Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1905-09-15

! lance. lnuS the Prairie Flower
bloomed in 1872 His type and outfit
were sold to help pay his debts. Read
afterwards humorously described this
as the funeral Of his dear paper"
and pictured the officers who did this
work as palI-bearers.
When Read and Warner reached
Little Rock, Read secured a position
as staff reporter fer the Gazette at
a low salary and afterwards got War.
ner, who was still an inseparable COM
paaion, position in the type room.
Read made the acquaintance of a
negro boatman and almost every day
he would have an interview with this
man and report negro dialect. This
took with the people and Reads inter
views We're eagerly watched for
Read now had a local reputation, and,
securing financial aid from Little
Rock business men, he established
the Arkansas Traveller at Conway.
This journal was popular from the
first and soon had not only state
bat a H41i nal crcrliation and it is
said that maaY copies even reached
Europe
His success was 50 great that he
moved his paper to Little Rock. where
it remained fol several years. During
this time an amusing incident occur
red, as reported in Reads Traveller
The anti-saloen people had been hard
at work for many months and theI
whole state was in a high state of eX-
citement and enthusiasm in regard toI
this matter when certain colonel,
whom Read described so we'll that he
was easily recognized as one of Lon
oke's leading lawyers, although heI
did not mention any name, was invit-
ed to make temperance speech in
the capital city The colonel went to
Little Rock. was met by the commit
tee and carried to an elegant room
adjoining the one in which he was to
speak The committee then excused
themselvs, telling him to make him
self eat home' The colonel picked
up paper to amuse himself, but had
been reading but short time when
some one knocked at the door, and
when told to come in, walked
straight to the table, carrying bun
die wrapped in newspaper. With
out a word the stranger unwrapped
the bundle and placed a bottle of
whisky on the table before the colonel.
He then said: "Two weeks ago
was converted under the ministry OF
the anti-saloon league. ! then promls-
ed that if | was ever again tempted
to buy whisky I would not drink it,
but would turn it over to this league.
He then quickly departed.
The colonel looked at the bottle
over his paper. He liked the looks
of the fiery liquid. He drew nearer
and taking the bottle in his hands
said: 81 could take thee in my hands
and defy thee" He pulled the cork.
He smelled He tasted. An hour
later the speakers hall was packed
and the committee came after their
speaker. On entering the room in
which he had been left they were
greeted by an empty whisky bottle
on the table. The colonel was on the
floor with his feet on the wall and his
hat in far corner of the room, and
the committee was compelled to an.
nOunce to the audience that for spe-
cial reasons there would be no speak
ing that night. Although the bulk OF
this story may have been fabrica-
ton of Reads. it is a we'll known fact
that this old colonel was by no means
sober when he returned to Lonoke
the following morning. This colonel
is still living and his home is now in
Little Rock.
Read moved the Arkansas Traveller
to Chicago, and from there to New
York. 1t is not necessary to mention
the reputation that this journal after
ward attained.
AS novelist Read is known far
and wide. His first production was,
perhaps "The Kentucky Colonel .
This was followed by "The Arkansas
Traveller" and many others, which
are found on the table of every novel
reader.
Opie Read is now in Chicago. and
has just closed a series of humorous
articles under the title of "Jottings of
Old Linn Tucklin "