Southern world : journal of industry for the farm, home and workshop. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1882-18??, November 01, 1882, Image 7

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THE SOUTHERN WORLD, NOVEMBER 1, 1882. if fellE YOSEttITE VALLEY op THE SOUTH. That section of the country lying between the Air-Line junction on the Atlanta and Charlotte division of the Richmond and Dan ville railroad, 78 miles from Atlanta, Geor gia, and the city of Knoxville, Tennessee, is comparatively an unknown land to the great body of the people. Those who have trav eled through it pronounce it unsurpassed by the Yosemite Valley of California. Here is a region of intense picturesqueness, where lofty mountains cast their shadows over fer tile valleys and winding streams laugh their way onward to the ocean. Two parallel chains of mountains intersect it The Smoky whose names we do not call to mind. At one place, within twenty feet of the survey is a perpendicular rock, 100 feet high. At another point is an Indian mound which was once the centre of the old Cowee Indian town. The only tunnel is at Indian Gap, 718 feet long, 187 feet high. The altitude of the line is 2,144 feet. The country abounds in metals and ores, and vast tracts of valu able timber, such os black walnut, chestnut, yellow poplar, locust, and the buckeye, which grows to a large size. Here the tim ber, mines and water power are close to gether, and the transportation facilities will largely develop this whole country. Tallulah will be the Saratoga of the South. Everything is tending in that direction. RABUN GAP, FROM GEORGIA SIDE. Mountains and the Blue Ridge, with heavy cross chains forming the highest peaks found from the St Lawrence to the Gulf, and ex hibiting the grandest view of topographi cal features to be seen anywhere in an equal area. Diversified with mountains separated by streams which have carved out in their tortuous course, wide valleys and plateaus, with areas in many places cover ing several square miles of arable lands, at altitudes varying from 1,000 to 4,000 feet above the level of the sea. Passing from one table land to another the streams usually .descend the deep gorges and canyons by pre cipitous inclines, presenting in small streams .beautiful cascades, and in those of greater magnitude terrific falls, which unite with the Tennessee. The boundary lines of the States of South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia and Ten nessee all run through the territory to be penetrated by a railroad to be called the Ra bun Gap Short Line. This line commences at the boundary line between Georgia and North Carolina at what is locally known as Locust Stake on the western bank of the head waters of the Little Tennessee. The sur vey for the route follows the beautiful valley of the Little Tennessee, which isclearly desig nated by nature, to within the Cowee range of mountains on the east and Nantahala mountains on the west. Cutting the Smoky mountains at the Tennessee line the survey leaves the river and diverges to the right over a rolling country to Maryville, Tennes see, where it connects with the Knoxville .and Augusta railroad. The Northeastern railroad of Georgia is being extended to Ra bun Gap so as to complete the link in this route, leaving the Air-Line road at the junc tion, 78 miles from Atlanta. Tho illustrations on this page we present simply to give an idea of Rabun Gap, bu* they give but a meagre inference of the lovely views and grandeur of this section. The completed line will afford the traveler an abundant view of the attractions of the country. It either crosses or runs close to Tallulah, Nantahala, Valley, Tuckasagee, Cullasaja, and Little Tennessee rivers, and either crosses or is in full view of Mulberry, Commissioners, Tessentee, Coweta, Crossway, Bkeenab, Cahtoogaha, Rocky Branch, Iotla, Cowee, Tabor’s Mill, Alarka, Stecoe, Chambers, Equahnetta, Hazel, Eagle,Twenty mile, Checoe, Yellow-hammer, Stick Rock, Rabbit, Tallassa, Mill, Conner's Abram’s .and Cltico creeks. Near this line are the famous Tallulah falls, Siekoih falls, Estatoe falls and others To show the importance of this line we give the following table of distances made by a distinguished engineer: Cincinnati to Emory Gap, 258 miles. “ “ Knoxville, 296 “ Knoxville “ Toccoa, 163 “ Toccoa " Augusta, 116 “ Augusta “ Charleston, 137 “ Cincinnati'to Toccoa 459, to Augusta 574, to Charleston 711. Via Elberton Air-Line. Cincinnati to Lula 473 miles. ” Athens 512 “ “ " Augusta 616 “ “ ” Charleston 753 “ Via Athens' and Georgia rail' road. Cincinnati to Toccoa 459 miles. “ “ Seneca 486 “ " “ Columbia 637 " " “ Charleston 767 “ Via Seneca and Columbia South Carolina. Cincinnati to Charleston by Rabun Gap 711 miles. Cincinnati to Charleston by \V. <fc A. R. R. 781 miles. Cincinnati to Port Royal by Rabun Gap 686 miles. Cincinnati to Port Royal by W. & A. R. R. 756 miles. Cincinnati to Savannah by Rabun Gap 706 miles. Cincinnati to Savannah by W. A A. R. R. 766 miles. Cincinnati to Atlanta by Ra bun Gap 539 miles. Cincinnati to Atlanta by \V. & A. R. R. 473 miles. Washington to Atlanta by Ra bun Gap 715 miles. Washington to Atlanta by W. <fc A. R. R. 722 miles. Washington to Atlanta by Piedmont 659 miles. This line torma a part of the great system of railroads known as the Richmond and Danville. Good and Had Management. House-keeping is an accomplishment that to be agreeable and attractive, requires much thought, care and attention, and when once the habit is acquired of doing it just as it should be done, it is far easier than to ne glect things and have a poorly kept bouse. A house-keeper who attends to her work well, knows just exactly when her work is finished, and with all household cares re moved from her mind, can sit quietly down to rest; while one who neglects her duties, will sink constantly into her chair, ‘‘just