The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-10-17

!. /: !. "a !; +
n" after sixteen years
~ IF resideDce IN a
HM N far away state |
apul lot i0ng'FT
sist the tempt ttiou
kS,C9 OF he vl~lGIng IN
SSA7 native h attn aud
@ !; 8: !; 8: !; (: {;
N&lllU ouce again ming
~ h&M ~ ]iugw til the spiii S
MIS0J scenes o NY early
VW ~ boyhood Years
am delighted, / cannot quite say in the
language of an old friend of mine a
former resident of Raleigh that | would
rather be lamp-post in Raleigh than to
he the richest man in Texas, but | can
say to them all, that III have enough
to tell Maria when | get back home to
keep her listening for a month. | land
ed in the city three days ago and | have
been the busiest man in town ever since
1t seemed to me that | wanted to see
everybody and everything ut once. This
/ could not do. of course but l have
seen good deal of the town during
these three days and with your permits
sion | will tell of my impressions of the
old town after sixteen years absence.
You didn't have any paved streets when
| left Raleigh sixteen years ago, but
you have them now and they are among
the best streets that | have seen in all
my travels You didn't have any water
works, nor sewerage system, nor electric
lights, nor street cars. You have them
all now and | rejoice in your prosperity.
You didn't have any Union depot, and
/ remember that | had to wade through
mud shoe deep, to take the train when
/ left Raleigh in 1881, but your hand
some Union station now would do credit
to city ten times as big as Raleigh.
These public improvements and others
that / might mention I have been much
rejoiced to see, and then everything else
seems wonderfully improved. | would
not have known the old town if | had
met it anywhere else but right here in
good old Wake county. But the people
have not changed. | find the same good
whnesouled. clever. hospitable folks
that | left here. every one with cordial
handshake and cheerful smile of well
come for the returned wanderer
| came of course to attend the Fair
that grand old annual gathering of Tar
Heel folks and l. am going to see it
every day next week. | have already
seen good deal of the town and will
with your permission write about the
friends that | have met
| looked out of the waiting room and
began wondering where | was at. | saw
a beautiful park in front of me. with
rows of splendid shade trees and nicely
paved walks leading through it.
What place is that?' | asked a
hackman.
THAT is Nash square," he answered.
could hardly believe it. When 1 lef,
here the old square had an unsightly
fence around it, no trees. no flowers.
Now it is a little gem of a park.
Free bus to the Marlborough" l
heard the porter say This was the first
familiar sound | had heard. 1t tickled me
almost to death. | gathered my grip,
got into the splendid bus, and the way
we came rumbling over paved streets,
passing big, handsome buildings. all new
to me. again | thought there must be
some mistake Turning to a gentleman
sitting beside me | asked: Are we in
Raleigh, ~ C,T' F7e loked at me rather
suspiciously, then replied, Yes, sir, this
is Raleigh, n c."
We were by this time at the Yarbor
ough. | looked about and was once
again almost led off into incredulity. All
about me were high. handsome buildings
with flags and bunting and other beauti-
full decorations streaming all over them.
j stepped into the hotel.
Now / know | am dreaming" /
thought to myself when L saw instead of
the old wooden floor checkety marble
floor, with stain glass windows and ev-
erything looking like big city hotel
Across the way | spied my old friend
Tom Arlington.
lis this you?' | inquired, stepping up
to him.
You can just bet your last dime on
it." he replied with that old character
stic vein of humor in his voice and his
eye
Over behind the desk was Gus Cooke.
He wheeled the book around. ] looked
first at Cooke, then at the book. Yes, it
was all right. Gus looked natural, and
when he extended his hand and gave
me a good old North Carolina shake
began to feet at home again. Glad to
get back to old Raleigh queried Gus
''Glad amt no name for it. | am
tickled almost to death; but what's the
matter? The old Marlborough don't look
like it used to"
"Oh, we've been fixing mp. Have to
keep up WITH lne procession, T@pileu
Gus, and then he took me up to my
room.
III go up with you myself" he
said, 'and let you see some of our inn
provements as you 90 along. And on
we went through beautifully frescoed
halls, over fine Brussels carpets, up car
petted stairways and into the room as
signed me.
Touch the bell if you want any
thing" he said, and went back TO the
office. / just lay down, took a little rest
and thought it all over. | looked about
the room. 1t was coy, comfortable, al
most luxurious. Every convenience, ev-
cry comfort. / dropped off to sleep. |
had slept an hour, perhaps, when I
heard a boy rap at the door and yell
out Supper ! came down, met several
of my old friends, DIR. Everett, DIR. Sex
ton, Judge Riddick and others, and went
in to supper. ! looked about the dining
ROOM Everything was charming. Beau
fiful cpiling artistically naintpd walls