Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1910-09-01
LETTER FROM AN OKOLONA
CITIZEN

Dtal lfdl--fAliuW one WHO -
subsctiber and well wisher Of your.
valuable paper Just a short space. N6i
paper comes to me in Okolonu. Miss.
whose contents ! read with more M.
ieresi than ! do those Of the Democrat.
It sends me, as It were, to my native
country and keeps fresh the memory
Of old friends and acquaintaaces.
Ny father read with pleasure and
prof, your fathers strong and scholarly
editorials and now ! enjoy this same
paper edited BY worthy daughters Of u
worthy father. often speak to my
, friends at home Of the noble example
of the daughters. who took up the
work laid down BY their father only
when he laid down bis life.
He certainly lives in his children
and his works do follow him" All
honor, praise and encouragement to
the lady editors Of the Democrat /
liEr my hat high to youl Many times
with my friend and schoolmate, Willie
Clay. have ! been in the old Democrat
of6ce-more than that many a time
have been in his home and he 10 mine.
Born in the same year. in the same
classes at school, preparing our les
sons together, boxing, wrestling (how.
ever not after the manner Of Jefries
and Johnson) a friendship spranq up
between US that the years have only
served to augment and intensity So
the other day, when in his law Office.
he said Fred, come 60 with me to
my home and meet my vile and get
acquainted with VIM. L. Clay. Jr." !
said, I'll 60. think he is rightly
named. and right here | predict for
him bright future.
Just a year ago paid a visit to your
country-my country. i have added
my country" for ! shall ever claim my
native place as my country for here
rests the sacret dust Of loved ones and
here live dear relatives and friends. |
can never get so far from it. or stay
away so long but that TIL claim it as
my own only regret that the 80
years my home has been in Northeast
Mississippi ithas not been my privi-
leee to pay annual visits here.
Let nothing have written be con.
strued as disparaging the country Of
nay adoption. Il could not be here /
would want to be there; if / could not
be there. I'd want to be here, The
prairies Of Northeast Mississippi are
beautifully spread out like your own
valleys. only we have no mountains to
stand sentinels, no springs in their
crystal beauty and clearness to gush
forth from the rocks. While thus
wanting we have some compensation
in our broad and beautiful alfalfa
fields, If Judge Richard Walker was
there we would not have to add him
to the soil to make this crop profitable.
In mid-winter when baroness and
bleakness characterize a country /
would like to take him down The old
NJ. & Q. and watch his face as we
would pass field after field Of green
aad beautiful alfalfa. In the health.
lulness Of The climate. fertility Of soil.
broadness and nobility Of its citizens,
our country is not excelled even By
your own favored land.
have nothing to take back in re-
gard to what | wrote about this North
Alabama country one year ago. 1t
looks good to me"-no, It looks better
As now write from the vantage point
By q window Of an upper room IN the
home Of my brother. A. Mcdonnell.
and look norihwurd. towards the city
in the early morning hours: when the
sgn is lighting and bathing the land.
scape with its warm rsys. even in my
prosaic soul # awakens emotions and
could wish for the pen Of The poet or
the brush Of the artist. that may DO
fn slight Justice to the enhancing
/ is partly owing to the fact
3 my native place. but no country