The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1894-07-23
SARGE PLUNKETT.
TRIP PIKE COUNTY ANE CLAY
OYER IN ATLANTA.
Seeing Them Make u Great Paper-Men May
Como and Men May Go, but the Great
World Moves on Without Jostle.


II fellow wants to be impressed with
his littleness he should visit his old haunts
and observe how the world is moving along
without his presence or assistance.
Brown and / took a trip last week, and
visited places where we thought ourselves
great factors only few years ago.
'lay-over'' in Atlanta for a night give US
opportunity to visit the great morning
newspaper office Whare figured once
upon time in such important roles that it
took the starchiness out of our conceit when
found how nicely the paper had run
along while pulled bell cord over
mule in the peaceful seclusion of Georgia
plantation.
Of course, we have visited The Consti-
tuition building many times since i'm
portance made it's departure from thence,
but we had not made a tour of the de-
partments, and especially had we kept
away from departments where we once
figured shining lights Things are NOV
ing right along just like we had never
left, and the truth is that were not
thought of by the busy throngs who work
in the places where once worked n
new generation who know not is at
WORK in this old department of ours and
passed by just as they will be passed
in times to come. Just few familiar
faces lnger there and these made glad
with a welcome generous it was sin
cere
To make and send out to the world such
a paper as The Constitution every day of
year is great thing in more ways than
one. Brown and I talked of the mouths
that would be fed and the hearts made
happy and the knowledge dispensed by
the work watched in progress. out
side the good that all understand a news
paper to do for a town, / venture that
such a paper gives more substantial bene-
fits to its city than any other one industry
hnn tic tor. otlar of,
1t should never be out of place for men
VIII" stand Brown and myself to speak
well of this great paper and OF its pro-
pIietors and attaches. 1t Is men like US
who know the papers benefits and we know
its pgoprietors, and when one of these pro
prietors are standing before the people for
Office, as L understand Mr.. Howell is
stending, men like us speak of him
as he cannot speak of himself and of his
good points which the modesty of his
own paper will not allow a mention AS
his employees for years We know him as d
good man and true, and it gives pleasure
to say 50, and We're it not for the appear
ance of sycophancy we could tell of many
things that are only known by the men
who have worked for him for years and
have felt his kindly acts in the days of dis
uesS There is no need to tell any one
who knows Evan F. Howell of his generous
ne ture, and he would Scorn Sycophant.
but we think it nice that employees OF
such men can truly speak well of them
in times like these
After catching a train it did not take
long to get down to the little city of Griffin
and out into Pike county on the new
railroad Railroads change the appearance
of a country more than | ever thought
People who have moved off to the west
would think the country out the old plank
road into Pike very odd if they were to
come back now. We knew every foot of
ground to Flint river once, but never
knew where this time when the
train stopped at Drivers old place where
we were to take the wagon road for Hol-
lands and thence to Flint river. We tray
eied road where we once knew everybody,
but now %e know nobody. The day has
been when we would have known the dogs
the hogs, the cows much less the children,
of all the PEOPLE who lived from Drivers
to the river-this time we knew nothing.
and taeG to some a't children er We We found
that they were the offspring of timd young
Gays that are past They We're the chill
dren of the children we knew at old Flat
rock church thirty years ago. and when
we counted three and five and seven and
eight children who are daughters and
sons Of the youngsters we once knew,
Brown could not but exclaim, "Who would
have thought it?'
The world has moved right along and
there is nothing stranger in all the changes
ers. Flat Rock and Red Oak and old
Hebron churches used to be great places
for the young folks to congregate and
sing, and court and be socable generally,
and it only seems yesterday since | was
anong them and watched them and loved
tfem. and 1t would have caused great
stir among them had they been told that it
We uld be their fortunes to number many
children as their own in the by ana by.
So it is, Brown and | were strangers among
the offspring of our old play
the trees and watched them
/ felt with force in sympathy with old
Rip Van Wrinkle when ne eXclams:
us there not one here who remembers
poor Ripping Van Winkle?'
How glad [ would have been to have
seen the portly form Of old Dick Holland
star ding in the door of the little country
store. But Dick is in Texas-"gone to
Texas" is a common answer to receive
when you ask for old friends. Many have
gone to Texas, but old Pike moves along
with the procession and just as many little
children play under the trees at the old
schoolhouses and drink from the same cool
springs. never giving a thought TO we old
folks who played there before them. If
you come back from Texas you may
see dim names the bark of sycamores
which will call up sweet memories, but a
young generation will be frsking about you
and Will think strange that such reminders
could be counted sweet by any one. At
BeekS's mill we looked for the whte-dusted
miller, but he was not there-the old one
that We knew gone. The mill rocks
were turning just as they used to turn and
boys were fishing at the very holes where
we used to fish, but not q one knew us.