Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1897-11-25
A Letter from Indian Territory.
ARDMORE, IND. TERRITORY, !
q Norember, 1871, 1897. !

warm. Fall gardens are green and
roses fresh and fragrant. Bermuda
grass is nearly as pretty as your blue
grass, and the umbrella Chinas and
other ornamental trees swaying in
the gentle breeze with their dark
foliage glistening in the sunshine, re.
mind one more of bright day in
June than the last month of autumn
In my yard is an ant hill, and i'm
spite of the fact that for weeks l
have given them fire and ashes to
eat and boiling water to drink, they
are out in full force to-day, some
coming, some going, and all exceed
ingly busy.
AS l watched the muscular little
red fellows hurfying hither and
thither thought of the scene had
just witnessed in walk down Main
street.
In the early morning the sprinkler
had settled the dust, for no sprink-
ling wagon can work on Main street
later than nine because of the
crowded condition. Loose cotton
clinging to the ground, awnings,
goods boxes and so on, gave the APP
pearance of light fall of snow.
For a mile wagons, carts, phae-
tons and buggies blocked the street
50 that the delivery wagons quickly
sought the first openings into other
streets.
Stove-wood from the forests near
by, corn from the bottoms, hay from
the prairies, cotton seed from the
gin, loose and baled cotton from
hundreds of little farms and big
plantations, and apples from, Texas,
filled scores Of wagons.
Then the movers, headed both
ways with their cows, dogs, ponies
and multitude of children, filled
in the open spaces between wagons
like the chinking in log cabin.
Not a few men and women were
going to and fro on horseback, hun
d-eds of country people were tramp
ing the streets-white, red, black
and mingled colors marked the pro-
miscuous throng as whites, Indians,
negroes, MeXicans and mixed bloods
jostled each other.
The hum of voices of the multi
tude was as music in the merchants
ears, and clerks went hurrying and
sweating, occasionally flirting with
pretty rustic lassies.
In front of me on a goods box was
woman with mans voice, sur
rounded by gaping and hilarious
crowd which she entertained by
telling fortunes in loud and hu-
morous tone. Near by, another
mass Of humanity listened to an
auctioneer shouting the merits of
some miserable old ponies and mules
-" shame on you, men, I am of.
fered only five dollars for this great
big mule, and one eye just as sound
as the other :! Unfortunately both
were blind.
A block away was man in a wagon
crying off mems clothing. Back on
another block behind the savory
shops Of barbecued meat, hot ta-
males and we'll filled restaurants were
the tents Of 1.-THE Great German Pro.
fessors and Doctors," with flags fly.
ing and flaming advertisements OF
medicine and skill sufficient to re.
lieve suffering men Of all manner OF
disease. There the diseased and low.
ers of fun will assemble tonight foI
healing and enjoyment of music,
borrowed wit and trapeze perform.
ance.
Soap and medicine venders, and
fakirs of many kinds fool and de.
fraud the people at many street cor,
ners, and, Saturday though it is
the wagon yards and cheap ho
tells will be full to overfiowing.
But Ardmore is full of cotton buy
ers, and expects $4,000 bales by
wagon loads, while the compress
will run day and night for months
pressing bales brought in by rail anG
wagon. The gins and oil mills ar,
fired at midnight Sunday night anc
stop not till the whistle sounds
twelve O'Clock on Saturday night.
Cotton, the seed and the meal arr
all very low, but the crop is enor
NOUS, and the yards are full anC
thousands of bales are stored in tn,
side streets.
You see the people Of Ardmort
are busy, but they are not neglect
ing education and religion. Tn,
Meth odist, Christian and Busines.
College are filled to their utmost ca
pacity, and numerous private schools
by excellent instructors are well-pa
trOniZed. To. morrow the street.
will be deserted, business house!
closed, and hundreds Of people viii
listen to the gospel preached by pi
Gus and talented men. The five
score prisoners behind the stockad,
in the little frame Jail will hear tn,
preachers voice crying, "Turn We
turn ye! Why will ye die ?"
CHOCTAW.
| Wrnr W. La..a 49,. -.