Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1895-10-31
A Day In ArdmOre.
Editor Green6rier Independent :

4
If mistake not my last letter
was written you the day of the great
fire that destroyed nearly all the
business houses of Ardmore. To,
day the burnt district is occupied by
stately buildings of brick and stone
which are filed with all sorts OF
merchandise.
! To one standing on corner OF
Main street very animated scene
is presented. 1t is after noon and
although the harvest is past and the
summer is ended the day is very
warm and the bright sun shines
down upon mass of busy humanity
For about half mile the street is
jammed with farmers wagons laden
with country produce. There are
probably seventy-five bales of cot
ton in sight and third as many buy
ers making bids for it. Cotton Is
high and the price advancing, so the
planter is in no hurry to close bar
gain. Corn in the shuck is offered
at twenty cents per bushel and oats
at the same, the best is bought quickly
while the Indifferent continues to
block the street. Firewood sells
slowly at dollar and half per cord
and wagons loaded with baled hsy
tarry long before good price is of
fered.
To many of the wagons good
teams are hitched, others are drawn
by oxen or shabby little ponies.
In accordance with Southern Gus.
tom the teams are left united in the
middle Of the street and not so much
as trace is dropped. Occasionally,
a delivery boy for one of the forty.
three grocery stores gives a team
that happens in his way a cut and
away it goes, spreading Consideration
and causing the ladies who are thread
ing their way among the innumera-
bic vehicles in handsome phaetons
to wish they had stayed at home.
The United States court is in ses-
sion in large store room. Hon.
Buck Kilgore, the judge, sits in the
rear OF the room. Before him is a
plain table and number of books
containing the Arkansas law under
which the white people of the ma.
ton live, and about him are a score
or more Of loungers ready to defend
or prosecute the multitude of Offend
ers.
Mr.. G. l.. Stowe the efficient U. s.
Marshal is present and his deputies
have secured the country and fer
reted out the hiding places of the
bands of robbers who so long in
tested the nation.
A. G. Cruce, the eminent LAWYER
and his able assistant, the talented
Charlie Kendrick, prosecute so vigo-
rously that no guilty man escapes.
The city is full of people trading
or attending court. Most Of them
are white, a good many are black, a
few Indians are to be seen and some
Mexicans are crying " Hot tamalas !
Hot tamalas !"
Now the afternoon is almost gone
and the shadows are lengthening.-
There is sound of horses hoofs and
a rattle Of vehicles as the ranchmen
and farmers move to the many
wagon yards or to the country
There is cloud of dust for it has
not rained in many weeks. There
Is merry talking and lively trading
and all is serene in Ardmore.
But listen! there is an ominous
report of a pistol, then another. A
crowd is rushing together on Main
street and word passes rapidly from
mouth to mouth, "a man is killed (!
A man is killed I"
Two men, strangers in town, met.
The younger Of the two quickly
drew six shooter saying; "Sir,
have hunted you for four months,
you will never seduce woman again,
or ruin another family !" With that
he fired two shots that sent the soul
of old man Dixon, a phrenologist
and hypnotist, into eternity. The
younger man, named Farline, 1 be-
lieve, was sent to Paris, Tex, where
murder cases from this part of the
Territory are tried.
The sun is going down, the street
is we'll nigh deserted and the people
have turned their faces homeward.
Now 1t is dark. Night prowlers
are filling the pool-rooms and gam.
bling dens where no strong drink is
sold, for we have prohibition here
that prohibits. The opera house is
full. the variety theatre at the east
end In HELPS full acre is crowded
and in the six churches the Wednes-
day evening prayer meeting is in
progress and thus closes the day in
our little city of five or six thousand
souls. CHocTAw.
Ardnaore, Indian Territory, oct.
18th, 1885.
MAMMA, what day is this?"
"This is Friday.n
Where's Sunday ?"
! "lt's still In the fnturaO