to get her breath for a minute 1” and is fre quently heard giving vent to her complaints thus: “Oh, when will I ever get through with this terrible drudgery I’’ “There's no end to the work anyway, for every time I sit down to rest, there's something else comes up to be done 1” and thus she is always in a fret, her work is never finished and her house is always in disorder. She never can enjoy a moment of quiet rest, feeling that everything is finished, but falls to sleep at night thinking, perhaps, of something she has neglected to attend to—all the result of bad management—of not having things sys tematically arranged. Not so on the other hand. The proper kind of a housekeeper is never troub led thus. 8he may sometimes think her tasks hard—may wish for rest before her work is fin ished, but never gives way to her feelings—never forgets her motto “ work before pleasure,” and when the resting time arrives, there are no unfinished jobs to meet her gaze on all sides, thus destroying the pleasure of rest, making her nervous and discon tented, and altogether disagree able. I have seen many persons on botli sides, have compared them often, and noted the vast difference, and have always ob served that the neat and system atic housekeeper never presents such a weary, haggard, depressed and unhappy appearance, as the untidy one who neglects her af fairs. From among the many observations I have made in dif ferent circumstances of life, 1 will select two for example, very near equal in all advantages and disadvantages. Both are ladies who have been keeping house for about eight years and who mar ried gentlemen raised by a neat and particular mother. Each have two children. The eldest about 5 years of age, and the youngest 7 or 8 months, and both are without servants. On one side it is thus: "Oh my! myl how glad I will be when these little ones get large enough to take care of themselves! I can do nothing else for looking after them. There’s no use talk ing, I can’t keep'house and ’tend to them too and do both as it should be! Just listen! there’s that horrid brat equaling now!’ and a way goes broom or duster, and the ‘brat’ to see if there is any one laughing as its smartness. Just here baby wakes up again and must be ‘got to sleep,’ as if the little one wanted to sleep always. Bedtime, and the household duties unfinished. 'Well,' says mother, ' I'm almost worked to death and h can’t finish to night anyway,' so she retired with cares on her mind, to spend a wakeful, restless night. How is it on the other side? “There I there, little one, mamma must see to her work,” and she props the little one up in its cradle, and notwithstanding the piteous whining, hurries away to put things in order. The eldest child would not dare even so much as sit on the plump white bed, because it has been taught better, and if it touches anything it should not, mamma has only to speak, and the child obeys Instantly. Baby cries awhile, of course, but as she pauses between two big sobs, suddenly dis covers her toes, and tumbling over among the pillows, makes a desperate grab for those pretty toes. She finally succeeds in getting hold of one foot and begins to experiment. The first thought is to get one plump toe into its rosy little mouth, just to see if it would taste nice, but somehow it is such an awful long way between those toes and that anx ious wide-open mouth; nevertheless, site had much rather spend her time thus than to hurt her throat by crying after mamma. She has cried for mamma before and discovered that it was of no use, for she did not come until ever so long afterwards. So baby grunts and frowns and tugs away at her feet, forgetting all about mamma, who hurries with her work, anxious to finish and rest. When the tasks are completed she comes to play with the children. The eldest bounds to her side, with something to tell her, fully aware that there is pleasure in store for the little ones now ; as mamma never fails to take part in some sport with the children, when her work is finished. Baby, too, throws up her hands and crows, leaving feet and toes to take care of themselves, and ap pears very much as if she were attempting to dance in her cradle. “There now, give mamma a kiss and a hug! oh, my! how sweet. Come along, baby, you have been ever so sweet and good. What would I do if it was not for my little ones to play with and love!” This mother does not wish her precious charges to grow up feeling themselves great burdens and troubles, longing for the time when they may be able to drift away from maternal care and take care of themselves. She never makes the least complaint in their presence, but leads them to feel that they are the lightand jewels of her home, at the same time teach ing them perfect obedience and respect to both parents. When the day draws to a close, the RABUN GAP, FROM NORTH CAROLINA SIDE. is taken up in order to hush its cries. It is not until the child is asleep, that the work is resumed, and then with the usual com plaining. The day passes by and evening brings the husband, who enters his home re luctantly, and sighs as he sees the disorder of his room. In the middle of the bed is the eldest child kicking up its heels and using a pillow for a foot-’ball, while mother passes by occasionally, telling it to ‘behave,’ or ‘don’t do that dear,' unheeded by ‘dear,’ who proceeds with the game, looking around husband enters the sunshine of his home with a quick step, and a smile for all. Everything is in as perfect order for his com ing, as it used to be when he was a beau. The children are taught that they must never meet papa with soiled faces and hands, and often that oldest child runs to its mother when it hears the sound of father’s foot steps in the ball, to enquire whether or not its hair is smooths and face clean—not be cause a scolding is expected from papa, but because mamma has taught it thus.