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#2
Likes People and i .itlcal Views
This Is my second day here, and I rather enjoy the quiet.
The people are mainly from the south of Europe and French* You hear a foreign language spoken most everywhere*
It is very unlike Mississippi. Down here on the coast they do not seem to care or even know much of Mississippi or any other kind of politics. In this particular it is more pleasant than up country where every Democrat looks upon you and treats you as an enemy.
The weather, save the heavy rain yesterday, has been very pleasant and comfortable.
August 13, 1873 ? at Shleldsborough, Miss.
Republican Politicians
After writing you yesterday I started out to visit the Collector of Customs, a Mr. Lindsay, an appointee of mine.
By the time I reached his office I had with me Capt. Raymond, Major Gibbs and one or two of the leading politicians of the place
Our visit over there, we went to the Post Office which is kept by a colored Post Master.
Then we went to a billiard table where we whiled away an hour or two. Then came dinner, and afterwards I took a long nap.
Before supper, Just in the cool of the evening we walked down the shell road, al&ng the shore, and made a call on Mrs. Gibb and Mrs-, Pease, both of whom occupy the same house. Then came supper.
An Engaged Couple Described
Then a chat with a Miss Strauss, a New Orelans isnijc belle.
We are great friends. I think her Father is a Jew and her Mother a German?not a Jew. She is a Roman Catholic.
The Mother speaks broken English, and Is very stout?three hundred pounds or more?she doon't stand around much?nor play croquet?she just eats and pleeps and sits. All that makes no difference with the daughter.
You may remember having met a Capt. Cass at the hotel in Jackson, Miss. He was a federal officer during the war, and is now a federal officeholder in Mississippi. Well, he is engaged to this Hiss Strauss, and they are to be married next month.
As he Is a friend of mine, you may be able to see why the young lady, his fiancee, and I should be on good terms.