Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-09-22
PRIMlrlvE ARKANSAS.
Life Among the Natives In the lnteRioP
q the STATE,

Correspondence Of 81. Louis Globe Democrat
In travelling through southeast Arkansas In the
company o; corps OF SURVEYOR sent out to select
the most practicable route for q contemplated
railroad to be built from Monroe, LOUISIANA, 70 q
point on the ST. LOUIS Arkansas and Texas roaa.
raised through belt OF country Q description q
which may prove interesting 70 your readers. The
district TO which fer consisting OF portions Of
Gnion' bradley and Calhoun Counties, and lying
from railroads. and although endowed with every
natural advantages OF sol, climate, timber, min
erai, Eood water, and nne ranse, is sleeping the
Hundreds OF people live here wEo never saw
locomotive, who have never been SO miles from
rived alone from annual visits to Camden or War;
rem, towns OF great importance and magnitude In
their eyes, but which In the North would hardly
De rated as second-class llages.
The most important event, and the only one that
breaks the monotony OF the existence Is the an
nual trip 70 market with their cotton In the
roads which could easily be made good but which
are In fact indescrbably bad at that OF the
year, and an occasional arrival OF . cotton boat
from New Orleans In the winter and spring, when
the Saline and Ouachita are navigaOle for Ooats OF
large tonnage as far as Warren and Camden.
By reason OF their isolation from the world the
people are unprosressive verdant and rustic, Tut
there is Quaintness and simplicity OF manners
and speech about them that Is charming 10
anu cordial hospitality which used TO be 30 char
acterisic Of the South; II you stop at a gate you
are met with hearty "Alight and come in." Not
hailed with delight. RECALLED with the best, and
parted from with genuine regret
The war has made but little change in these
peoples social or domestic economy. Tue negroes
who are numerous, may still b. found, as q rule,
living with their old masters or some member VI
their mlly, and seem bound TO them BY Ties Of
real affection. do them faithful, willing service,
and show much homage TO any member Of the su-
perfor race they may meet. Upon them falls the
principal burden OF LABOR and they seem, In their
poverty and rags. as COMMENTED and happy as the
heart could wish
Those VINO think the factory has superseded the
spinning-wneel and hand-loOm everywhere in pro-
gresSive America would SOON discover their mis-
take II here. Around every farmers place you
will find small flock OF sheep, anu the long win
ter evenings are gwen to the music OF the spin
ning.wheel as the Industrious housewife turns the
warm staple into thread to be knit afterward into
hosiery ana woven into good and substantial Jean
for her stalwart husband and sons, and gaudy col
ored 1nsey for her buxom, rosy-cheeked girls. The
brac would find In every mouse her treasures ga
lore for, In addition to the queer homemade fur
niture, turned out by the ingenious pdter
there Is In nearly every house herooms in shape OF
Old clocks mirrors, bureaus &C., which were care
fully brought with the family when this country
was new, and have been carefully preserved until
now.
Though surrounded by the finest pine timber In
the world peeied-.og houses are the rule, and u
frame mouse is very rare exception indeed. Far
side world caring nothing for fashion, these people
lead lives OF Arcadian simplicity, caring only Tor
their "craps" and hounds Speaking OF hounds
reminds me that every man here is born hunter,
and there Is still abundance OF game TO hunt
Deer. wolves and foxes abound. Bear and pan.
his pack OF trained hounds. and finer dogs never
saw.