the complete writings-4-第40章

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ears；　it　needed　a　little　Northern　enterprise　to　set　things　going。　The　travelers　were　indebted　to　the　Colonel　for　a　delightful　noonday　rest；　and　with　regret　declined　his　pressing　invitation　to　pass　the　night　with　him。

The　ride　down　the　Swannanoa　to　Asheville　was　pleasant；　through　a　cultivated　region；　over　a　good　road。　　The　Swannanoa　is；　however；　a　turbid　stream。　　In　order　to　obtain　the　most　impressive　view　of　Asheville　we　approached　it　by　the　way　of　Beaucatcher　Hill；　a　sharp　elevation　a　mile　west　of　the　town。　　I　suppose　the　name　is　a　corruption　of　some　descriptive　French　word；　but　it　has　long　been　a　favorite　resort　of　the　frequenters　of　Asheville；　and　it　may　be　traditional　that　it　is　a　good　place　to　catch　beaux。　　The　summit　is　occupied　by　a　handsome　private　residence；　and　from　this　ridge　the　view；　which　has　the　merit　of　〃bursting〃　upon　the　traveler　as　he　comes　over　the　hill；　is　captivating　in　its　extent　and　variety。　　The　pretty　town　of　Asheville　is　seen　to　cover　a　number　of　elevations　gently　rising　out　of　the　valley；　and　the　valley；　a　rich　agricultural　region；　well　watered　and　fruitful；　is　completely　inclosed　by　picturesque　hills；　some　of　them　rising　to　the　dignity　of　mountains。　　The　most　conspicuous　of　these　is　Mount　Pisgah；　eighteen　miles　distant　to　the　southwest；　a　pyramid　of　the　Balsam　range；　5757　feet　high。　　Mount　Pisgah；　from　its　shape；　is　the　most　attractive　mountain　in　this　region。

The　sunset　light　was　falling　upon　the　splendid　panorama　and　softening　it。　　The　windows　of　the　town　gleamed　as　if　on　fire。　　From　the　steep　slope　below　came　the　mingled　sounds　of　children　shouting；　cattle　driven　home；　and　all　that　hum　of　life　that　marks　a　thickly　peopled　region　preparing　for　the　night。　　It　was　the　leisure　hour　of　an　August　afternoon；　and　Asheville　was　in　all　its　watering…place　gayety；　as　we　reined　up　at　the　Swannanoa　hotel。　　A　band　was　playing　on　the　balcony。　We　had　reached　ice…water；　barbers；　waiters；　civilization。




IV

Ashville；　delightful　for　situation；　on　small　hills　that　rise　above　the　French　Broad　below　its　confluence　with　the　Swannanoa；　is　a　sort　of　fourteenth　cousin　to　Saratoga。　　It　has　no　springs；　but　lying　2250　feet　above　the　sea　and　in　a　lovely　valley；　mountain　girt；　it　has　pure　atmosphere　and　an　equable　climate；　and　being　both　a　summer　and　winter　resort；　it　has　acquired　a　watering…place　air。　　There　are　Southerners　who　declare　that　it　is　too　hot　in　summer；　and　that　the　complete　circuit　of　mountains　shuts　out　any　lively　movement　of　air。　　But　the　scenery　is　so　charming　and　noble；　the　drives　are　so　varied；　the　roads　so　unusually　passable　for　a　Southern　country；　and　the　facilities　for　excursions　so　good；　that　Asheville　is　a　favorite　resort。

Architecturally　the　place　is　not　remarkable；　but　its　surface　is　so　irregular；　there　are　so　many　acclivities　and　deep　valleys　that　improvements　can　never　obliterate；　that　it　is　perforce　picturesque。　It　is　interesting　also；　if　not　pleasing；　in　its　contraststhe　enterprise　of　taste　and　money…making　struggling　with　the　laissez　faire　of　the　South。　　The　negro；　I　suppose；　must　be　regarded　as　a　conservative　element；　he　has　not　much　inclination　to　change　his　clothes　or　his　cabin；　and　his　swarming　presence　gives　a　ragged　aspect　to　the　new　civilization。　　And　to　say　the　truth；　the　new　element　of　Southern　smartness　lacks　the　trim　thrift　the　North　is　familiar　with；　though　the　visitor　who　needs　relaxation　is　not　disposed　to　quarrel　with　the　easy…going　terms　on　which　life　is　taken。

Asheville；　it　is　needless　to　say；　appeared　very　gay　and　stimulating　to　the　riders　from　the　wilderness。　　The　Professor；　who　does　not　even　pretend　to　patronize　Nature；　had　his　revenge　as　we　strolled　about　the　streets　（there　is　but　one　of　much　consideration）；　immensely　entertained　by　the　picturesque　contrasts。　　There　was　more　life　and　amusement　here　in　five　minutes；　he　declared；　than　in　five　days　of　what　people　called　scenerythe　present　rage　for　scenery；　anyway；　being　only　a　fashion　and　a　modern　invention。　　The　Friend　suspected　from　this　penchant　for　the　city　that　the　Professor　must　have　been　brought　up　in　the　country。

