The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1892-08-20
: THE /, PRESS CoNvENTioN

|
!, dria. where we went to attend til
meeting of the State Press Conyer
ton. as the representative of ih
BANNEE-DEMoCRAT.
Arriving at Delta after leavin
home. we took the ". S. Up. train 70
Monroe, where we stopped over 70
the night. Here it was our pleasure t,
meet with Major Barton, formerly 0
the Tines-Democrat, but now~an eff
cient knight of the grip. The Majo
was particularly courteous and atten
tive TO us, aud it is due to him tina
we have pleasant recollections of thu
few hours spent in the beautiful little
city of the Ouachita.
Next morning we took the train on
the Houston Central and started TOT
| Alexandria. Bro. Millsaps, of the Tel
egraph-Bulletin was aboard, which
made things more pleasant for both OF
us. After getting out of Ouachita par
ish, we passed through Caldwell. Cat
ahoula and Grant parishes. These par
ishes abound in the finest quality of
| pine trees, and the lumber business
through this section of country is
growing very rapidly. Every few
miles large saw mills have been cree
ted, and thousands of feet of lumber
are sawed out every day. About 4
o'clock in the evening we crossed Red
River, where, about mile below the
bridge, the city of Alexandria lay
sleeping in the quietude of beautiful
summer evening. When the train drew
up to the depot, committee met, MS
and assigned us comfortable lodgings.
Our stopping place was at Mrs. VEINS,
who did everything to make us COM
fortoble. At the same house with us
were Bros. Hulse, formerly of the Ar
cadia Herald; Chanfreau, of the Hou-
ma Courier; and the Messrs Sendoz-
all of US newspaper fellows. The eli
mate of Red River must be an excell-
ent appetizer, for we all did ample JUS
tice to every department OF the edibles.
Nothing of Importance took place
during the first day of the convention.
On the evening of the second day the
citizens drove the members of the
press around beautiful twelve mile
drive, called the Horse Shoe. Around
this drive there is beautiful stretch
OF country, where thriving crops of
cotton. and sugar cane. were growing
luxuriantly. About the middle of the
drive, we were invited to halt while
at the residence of Mr.. w. p. Flower,
beautiful country home, surrounded
by large spreading oaks and adorned
by all the embellishments of modern
art. 1t was indeed typical southern
home, where the comforts of life, to-
gether with the gifts of nature. had
been generously lavished. Here the
host and bis good lady came out to |
welcome us. Besides the members off
the household, quite a Number of |
young ladies from Alexandria and the |
adjacent country were present to as
sist i'll doing the honors of the occa-
sion. We were already captivated by
the natural beauty of the surround
ings, but when we were introduced to
the fair maids of Red River. we must
confess, Mr.. Editor, that as captives
we were carried into captivity by their
beautiful faces and sparkling eyes; and
even now we feel the chains of the
Siren riveted around US. After spend
ng half hour or so in chatting with
he ladies and partaking of an excel
ent repast, we reluctantly bid the host
md hostess and beautiful maidens
goodbye, and wound around the
lorse shoe homeward. Pers onally, we
re indebted to the Hon. Robert
Hunter for the use of his buggy,
which he kindly rendered us. The
Measures of the second day were
Vound up by vocal and instrumental
oncert that evening, in which the
alent of Alexandria was displayed II
The third day was taken up with
asket picnic out Oh the hcighths of
'ort Beulah erected by the Confed-
rates to resist Federal invasion. Ii
AS beautiful sight fer such. an occa- s
on, and | venture to assert that it
'as the largest crowd the old fort N
ad witnessed since the stormy days =
years gone by, when the sons of v
apides were foremost in defense of p
leir country. We had taken a gun
ong to indulge in pigeon shooting b
it'll the Alexandria Gun Club, and it f. f.
as while we were wandering through e.
e old ruins of the fort and under its Il
ady bowers with pretty brown eyed /,
tie girl that we forgot all about the OF
in, aud did not think oft any more +.
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