The leader., 1902-02-19
MONTICELLO,


The editor of The LEADER paid
brief visit to Monticello last Friday
and Saturday and was gratified to n ote
many evidences of progress and i'm
provement since his last preceding
visit. The Monticello Mercantile Com
pany, in which several leading busi-
ness men of Brookhaven hold stock,
has become the leading mercantile
establishment of the place. 1t has
large new double-front store on one of
the principal business corners Of the
town, which is filled with all kinds of
merchandise and plantation supplies
adapted to the interior country trade.
The hampton -Rawls Co. and the
Hickman, Son & Butler Co, are also
large mercantile establishments for an
interior town, and besides these there
are several smaller stores and shops.
The splendid new steel bridge across
the Pearl is situated right back of the
court house, instead of mile below
town, like the old one which was
washed away, which is very decided
improvement ON the former location.
The court house has also been ma
terially improved since our last visit.
We found the people very much
interested and alive on the subject of
railroads, but some who have yearned
for railroad to Monticello for years
and hoped against hope in vain, have
at last grown skeptical and are making
their calculations to live along for at
least % years more without one. Others
take much brighter view of the pros
pect, and confidently expect to hear
the welcome blow of the locomotive
whistle within their precincts during
the next two years. The latter, we
think, are correct. Between chances
for the Vicksburg, Hattiesburg and
Mobile r. r., the Mobile, Jackson and
Kansas City r. r., the Mississippi
Midland R. r., and the line now being
surveyed by the l. c. r. R. in a south
erly direction from the present eastern
terminus of its Brookhaven branch,
we think Monticello is sure to be
tapped by railroad and possibly two,
in the very near future.
Beyond Fair River a short distance,
going and coming, we passed the camp
of the surveying party of the |. G.
Railroad, which is bearing in the di-
rection of Monticello, and it is believed
will soon reach that point. We found
Bro. Joe Dale, of the Lawrence County
Press, among those who entertain
bright hopes for railroad connection
with the outside world in the near fu-
ture, and he is already calculating on
putting in a power press, discarding
full of fresh local news as soon as the
first freight train arrives. We are glad
to note Bro. Dale's paper is more pros
porous than at any time in its history,
a success which its energetic, persever-
ing publisher richly deserves.
We spent Friday night at the Beal
House, with our old friends Capt. and
Mrs. Thos. Beal, who have so long con-
Quoted that popular resort for Monti-
cello guests. 1t was our first visit to
them in their new boarding house, and
while there are greater comforts and
conveniences about it than the old, we
could not shut out from memory while
within it's welcome walls many pleasant
experiences and valued friendships of
other years associated with the old
one, now silent and untenanted on the
high bluff of the Pearl hard by, and
fast falling into decay.
1t was a specially gratifying incident
of our stop at the Beal House to meet
the aged widow of that noted South
Mississippi Baptist preacher of over a
generation ago, Rev. Norvell Robert
son, and her daughter, Miss Sallie,
whom we first knew at Clinton during
our College days. Mrs. Robertson, who
is also the mother of Mrs. Beal, is
probably the oldest person now living
in Lawrence county. She was born on
August 7th, 1911, and is therefore in
her 9lst year. Her mind is clear and
bright and she spends much of her
time reading her Bible, religious news
papers and other good literature, and
enjoys talking with her friends and
relatives. She is quite active for one
of her extreme age, and in good
weather can easily walk about the
yard and garden and attend church
close by. Last September she made a
50-mile trip in a surrey, with her
daughter, without serious fatigue. Her
distinguished husband, who died in
1878, was her senior by 8 or 10 years,
and is remembered by the old people
of this and adjoining counties as one
of the ripest Bible scholars and ablest
preachers of his generation. 1t was
under his able aud logical preaching
that Judge j. b. Chrisman and the late
Judge w. p. Baggett, during their
mature manhood, and some others
still living, were persuaded to accept
Christ and unite with the church. To
meet and hold converse with Sister
Robertson is indeed like communi-
eating and coming in vital touch with
the long distant past.
I
! The Ramsey Piano Co. has issued an
elegant calendar for 1902 1t is hand