There　was　a　kind　of　predetermined　and　willful　gayety　about　Asheville　however；　that　is　apt　to　be　present　in　a　watering…place；　and　gave　to　it　the　melancholy　tone　that　is　always　present　in　gay　places。　　We　fancied　that　the　lively　movement　in　the　streets　had　an　air　of　unreality。　　A　band　of　musicians　on　the　balcony　of　the　Swannanoa　were　scraping　and　tooting　and　twanging　with　a　hired　air；　and　on　the　opposite　balcony　of　the　Eagle　a　rival　band　echoed　and　redoubled　the　perfunctory　joyousness。　　The　gayety　was　contagious：　the　horses　felt　it；　those　that　carried　light　burdens　of　beauty　minced　and　pranced；　the　pony　in　the　dog…cart　was　inclined　to　dash；　the　few　passing　equipages　had　an　air　of　pleasure；　and　the　people　of　color；　the　comely　waitress　and　the　slouching　corner…loafer；　responded　to　the　animation　of　the　festive　strains。　　In　the　late　afternoon　the　streets　were　full　of　people；　wagons；　carriages；　horsemen；　all　with　a　holiday　air；　dashed　with　African　color　and　humorthe　irresponsibility　of　the　most　insouciant　and　humorous　race　in　the　world；　perhaps　more　comical　than　humorous；　a　mixture　of　recent　civilization　and　rudeness；　peculiar　and　amusing；　a　happy　coming　together；　it　seemed；　of　Southern　abandon　and　Northern　wealth；　though　the　North　was　little　represented　at　this　season。

As　evening　came　on；　the　streets；　though　wanting　gas；　were　still　more　animated；　the　shops　were　open；　some　very　good　ones；　and　the　white　and　black　throng　increasing；　especially　the　black；　for　the　negro　is　preeminently　a　night　bird。　　In　the　hotels　dancing　was　promisedthe　german　was　announced；　on　the　galleries　and　in　the　corridors　were　groups　of　young　people；　a　little　loud　in　manner　and　voice；the　young　gentleman；　with　his　over…elaborate　manner　to　ladies　in　bowing　and　hat…lifting；　and　the　blooming　girls　from　the　lesser　Southern　cities；　with　the　slight　provincial　note；　and　yet　with　the　frank　and　engaging　cordiality　which　is　as　charming　as　it　is　characteristic。　　I　do　not　know　what　led　the　Professor　to　query　if　the　Southern　young　women　were　not　superior　to　the　Southern　young　men；　but　he　is　always　asking　questions　nobody　can　answer。　　At　the　Swannanoa　were　half　a　dozen　bridal　couples；　readily　recognizable　by　the　perfect　air　they　had　of　having　been　married　a　long　time。　　How　interesting　such　young　voyagers　are；　and　how　interesting　they　are　to　each　other！　　Columbus　never　discovered　such　a　large　world　as　they　have　to　find　out　and　possess　each　in　the　other。

Among　the　attractions　of　the　evening　it　was　difficult　to　choose。　There　was　a　lawn…party　advertised　at　Battery　Point　（where　a　fine　hotel　has　since　been　built）　and　we　walked　up　to　that　round　knob　after　dark。　　It　is　a　hill　with　a　grove；　which　commands　a　charming　view；　and　was　fortified　during　the　war。　　We　found　it　illuminated　with　Chinese　lanterns；　and　little　tables　set　about　under　the　trees；　laden　with　cake　and　ice…cream；　offered　a　chance　to　the　stranger　to　contribute　money　for　the　benefit　of　the　Presbyterian　Church。　　I　am　afraid　it　was　not　a　profitable　entertainment；　for　the　men　seemed　to　have　business　elsewhere；　but　the　ladies　about　the　tables　made　charming　groups　in　the　lighted　grove。　　Man　is　a　stupid　animal　at　best；　or　he　would　not　make　it　so　difficult　for　the　womenkind　to　scrape　together　a　little　money　for　charitable　purposes。　　But　probably　the　women　like　this　method　of　raising　money　better　than　the　direct　one。

The　evening　gayety　of　the　town　was　well　distributed。　　When　we　descended　to　the　Court…House　Square；　a　great　crowd　had　collected；　black；　white；　and　yellow；　about　a　high　platform；　upon　which　four　glaring　torches　lighted　up　the　novel　scene；　and　those　who　could　read　might　decipher　this　legend　on　a　standard　at　the　back　of　the　stage：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　HAPPY　JOHN。　　　　　　　　　　　　　ONE　OF　THE　SLAVES　OF　WADE　HAMPTON。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　COME　AND　SEE　HIM！

Happy　John；　who　occupied　the　platform　with　Mary；　a　〃bright〃　yellow　girl；　took　the　comical　view　of　his　race；　which　was　greatly　enjoyed　by　his　audience。　　His　face　was　blackened　to　the　proper　color　of　the　stage…darky；　and　he　wore　a　flaming　suit　of　calico；　the　trousers　and　coat　striped　longitudinally　according　to　Punch's　idea　of　〃Uncle　Sam；