Pat Whalen, of Hoxie, Ark., is another one of whom Ben speaks as one of the special good men. Don't know why he thinks so highly of you, Pat, but draw an idea that some time in his presence you have been guilty of going down in your pocket and scooping out a dollar and giving it without ceremony to some poor mortal like the family in the Godwin case.
Next steps into sight in this panorama of moving nobility a man Ben calls "Shorty" Burrow and his estimable wife. I think the couple have reached a place in Ben's heart through the medium of the stomach, for it is of the good things to eat provided by the husband and so excellently prepared by the good wife.
Right here I can imagine I see Ben jump off the train, rush into the dining room, sit down to the table and instead of asking the divine blessing, just yell as loud as he can hollow, "Tell the Truth."
Ben says,'' God bless old Joe Findley,of Walnut Ridge, Ark." Sometimes it is "Poor old Joe," and sometimes it is "Dear old Joe." Bless him, he has passed away to the great beyond, gone to that undiscovered country from whose borne no traveler returns.
Ben also speaks in glowing terms of one Dr. Camp, of Walnut Ridge, Ark., whom he thinks is one of the best doctors, as well as one of the best citizens in the state.
Charles Coffin also comes in for a very liberal share of Ben's love and esteem. The writer also can truthfully say that if all the above parties are as good as Charley Coffin, Ben has made no mistake in his judgment of real true gentlemen, for I once had the honor as well as pleasure of counting him among my acquaintances.
Ben now comes a little nearer home to pay a memorable tribute to Uncle Rufus Black,lateof Pocahontas, Ark., who was always a builder and never a wrecker, a good man, an able lawyer, and a man greatly missed in North Arkansas and a gentleman whose place will be hard to fill.
Still a little nearer home we come to Lewis Dalton, of Dalton, Ark., of whom he speaks as a gentleman bred in the bone, who has led a life of usefulness to his fellow man, loved at home and abroad
It grieves the writer to speak of John Kissee as one of Ben's and my own friends, as one who has passed from time to eternity. John was a wholesouled man, ever ready to help those in need. Ben says he has passed many happy hours with John and his brother-in-law, Will Wright, the latter still living, selling goods at Many Islands, Ark., but poor John has left us, gone but not forgotten.
Here I find a note where Ben's thoughts left for a time old Arkansas and flitted away . on the wings of the wind and soared up in Blain, Nebraska, and light upon an old Englishman named Watson Tyson, a man four score years in age, but a regular youth in all his ways. "If I get the blues," says Ben, "he could soon remove them . 'Cheer up, Ben,' he would say, 'be young like me, if you act old you will soon be old.'"
E. H. Ponsworth, of Westborough, Mo., a live stock dealer, comes in for a liberal share of Ben's admiration and esteem. He classes him an allround good man and an honest dealer.
Away up in Tarkio there is another one of Ben's favorites, R. E. Gandy by name, whom Ben says can remove and totally eradicate the most stubborn cases of blues in three minutes and twenty-seven seconds with his well told witty stories.
And now, back to old Arkansas flies Ben's memory and hits land again in Green county, and lights on the tomb of old Nathan Bolden. who has a very noted character up and down Crowley's Ridge in the late Civil war. Some time after the close of the war he became a candidate for sheriff, but died the night before the election. Had he lived another day it is said he would have been sheriff. Nathan Bolden espoused the cause of the South in the late struggle and it is said fought side by side with the noted Sam Hilderbrand in many engagements in South Missouri and North Arkansas, in which neither side showed but little mercy.
Old Ben Crowley and A. L. Stewart are the first lawyers Ben has any recollection of. They were champions of their day, did not seem to study much law, but just pushed things their own way and usually won their cases, got their clients out of trouble if they had to eat up the indictment and lick the court.
Up stalks another famous man from old Green county. Ben seems to give old Pate Bandy particular honor on account of his ability to wield the chopping axe.
Charles and Robert Pruett, of Paragould, Ark., come next to view before the eyes of Ben's memory. So many good and noble acts of these model, noble gentlemen that it would take whole volumes to mention, so I will not undertake to repeat them in the short space alloted in this little work.
Old Jim Camp was a life long friend and I always indulge in pleasant thoughts when his form passes before the eyes of my memory.
Will and Mack Stewart and old Dave Davis are three other Green county men who seem to have something to keep their memory always bright before the eyes of Ben's memory. The writer does not have the honor of their acquaintance, but takes it for granted that .their names are worthy not only of a place in this little book, but in that Great Book of all Books, the Lamb's Book of Life.
Aunt Elizabeth Grooms, Ben's aunt and nearest living relative, and of whom mention is made in the first edition, is still livins: three miles west of Paragould. Her son is now the nominee for sheriff of Green county on the Democratic ticket, which is equivalent to election in that county.
Lock Rowland, who is also mentioned in the first edition of this book, is still living one mile west of Paragould. All the rest of Ben's aunts and uncles have long since passed to the unknown.
And while I am speaking of friends mentioned in the first edition bring vividly to my mind Judge John McCaleb, whom I am proud to be able to say is still living. He is now a resident of Batesville, Ark., and is one of its best citizens, always making himself useful to the state and to the people. John richly deserves and if right prevailed he would have a seat in the Supreme Court of the State. No man in the State is better qualified or more deserving than John, and the sincere wishes of Ben as well as the writer is that the time is not far distant when form of little John McCaleb will grace that bench
Now, I am not going to leave these personal sketches without some mention of our mutual friend, W. R. Gladin, of Lanton, Mo., whom everybody knows is one of the best .men on this old earth, honest to perfection, generous to a fault, always ready to do a good turn to all with whom he came in confact. Welcome, thrice welcome, Riley, to the very best corner in this little book.
One more gentleman whose portrait I think is destined to ornament and illuminate this book, is one of the distinguished citizens of our home town, who is not a prophet without honor in his own country, but is a man who to know is to like, and the more you know of him the better vou like him. Nothing that could possibly be said of him could add anything to his splendid reputation where he is known, but as this little book is designed to aro all over the world and then some, it may fall into the hands of some one who knows not the Hon. George W. Bellamy, of Mammoth Spring, who at the present time fills the honorable position as a member of the Board of Railroad Commissioners of the great state of Arkansas and well merits a hisrher position for the good things done and the splendid things said for the state places him in the front ranks of Arkansas statesmen.
Charles Luther Davis, the present efficient sheriff of Oregon county, Missouri, whose picture adorns this volume, was born in Oregon county on the farm he now owns in 1870. His father, John H. Davis, who was long and favorably known in Oregon county, was the man who first brought Ben Elder to this country, a short account of which is given in the former edition of this book. Charley is now serving his third term as sheriff and it is said by many that Oregon county has never had a better one and few, if any, as good. It is certain he has caught *more runaway people charged with all sorts of crime than any of his predecessors.
In mentioning my personal friends you must not forget C. C. Presley, the present cashier of the Fulton County Bank, who is not only a good honest citizen, but one of the very best business men in North Arkansas, industrious, sober and obliging, is ever ready to accommodate any and all whom it falls to his lot to meet in social or business life. Ben bespeaks for him a very bright future.
Very many others have been mentioned by Ben as his personal friends, mention of whom he would like for me to make, but I did not come all the way from Denver to write a personal history of mankind. So I will close this chapter by saying that if any of the good people feel slighted, just attribute it to me and not to him. Then I will just say a good word for all Mammoth Spring, and that means you and yon, "Tell the Truth,"
CHAPTER XXIII.