The Russellville Democrat., 1881-02-03
FROM VAN BUREN COUNTY
cdItors Russellyillc Democrat

\ our paper mbkoB " "otSonS visits to my studio regularly avery week, for which 1 am brought under lasting obligation. What valuable medium of communication read your local column with all the inter est which one feels in the letter of q dear friend. Would your readers be interested in few items from this part of our great and growing state? Then shall be gratifisd to contrib ute in some small degree to their pleasure.
 Pope county is we'll and creditably represented in the citizenship Of our town.
 MT. R. I. Williamson, the pros pectiye physician and wide awake business man, with his brother, Jshn A., as salesman, dispenses the hess of drugs, fancy and toilet artioiss and confectionariss, with evident signs of success.
 Dr. ". k. Jamison, whose skill as . florist and horticulturist is ac- knowledgsd, has run the nursery business here with great profit for several years, but the early freeze last fall has pretty effsctually closed him out on that line of things, for the prsssnt at least.
 Robert Swo:, for several years . resident of Dover, and Rev. o. H. Tucker, late county examiner, are doing valuable service Tn their re- spsctivs vacations of mechanic and teacher. And of such men, from other sections, and native born noble women and lovely girls and boys, is our society composed. The present cold spell has greatly paralyzsd all departments Of business, except the school that hourishes beyond expec. tation. At no time in the past, per haps, has the college enjoyed greater prosperity. Ninety students in the literary department and ten or twelve in the music class, give em- ployment to five teachers. The college building has been pretty thoroughly repaired since last sum mer, and is now capable of accom- modating one hundred and fifty or two hundred, and is comfortable for both csld or hot weather. The san itary condition of our town ia it's meet remarkable feature. Although . pretty full attendance of foreign and home patronage has been kept up, there has never been but one death in tho school slnce It's organi zation twelve years ago. We need more dwelling houses, several fam, lies have been kept away on account of lack at thls point. Town prop erty has advanced from seventy five to enc hundred per cent in the last three years.
 Among the anticipated work of the present legislature is the forma- tion of . new county, of which it is hoped by our citizens Quitman will be the "ssat of justice" So mote It be! Steps are being taken to secure new paper. Some man with pro- clivities in that direction might find it to his interest to correspond with the business men of our place, or :hs trustees of the college. We now have three mails per week from Searcy, (hack lins,) two from Con way. and two from Clinton. A hack line to Conway ls anticipated in the near future, which will put us in connection with the railroads sufh cisntly close for all practical pur- poses. Our country is being rapid ly settled by good class of citizens, the equal, but not superior to others who have been here for years, and some even who were born here.
 Now, Mir. Editor, must say I am thoroughly dlsgusted with all this twaddls about Arkansaw society. How strange that . man occasion ally will turn up in Arkansas and almost go into spasms about society, when every sensible man and woman knows hs is illitsrats, uncultivated and irreligious, and all the advan- tags he hAs over us is his supply of bOmbast The fact is, sir, the peo- pie of our state are as quick to dis cover and appreciate true merit as any people in tho world. Perhaps we don't offer as great premium on "kid gloves" "croquct" and champagne suppers" as do soms others, because we haven't the same use for them.
 Now, sir, IS some Of my friends there have heard that 1 was dead, please let me say to them, that while I know not how near may Dc te the margin of tho Has: river," yet I am not dead nor dying. nor siek--don't even feel badly. The fact is am quite well, never more alive, phys ically. at least, as twenty one pounds avoirdupois net gain during my SO journ at Quitman will fully demon strate. Wishing your paper, to- gethsr with every interest of your town and county the greatest sue cess, am, very truly yours,
 W. II. GOBLET.
 Ouitman. Jan. 26.