Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1903-09-16
TRIP.

CoptoAuuSEs We mduo ouh ahhu@A pr
grlmage to Houston.
To be In time we bad to start on
Sunday afternoon. The weather was
awful hot, and the sun shining full In
our face, we soon realized that we had
made a mistake In not taking along
Davis soda fount with an extra sack
Of ice in the back end Of the buggy.
We logged along at the rate of about
5 miles per hour, till the blazing sun
began to go down behind a big black
cloud and it peeped over to see ii
old Dan add myself we're still moving
on. The evening shades appeared
and all nature sank to rest, lulled by
the melancholy chirp of 1923 little
insects that seemed to be holding a
camp meeting in the woods. We fell
into a meditative wood, and began to
think s'posin' we we're to become
suddenly rich what we would do to
get to ourselves a good name and so
help along q fellow men and fellow
women. Having the welfare of n
town always uppermost in our minds,
we drove right into something practi-
cal, and concluded we would go down
to Pikeviile.
When the cotton wagons from
McCondsy and vicinity cross Chuqna-
tonchee, and too often go to Aberdeen
because they say the road is better, 1
would put the road from there to
Okolona in 6ne condition, thus bring
ing the cotton to our town, for the
road is shorter aud market and ac-
comodations always better.
Then 1 would go up near Troy to
the county line and make a good road
80 as to keep the cotton that natural
ly belongs to us, coming this way in
stead of switching off to Tupelo and
Pontotoc.
Then l would see that the pike
across Talibonela north Of town was in
good condition. Last winter you could
hardly ride across it on horseback.
Shonnon is bidding truly for our
trade out there, and is gravelling the
roads down our way for that purpose.
The good roads idea is growing
stronger every day, and the town that
overlooks it is sure to get left. I
would wind up the good work by
building q cotton factory, and We
would have an ideal town, prosperous
and happy.
By this time it had grown dark as
pitch. I was dusty and thirsty and
tired, old Dan moved with slow and
measured trod, Houston was 5 miles
away and railroad camps all along the
road. Fearing we might be taken for
a revenue agent or a peddler and rob-
bed, We called at a good old farmers
house for lodging and was kindle tax
en- in.
We had both been indirectly inter-
ested in the lats election and got left,
so We praised our friends and gave
our enemies the devil and promised
never to trust another mar as long as
we lived.
Monday morning bright and early
we drove into the ancient, historic and
staid old town Of Houston; but what
a change had come over the spirit Of
their dreams in the last few months.
The swish Of the brickmasOn's trowel
and the ring of the saw and hammer
was heard on every hand. Six new
residences In course of construction,
the contract for 7 more already let;
second story being put on the hotel,
two new banks being built and every
thing indicated that they would soon
haYe more town than they would have
business { o support. / met the oldest
nhabitaut and he had a smile as long
as q fishing pole and il wouldn't come
oh-his 40 years dream Of q railroad
would soon be realized. They guyed
Us about living in the village over IN
the prairles; said they we're going to
get our cold cash ard best business
men. We told them We had 3 One
town already built and paid for; We
had plenty Of money and no poor kin
were amply able to take car Of our
selves, and that in the fullness Of tune
when our folks should see that We are
up against the real thing, and in Ian
guage Of Grover Cleveland W are
confronted with q condition and mol
8 theory" then Okolona win rise II
her strength and build suchindustrieS
aswill make her prosperous and
happy.
M H.
cohool hooka and arhool ~auunIiaa al