The Russellville Democrat. [volume] (Russellville, Ark.) 1875-1898, 1889-05-16
Our Trip to Bentonvllle.

by his daughter, joined at this plac
the editorial party aboutslxty strong
enroute to- Bentonville, where tn
seventeenth annual meeting Of tn
Arkansas Press Association was Il
be held.
Passing many thriving villages
and towns, and some PICTURESQUE
scenery in the vicinity of Ozarl
which was much admired, we reach
/ ed Van Buren, late in the afternoon.
Owing to the failure of the trains
of the Iron Mountain and the Frisco
systems TO closely connect our par
ty was forced to remain in Van Blu
rem Till after midnight.
! The representatives OF the DEMO
Graf were invited by Col. Durham
of the Press to accept the hospitali
ties of his elegant home and to him
and his noble wife we are indebted
for many kind attentions during our
stay with them.
We accepted an invitation from
Mr.. and Mrs. Phillip Scott to take
tea with them. Mrs. Scott, by The
way, is daughter of Col. Durham
the veteran editor and having been
once connected with the press has a
fraternal feeling for the pencil push.
ers. We most thoroughly enjoyed
their hospitality They have q
beautiful and elegantly furnished
residence An ideal home. After tea
we accompanied them and their
guest, Miss Lawson, one of Little
Rocks most winsome daughters, to
the opera house where we attended
an entertainment In commemoratlon
of the centennial celebration at
Washington's Inauguration, given
| for the benefit of one of the churches
in the city. The programme con,
sisted of music, recitatlons, tableaux,
etc, with ice cream and other re
freshments as accomplishments. All
of which was most heartily enjoyed
by all present, including goodly
number of the press boys and their
fair attendants. One feature of the
programme captured the house com
pletely. A manly little boy and
pretty little girl dressed in approp
rate costumes represented George
and Martha Washington. The
young gentleman was Master Dren
nan Scott, son of Mr.. and Mrs. Phillip
Scott and a bright and promising
fellow he is. The little girls name
we failed to get. May they grow up
to man and woman's estate as true
and noble as the patriotic couple
they so becomingly represented.
The entertainment over, we parted
regretfully with our new made
friends and repaired to the depot
where two special coaches had been
provided for the use of the party.
At / 80 a. m. our train pulled out
and sped rapidly away northward ,
passing some lovely scenery, the big
tunnel, and through some beautiful
country, but the darkness prevented
us from seeing any of it.
We were awakened about SIX
o'clock at Rogers, where we were
met by the Bentonville reception
committee and band of music.
We changed roads here for Benton
vile seven miles away. This line
passes through a magnificent farm
ing and fruit country. Here we re
alizde for the first time the business
of the Northwest's claim to being
"the Fruit Orchard Of the World"
Some of the orchards have as many
as 10000 trees, andithe annual pro-
ceeds of many of them amount to
thousands of dollars. Blue grass
and clover grow here as well as in
Kentucky and we saw many large
crops of both.
About seven o'clock we arrived at
Bentonville. The populace turned
out meet US and gave us a true,
warm hearted southern welcome.
Homes were selected for all and In
omnibuses and hacks the party was
quickly conveyed to the places pro-
vided for them.
1t was our good fortune to be as
signed to the comfortable and hos
pitable home of DR.. j. M. Thomp-
son, formerly a citizen of Russell
VILE, where assisted by his estima-
bic lady and accomplished daughters,
Misses Estella and Anna, we were
most kindly cared for and made to
feel as much at home as if we had
been inmates of the family for years.
We found the good doctor in i'm
proved health and full OF the same
vim and enterprise which character
lied his stay among US. He is high
ly esteemed, has good practice and
is thoroughly pleased with his new
home.
We met several times during oul
stay Mr.. James Robinson, recently
of our city, who is health seeking in
the great northwest. He Is improv
ing and in love with Bentonville
We also met Mrs. Robinson, who is
the very picture of health.
Wednesday morning at 10 O'Clock
the members of the association con
vened in the courthouse and after
prayer by Rev. III. j. Brown, of Ben
tonville, the association proceeded
to business.
Wednesday afternoon the address
of welcome was delivered by Hon. j
A. Rice, who extended cordial wei
come to the clty's guests and assured
them that the keys OF the city anC
of tue hcspitable homes thereof wer'
theirs during their stay. Col. War
rem, of the Texarkana Independent
responded in very happy speecl
which was we'll received.
Wednesday night the citizens CAV