Batesville Guard

Editor Guard: For the first time
in years I "stole a march" on my toils
and left home on September 29th for
Memphis. Nothing notable occurred
to me, except in my greenness I came
nigh being devoured in Little Rock.
My humble opinion is that missionaries
should be sent there, with special in-
structions to devote considerable time
to the conversion of cabmen and hotel
keepers. Ugh! flies, flies, everywhere;
you cannot open your mouth but a
dozen of 'em will rush pellmell, buzz,
whizz down your throat Indian file.--I
put up at the Capital. When eating
breakfast a cloud of flies lit on the
table and covered everything. A nigger
tried to push the solid column out of
the window. They kicked and bit and
conquered. I made my escape praying
for deliverance. Dinner coming on I
tried Sweeny's hotel, at the depot. An
ebony waiter placed a bowl of sugar
beside me: I made a dip for it and luck-
ily got a spoonful before the flies lit.
In a second the bowl was covered-
fifty deep. I watched the result, and if
the top tiers did not literally suck the
sugar and life out of the bottom ones
I'm a Dutchman and never will ask a
man to believe me again. But I expect
to see more of the Rock city on my re-
turn.

We did not leave for Memphis until
nearly sun down. What I saw of crops
during our rapid run, showed poor cul-
tivation, which in reality is the largest
factor in the nonproductiveness of our
country.

Memphis is not the Memphis of our
imagination. Her robes of desolation
and mourning are laid aside, I hope
forever. At all events there seems to
be vitalizing forces at work, for every
element seems to be actively alive. Her
people are extremely urbane and kind.
To-day the introductory address of the
session was delivered by Dr. Sims, one
of the professors of the Memphis Med-
ical College. Crowds of beautiful
young ladies were present, and the
aged even were there to give encourag-
-ment by their presence to the heavy
labors of the professors and stimulus to
the young Levites who are destined in
time, to be fully ordained priests of the
temple of Esculapius and officiate at
nature's altars. Dr. W. E. Rogers, the
Dean, is a grand old gentleman. He
does a honorable practice and is devot-
ed heart and soul to the college. His
whole family have devoted themselves
to the students, finding them boarding
places and everything else required.
There is certain to be a prosperous
future for such noble, good boys.

I will stay here all the winter. My
health and appetite is yet bad. More
anon.

DR. JEP. MARTIN