on the Hot Springs Narrow-Gauge Railroad to the famous health resort, Hot Springs, reaching there at noon. This is a place of sixteen thousand souls, and looks as if were wedged down in a long valley with some short arms, right between the hills and bluffs, which is about true; the scenery here is very attractive, and on sight presents a view at once lovely and imposing. We took a street-car on arrival, and were soon carried a mile to the Waverly Hotel, and after dinner went out on a prospecting tour. This is indeed a city of inns, there being some more tan twenty large, well-appointed hotels, with an equal number of bath-houses, and a great many more smaller ones of each, with others in process of construction. Invalids of every grade and character, of varied nationalities, were met on every hand, limping, with canes, crutches, in wheeled chairs, and other contrivances for locomotion. And hot water-- oh, the hot water! You could see it almost anywhere, seeping out on the hill-sides, or bubbling up in the valley, or at the public wells, of which there are many, neatly paled in on a number of them I noticed placarded: "This water for drinking purposes only." When I first saw the placard, I entered one and pumped a cupful, but found it too hot for me to attempt to drink it. You can imagine my chagrin, but you need not tell it. We met here quite a number of friends and acquaintances of other days, some of them being permanent residents, one of whom was the pastor of the Presbyterian Church, Rev. J. Stonestreet Van Meter, who, though born and raised near Lexington, Ky., was a pleasant visitor many years ago at Lee’s Summit, and well known by Rev. Mr. Wallace and other old residents.
On Tuesday we went south and west a distance of one hundred and forty-five mils, from Little Rock to Texarkana, on the Texas border. This ride was mostly through a pine forest, and very poor soil; indeed, I saw nothing but poor land in Arkansas, though they have a great deal of good land in the State I know, from the productions reported.
We stopped over night at Texarkana, and took a daylight ride of one hundred and fifty-five miles through the northern tier of counties in Texas, to Sherman, a city of some ten or twelve thousand inhabitants. On our route today (which was a rainy one), at Paris, we were met by a Texas norther and heavy sleet, which continued
Copyright (c) 1999, 2007 Brian Cragun.