balcony　of　the　Swannanoa　were　scraping　and　tooting　and　twanging　with　a　hired　air；　and　on　the　opposite　balcony　of　the　Eagle　a　rival　band　echoed　and　redoubled　the　perfunctory　joyousness。　　The　gayety　was　contagious：　the　horses　felt　it；　those　that　carried　light　burdens　of　beauty　minced　and　pranced；　the　pony　in　the　dog…cart　was　inclined　to　dash；　the　few　passing　equipages　had　an　air　of　pleasure；　and　the　people　of　color；　the　comely　waitress　and　the　slouching　corner…loafer；　responded　to　the　animation　of　the　festive　strains。　　In　the　late　afternoon　the　streets　were　full　of　people；　wagons；　carriages；　horsemen；　all　with　a　holiday　air；　dashed　with　African　color　and　humorthe　irresponsibility　of　the　most　insouciant　and　humorous　race　in　the　world；　perhaps　more　comical　than　humorous；　a　mixture　of　recent　civilization　and　rudeness；　peculiar　and　amusing；　a　happy　coming　together；　it　seemed；　of　Southern　abandon　and　Northern　wealth；　though　the　North　was　little　represented　at　this　season。

As　evening　came　on；　the　streets；　though　wanting　gas；　were　still　more　animated；　the　shops　were　open；　some　very　good　ones；　and　the　white　and　black　throng　increasing；　especially　the　black；　for　the　negro　is　preeminently　a　night　bird。　　In　the　hotels　dancing　was　promisedthe　german　was　announced；　on　the　galleries　and　in　the　corridors　were　groups　of　young　people；　a　little　loud　in　manner　and　voice；the　young　gentleman；　with　his　over…elaborate　manner　to　ladies　in　bowing　and　hat…lifting；　and　the　blooming　girls　from　the　lesser　Southern　cities；　with　the　slight　provincial　note；　and　yet　with　the　frank　and　engaging　cordiality　which　is　as　charming　as　it　is　characteristic。　　I　do　not　know　what　led　the　Professor　to　query　if　the　Southern　young　women　were　not　superior　to　the　Southern　young　men；　but　he　is　always　asking　questions　nobody　can　answer。　　At　the　Swannanoa　were　half　a　dozen　bridal　couples；　readily　recognizable　by　the　perfect　air　they　had　of　having　been　married　a　long　time。　　How　interesting　such　young　voyagers　are；　and　how　interesting　they　are　to　each　other！　　Columbus　never　discovered　such　a　large　world　as　they　have　to　find　out　and　possess　each　in　the　other。

Among　the　attractions　of　the　evening　it　was　difficult　to　choose。　There　was　a　lawn…party　advertised　at　Battery　Point　（where　a　fine　hotel　has　since　been　built）　and　we　walked　up　to　that　round　knob　after　dark。　　It　is　a　hill　with　a　grove；　which　commands　a　charming　view；　and　was　fortified　during　the　war。　　We　found　it　illuminated　with　Chinese　lanterns；　and　little　tables　set　about　under　the　trees；　laden　with　cake　and　ice…cream；　offered　a　chance　to　the　stranger　to　contribute　money　for　the　benefit　of　the　Presbyterian　Church。　　I　am　afraid　it　was　not　a　profitable　entertainment；　for　the　men　seemed　to　have　business　elsewhere；　but　the　ladies　about　the　tables　made　charming　groups　in　the　lighted　grove。　　Ma