Morgan County democrat. (Versailles, Mo.) 1900-1906, 1905-09-01
The WHITE RIVER COUNTRY
A Wonderful Region Where Ma.
ture IL All Alive.
A Railroad opens Up LAn1 In
Missouri and Arkansas Noted For
Beauty, Fertility and Health.

The Future Fairgrounds Of the South
west" is what the White River Country
has been called. Very earnest and ex-
hilarating play much Of this sport is
to those who are faded by familiar
scenes of business life.
Nature Is all alive IN this wonderful
region-the rushing streams woodland
sounds of breezes In the forest, the
whirr of wings where wild fowl flock
t the waters, the splash Of gamey fish
tempting the angler, the very colors
OF mountain and river showing moth.
ing of dead, arid waste Of sand and
stone.
"Semi-Alpine," says an experienced
traveller, OF the country. dotted with
growing towns, nestled In the valleys
Of the James and White rivers in south
ern Missouri and northern Arkansas.
One who has trudged through the for
ests or floated down the river from
Galena to Branson and Cotter will be
sincere in calling the Ozarks noun
tains." yet there is no danger to life
or limb in such q pilgrimage. The
ozone-laden air from oak, pine, cypress
and cedar, the absence of mosquitoes
in q LAND Of cold. springfield streams.
cool nights and temperate days. make
it Q delight 10 live, and move, In this
favored cline.
There is always something to do,
whether of sport or Of discovery In
the way of minerals on land or pearls
In the stream. The casual opening OF
. mussel shell on the ilower White
river may bring to light a valuable
gem. Children used to collect these
pearls for playthings till their value
became known
Few regions have charms Of q utili-
tartan character as we'll as unrivAled
scenic beauty and favorable climatic
conditions. One going to the White
River Country to make money finds
health and pleasure as we'll as wealth.
The WORKOUT unfortunate who takes
his small! savings and here seeks to
prolong his days Is benefited in mind
and body. and besides finds, with new
life. means Of securing a competence
and enjoyable surroundings; the pleas
ure seeker, toe often tagged out In
the very pursuit OF diversion, sees In
this enchanted land serious possibili.
ties for improving his pecuniary well
fare. and his whole system receives new
inauguration and tone.
"a fairy tale" you say? No, II 10
that truth which is stranger than fc-
ton, a truth which shows one who
tries to tell 1t the poverty Of all powers
OF description. When the spell Of the
beautiful White river scenery 10 on
the beholder he is silent. There Is such
. thing as the pathos of the perfect.
In the minds eye there passes in
review the succeeding inhabitants VI
these valleys. and many generations
have left their t~races-the mound build
ers, the early discoveries from Europe,
and the Indians. How many songs and
legends have been chanted by primitive
peoples. to whom these nature wonders
spoke with mystic force. One Is re.
minded OF lines In f. Pauline John
sons story Of "The White Wampum:"
Farther than vision ranges, farther than
eagles fly,
Stretches the land Of beauty, arches the
perfect sky,
Hemmed through the purple mlsts afar
BY peaks that CLEAN like star on star.
Fringing the prairie pillows, f~retting hor-
ions line.
Darkly green are slumb'r ring wildernesses
of pine.
Sleeping until the Zcphyrs throng
To kiss their silence into song.
Sailing into the cloudland. sailing into the
sun,
Into the crimson portals ajar when life
IL done?
o dear dead race! my spirit too
Would fain sail westward unto you"
1t Is not chimerical to believe that
the whole valley, now newly opened
up to travel between Carthage, Mo, and
Newport, Ark, will in time become a
succession of charming resident and re-
sort communities. with great mineral
aAd agricultural prosperity.