Woman's chronicle. (Little Rock, Ark.) 1888-1???, 1888-10-06
A Mountain Trip.

provided for travellers over the Little Rock and
Southeastern Railroad branch of the San Fran
cisco which has as yet penetrated the mountains Of
White River only IS miles, Leaving Fayetteville
at pm, the train slowly winds its way through
the valley, where the rocks have been hewn from
the mountain side to make room for the track, and
again over the level land amid small fields or SUR
rounded by the Everlasting hills, +" their rocky
sides covered with dense growth of giant timber
which supply to the markets their millions of fence.
posts, railroad-ties and bridge timbers.
Villages have sprung up almost like magic since
the advent of the road. 'TTie YARDS Is the more
frequent designation of the traveller, Indignantly
spurned, however, by the inhabitants, who are full
of great expectations as to the future of their re-
spective towns. At present they comprise for the
most part store, depot buildings and the never
failing drug stores, for these are ''dry' counties
through which we travel and the friendly drug
store, with it's mask of medicine is the only mode
now open to the much-oppressed Arkansas tippler
to 'brace up against the unfriendly circumstances
which have deprived him, in a measure, of his free
dram. We must say, in measure, for we are
told that these mountain recesses hide many o
moonshner
As the setting sun sinks behind the western hills
the train rounds sharp curve of the mountain and
comes to a halt in the busy little town of st. Paul.
at present the terminus of the road, and our dest-
nation. Beautiful, indeed, for situation is this
little village, and the whole landscape is one of
SURPRISING loneliness. The town is built partly
upon the mountain side and partly in the valley,
which is wider at this point than at any other along
the road. On all sides rise the mountains, clad in
their mantle of living green, while gurgling among
the rocks at their feet flow the clear, mpid waters
of White River.
Here we found large Sabbath-school in sue
cessful operation, superintendent and taught by
women, who, in the midst of the general religious
indifference common to new settlements, have laid
aside UNCONVENTIONAL preferences, and have Joined
heart and hand to avail themselves of such reli-
gious advantages as may be within reach
Here also we found strong organization of the
Woman's Christian Temperance Union, whose in
10
Though so secluded, the neighborhood has not
escaped the watchful care of Mother Chase the
State president of the W. C. T. u, who lectnred
for two nights, much to the establishment of the
natives who had never seen woman on the stand
before.
One morning, few days later, we set out in
company with merry party for Chimney Rock"
an object OF interest on the top of a neighborng
mountain. Equipped with lunch baskets and
couple OF wire horse muzzles, which served in place
of the handsomer wire basket of city manufacture,
we gaily commenced our upward journey. Cross
ing the river on slender foot-bridge we find our
selves in the dense shade of mighty trees tower
ing walls of rock, whose messy banks and rich
profusion of feathery ferns would surely attract
and charm the most careless observer. The former
proprietor, the late Hugh Mcdaniel of Fayetteville,