THE SPIRIT OF '36 AND ,97
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It IS not only instructive, but occasionally q.
musing, to look back upon the DAYS when specu-
latlon run riot, and prosperity became intoxicated
by ITS own eXcesses. In the years Of SO and '37
our town was famed all over the land as the
liolconda Of the South-the home Of the genius
oi goodluck; and to own small lot Of land in
Hicksburg, was to be rich in the extreme
Three hundred dollars foot was given for va
cant lots, and speculation made of two hundred
loot on the same property, in single day
ms, though, was generally on time, one. two,
and three years SO great was the rage for one,
two and three years, that physician (Who does
not now reside here twas said to have directed
one Of his patients in taking his pills. to stake
one down and the balance in one, two and three
years!'


But the best illustration Of the condition Of
things, was a story told to us some time since.
! by friend who happened in New Orleans at the
time Of the great mercantile disasters, when mer-
chants were going by the board daily. A most
worthy and excellent old Dutchman. who had
"squatted" on the Mississippi, not many hundred
miles above this, and established a woodward:
had been injected with the general mania. and
borrowed money from a house in New Orleans,
Tor the purpose of speculating in lands. He had
succeeded very well. as he supposed, and saw a
chance tor greater success, and away he goes TO
New Orleans to negotiate or rarrange-these were
the fashionable words Of the dav. The friend
who related the story to us happened there when
the old Dutchman arrived and passing through
the streets he discovered the Dutchman sitti9g
On the curb-stone in front of the principal hotel,
with Lis feet in the gutter, and weeping


why, my good friend, said he, what is the
matter with you?"


"Oh, mine Got, Mr.. T. dis i So had II
lose my raft; ise vraid Use vraid never otis over
dis
= "Why, what is it. my good fellow said Mr..
T., "what is it."


r. B. has failt."


Il am very sorry to hear ii; how much did they
owe you"


"Oh, dey does not owe me, Mr.. =
owe dem $4,000, but den you see / can get no
more fas-ilities.


It is due, however, to say Of this honest old
Datchman, that cormorant as he was after mon
ey, he neither repudiated the debt nor called up-
on the common law to blot it out for him: he
paid every cent of it, and is now a wealthy plan
ter, liberal and respectable man, universally
esteemed by all who know him.


Vicksburg Huellgeacer.