The Progress., 1893-05-20

}|A3 lauded for its cultured refine
ment and warm hearted hospitality,
and had pictured its people and its
,,oirt narrow streets and old time
French houses very satisfa ctorily in my
mind. but it remained for personal ac-
ouaintance to prove how unreal men
.oI nicture can be, when |, as member
g tho Louisiana Press Association, be-
came its guest. The hand of hospitali-
~ first grasped ours at the town OF Cy-
moss where a committee had come to
receive Us, and bid us accept the Match
;toches and Red River Valley road, and
the whole city of Natchitochcs as our
,.erv own. to command and enjoy, and
our after experience proved their invi-
,ation TO be a bona fide one, straight
from the heart. After a short and
,,loasant run over this smoothly laid
road we reached the depot at Natchi-
tocbes. where the "Natchi;ochcs Brass
Rand" greeted u. with some very in
spiriug music. This band is remark
ahle in that each member has special
Talent and love of music, and they play
cd as though they were glad to see us,
and hoped we reciprocated-which we
most certainly did. Conveyances in
rafting took lis in" and deposited us
of hotels and private houses where we
wore. each and every one. welcomed
with warm hearted cordiality none
.of Ms will ever forget. Our red badges
onaned all doors for us. | heard one
remark that the gentlemen were dead
beads" with even the BARRIERS and boot
blacks. did not hear of a saloon in
Natchitoches. but if any exist. there
was no need for them to dead head
Members of the press, since the con-
cention as q whole took ',Keely cure
and enjoyed it. Though the falling
weather did not damp our spirits and
GOOD cheer, it prevented our enjoyment
of n grand picnic and several drives
about town and down Cane river that
had been planned for our pleasure, and
this seriously curtailed our view of the
town and its surroundings. However,
between showers, we succeeded in Wis
iting several points of note and inter-
est. and also in enjoying most delight
full excursion out to Grand Ecore" on
the Natchitoches and Red River Valley
road. which was again rendered us by
its courteous and enterprising president,
Mr.. L. Caspari. The scene from the top
of this high bluff more than repaid us
for the difficult climb up its slippery side
at the rate of one step forward and two
backward: and when the band struck up
the soul stirring strains of Dixie as We
all stood upon the site of Fort DeRus-
sey, l felt like shouting "Hurrah for
JEFF Davis" " hile my Episcopal pedes'
tails simply refused to'keep still.
This Natchitoches and Red River
Valley road is making a bee line fol
Shreveport, and if it is finished, as il
has begun we will certainly welcome il
with open arms, and heartily recon-
mend it TO the travelling public.
The doors of the Normal School were
thrown wide open to US. and its learned
and cultured principal, Col. t. D. Boyd
with most graceful courtesy bade us en-
ter in and take possession. We did so
and from dormitory to kitchen, inspect
ed its modus operandi, with an ever
increasing admiration for the executive
ability and scholarly power OF Its
principal and assistants. We learned
with much regret that many appli'
cants had been turned away this term
on account of lack of Accommodations
and in accordance with resolutions pass
ed during the session of the convention
held that day in the spacious music hal
OF this institution, the Louisiana Press
will recommend to the Legislature al
appropriation to relieve this distress
ing necessity. During this session of the
convention Col. Boyd read an able and
highly appreciated paper on The
newspaper as an aid to education.
which made us newspaper folk feel ouI
Importance and responsibilities as we
had never done before. A most interest
ing programme, had been arranged by
the teachers and pupils, for an open ali
concert in the beautiful grounds fol
our entertainment, but owing to incle
ment weather Col Boyd was forced Il
accept the kind proffer of the Comu'
Club of its spacious hall. Notwith'
standing an exciting though fortunate
ly ephemeral fire, caused by the fal
and breakage of lamp which seemed
to ''disarrange" the audience more thar
the participants in the concert, the pro
gramme was carried out with lnarve
lous smoothness, rejecting great credi
upon the talent and proficiency of botf