Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1908-05-17
A Vivid Description OF the Battle Of Pine
Bluff. Interesting Events Narrated
That Happened in This Vicinity During
the Late Unpleasantness.

The following interesting paper wa:
read by Mrs. NJ. L. Bell, at the recen
meeting Of the Daughters Of the Con
faderacy, which recounts many Incl
dents that happened in this city dur
ing the Civil War, and which will be
read with interest by our citizens gen
orally. The paper is as follows:
"reminiscences OF Pine Bluff.
The present generation, accustomed
to the industrial activities and tbs va
RED forms of amusements and social
enjoyment of this day and time car
scarcely understand the conditions and
environment of ante-bellum days; and
i magic wand could transform SIC
present to the past, I doubt Il the
Transformation would be appreciated.
Compared with the present We lied q
life Of deprivation, as the necessities
Of today We're luXuries only occasion
ally whiting our reach.
The comforts of this age were I'M
dreamed Of Alexander Bell and
Thomas Edison We're boys to whom,
. perhaps. the thought of what they
would DO to benefit the world had come
to them as dreams or visions impossi-
Bile OF fulfillment Little Rock, our
state capitol, used only lamps and can
dies until the year 1860.
We had no railroads, but it was de-
lightful to travel by steamboat; even
the old stage coach had its compensa-
tons, when the tediousness of the days
travel would be beguiled by pleasant
anecdotes or a description of the coun-
try, crops and prospects of the locali
ties from which the different occupants
came. The older states beyond the
Mississippi whence our people had en-
migrated, to become citizens OF Arkan-
sas were held in loving remembrance.
Our sons and daughters were sent to
their schools to be educated in the
higher branches of learning and i'll
many instances remained away two
and three years with no home coming
during the holidays and without the
delicious Christmas boxes of toothsome
dainties from hame, which gladden. our
absent students in these days Of rapid
transportation. Nashville was the
center of education and culture: trip
to New York was a greater event than
a trip to Europe is now.
New Orleans was the Mecca to
.oI,
bent made their pilgrimage every
Spring. The merchants bought their
groceries from New Orleans once or
twice a year. Our dry goods came
from New Orleans and New York.
But while We who have crossed the
meridian of life, acknowledge the adj
Vantages of the present and enjoy all
the improvements of this advanced
age, We still remember the charms of
the olden time. Our ideals We're not
governed by the commercial spirit; we
did not hear so much adverse crti-
ciSm; our entertainments We're not for
the sake of elaborate display, but for
the pleasure of meeting our friends
and having a good time. The court
house was the only public building We
had. There the young men gave their
monthly dances, there travelling musi- y.
clans, such as Ole Bull the famous
violinist; Nelson Kneass, who first re.
vealed to us the beauty and pathos
of Sweet Alice Ben Bolt and La Belle :,
= Oceanica, sweet singer, and Harry
Mccarthy gay their concerts; and in
the summer OF 50 theatrical stock |
company held a six weeks engage
ment, presenting all the principal
Shakespearean plays and other noted .
dramas Of that day followed each night /
by farce, to be sure that our moneys
worth would be given us. One night :,
when we left the performance, which
was usually - o'clock, it was noticed
that tn sky was roseate hue, which
the wise-acres said was the forerun
ner of war. but we gave no heed to
the omen. At the dawn of 81 we We're
still a happy contented people.
True the mutterings of the coming
crisis like distant thunder of the storm
cloud had been heard in go during the
heated argument of the presidential
campaign and caused g feeling of I'M J.,