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room adjoining his dormitory, in which he kept a number of pet snakes -- The view from the crest of La Grange mountain, was magnificent-; the valley of the Tennessee River lay out grandly almost to the beholder's feet-; the horizon was unbroken for over half of its stretch-; the town of Florence, which was twenty miles off, could be plainly seen through a telescope-; the swallows seen flying about the courthouse steeple, & the hour of the day told on its clock, on a bright day-; & farms & dwelling places seen, dotted here & there over the vast stretch of country -- Prof Tutwiler let me have the college telescope one lovely day to amuse myself with. I picked out a farm house some 10 miles away, and looked at it -- a mere speck to the naked eye-; but with the glass I saw a woman at a wash tub, & could distinguish the different colored garments she was wringing out -- a man planing at a carpenter's bench-, I could see every shaving he threw from his plane-; & could see the spots on a cat that was dozing in a barn window at the top of a ladder &c. &c.
On this hill were wonderful fossil remains -- great trunks of antediluvian palm trees, in red sand stone, with the checkered marks of the palm on them-; these remains were lying everywhere -- and in some clay that came up from a well that was being dug at Bishop Paine's I saw perfect leaves impressed in the clay & soft black coal that was abundant-; every delicate vein to be seen -- and exceedingly interesting region for a geologist --
We made another pleasant visit to the "Good Springs," a place for summer resort, at Russelville, some 20 miles south
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of Tuscaloosa-; splendid mountain scenery-; mineral water of various kinds &c &c. The beautiful hill back of the large hotel was covered with sycamore trees, whose white trunks in such great profession, made quite a remarkable effect. Mother made a fine painting in water colors of this place, -- I do not know what became of it.
Father's visit to Tuscaloosa decided him to remove to that place-- And towards the close of the year 1842 he made all the arrangements necessary to that end-; having resided in Florence about 8 1/2 years--; the longest season he ever staid in one place-; he sold Locust Dell to Mr. Ewd. O'neal -- a lawyer of the place-; his wife was a Moore-; a sister of hers, named Alice, was once the object of my adoration-; a lovely girl --
After selling furniture &c &c. and packing, and shipping everything that was to go, we went out to Mrs. Coffee's, & spent a week or so of delightful visit there before leaving -- our way of travel in those days was over land in vehicles-; the family going in a carriage, & the furniture, & baggage in wagons-; the journey occupying days, whereas now a few hours by rail would accomplish it -- During our short visit to Mrs. Coffee's, a distinct & startling earthquake shock occurred one night. I was in the parlor, and had been reading-, & had gotten up to retire to my bedroom -- I was standing, with my shoes in my hand, having drawn them off-; & was reading the last few lines, when the strange, rumbling vibration came on; coming from one quarter of
Appendix No. V -- The following material pasted between pages 34 and 35.
"A short while before we left Florence, father had a work horse-; a very good substantial animal, that strayed off -- disappeared-; after trying in vain to recover it, father put an advertisement in the newspaper, offering Five Dollars reward for its return-; in a short while it was brought in-; so promptly that father thought the men had stolen it and secreted it, awaiting the offer of reward for its recovery-; the $5.00 was paid-; and when we left, and all surplus articles were sold at auction, the old horse brought $4.75-; father was out 25 cts on him --
The mule that hauled the carryal with our plunder -- baggage &c. to Tuscaloosa, was a snug, excellent animal-; sound & serviceable & kind -- And father only gave $36.00 for it -- Stock was very cheap in those days-; father onl paid $150.00 for the nice pair of bays -- Pete & Van Buren that I have spoken of --
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the compass & going to the other-; the negroes on the place were greatly excited-; in town a chimney was shaken down by the vibration --
As there were no railroads in those days, our way of going to Tuscaloosa was in a carriage, over the country -; with a light wagon along for taking the baggage &c. When the day came for our departure, we came in town, and staid a day or so at Mr. Thurston's -- our neighbor -- who was living at the Logan place -- Father had hired a Mr. Reister, with carriage & two fine horses to take the family, and he bought a carryall & mule, which was driven by an old mulatto, fat & jolly & deeply marked with small pox, named John Blue -- I was to ride in this vehicle with this old fellow -- We had started on ahead of the rest, to stop a while at a blacksmith's shop for some repairs, and were to wait for the rest at the bridge -- Before we had left the shop, my brother Thaddie, who was then about 13 years old, came runnning up, out of breath and crying, saying "Charlie -- Charlie -- the horses have run away, and Mr. Reister's leg is broke-; pa says "you must come back" -- Much shocked & alarmed I ran back with him, and found it all too true -- We met father on the way-, wild and beside himself with excitement-; he fell on his knees whilst telling me, to return thanks for the escape of his family --
It was a cold, bright, windy day, & Mr. Reister's horses were fat & pampered, & he was afraid of them -- The carriage was driven to the gate, & mother & sister Julia & Callie had gotten in -- father was to walk on as far as our place, before getting
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in -- he had a heavy overcoat on-; as soon as the carriage door was closed, & Mr. Reister had taken his place, the horses plunged and started off in a wild run-; Mr. R. had no control over them-; father & Mr. Thurston followed in a run-; the horses ran as far as the end of the Lane, & then turned to the right, over the open ground of the hill-; before going far this way, Mr. R. jumped out, breaking both bones of one of his legs in the fall, & fortunately falling on the reins, which were tangled around him -- this checked the horses sufficiently so that Mr. Thurston & father got up in time to stop them-; no one hurt but Mr. R.
Mother & sisters were awfully frightened, but unhurt-; but my poor father's excitement passed all description. I remember he pulled out a twenty dollar bill & made a present of it to Mr. Reister -- This accident stopped our going for a week or so. Different arrangements were made-; a different driver and carriage gotten for the family -- old John Blue went however, and I rode with him. I remember that father paid $36.00 for the mule that pulled our carryall. And I remember that when we were selling out preparatory to leaving, we had a horse that was used for hauling wood, ploughing &c &c. that strayed off, and could not for some time, be heard of-; father put a notice in the paper, offering $5.00 reward for him-; he was shortly brought in, by some fellow, who was suspected by father of having stolen him, & hidden him, in order to get this offered reward-; the horse was sold at auction before we left, and went at $4.75-!!!