The Russellville Democrat., 1881-06-16
KIND WORDS FROM A WIS.,
 ITOR.
pr. John Gordon Writes Home and Gives his Impressions
 Ot RusscIlyille.
From the oreenvIlle. nl.i Advoeate.l

From the Greenvilie, Ill.,, Advocate.l
 EDITOR ADVOCATE: Dear Sir: l was so pleased to receive your ev@r welcome paper, which seemed so much like a letter from many friends while thus far from home. I concluded it due you and them to send short commu- nication in way of answer.
 We arrived at this place in thirty-two hours after leaving home, inclne.sss, stop of one and q haifs..t'tirs at St. Louis, and five hours at the Little Rock , U J0io.: depot.
 We find the health of the country good. Crops promising. but q little late and especially in the grass, this, however, is giving away before the hoe and blow of the determined and indus- trious farmer. The frequent rains have not given the farmer a fair chance with the crab grass and weeds. The prin- cipal crops are cotton and corn, but there is more wheat and oats raised than formerly. There are few who are starting meadows; and l was told by livery man that he was paying $38 per ton for hay.
 We find great change in the coun- try, and especially in the little town in which we lived twenty years ago. From being village of no pretcntions, except that of having few close neigh bors at the crossing of the Dardanelle and Dover and the Little Lock and Ft. Smith stage roads, with the convenience of one or two stores and blacksmith shops, 1t now claims one thousand in- habitants, with many business houses better than are frequently found in larger towns. The morals of the place are looked after by the pastors and many good members of the four churches, Presby Baptist, North and South Methodist. The public school numbers on its roll 300 pupils who are now being accommodated in the Masonic hall, while the school house is undergoing improvements in | the way of changes and additions, which when completed, will be one of the fln- est public school buildings in the state. and will certainly speak well for those who have the educational interests of the community at heart.
 This is about the prettiest town on the road between Little Rock and Ft. Smith. It is situated in the Arkansas river valley, about three miles from the Dardanelle Rock and the river. We'll water here is mostly soft, consequently cisterns are not needed. The stock of | this country is inferior to ours, but an effort is being made to improve it, and | farmers should look we'll to their inter- ests in this line. There is here grist mill, wooden factory, cotton gin and | blaming mill combined. I am told there is to be another soon, besides there are many saw mills scattered through the pineries which are aiding greatly toward improving the country by preparing the timber tor building purposes. The houses now building are usually of better class than for merly.
 We have been kindly received and welcomed by all our old friends whom we have met, and made the acquaint- ance of many new ones who have aided in making our visit pleasant and one to be long remembered by us. Our genial friend and brother-ln-law, Dr. c. w. Harkey, placed at our disposal good horse and buggy with directions to go | and come when and where we pleased. Our visit has only been saddened by the death of our little babe which was left in care of kind sister, but we have the satisfaction of knowing that 1t was we'll cared for in our absence by loving hands and that it is now in charge of him who said "suffer little children to come unto me-"
 We expect to start for home some time next week. Yours truly,
 JOHN II. GORDON.
 Russellville, Ark, June 4.