Sharp County Record

GREAT IS ARKANSAS. There was a time in years gone by that the mention of the word "Arkansas" in other states was the signal for general merriment; it was the laughing stock of the states. The mere mention of the word "Arkansas" brought forth visions of swamps almost without end, of chills and fever, worthless rocky hills covered with scrubby timber, razor-back hogs, great waste of land covered with water and filled with alligators and snakes, of people who were web-footed with moss growing on their backs, and who didn't know the war was over. Now that is all changed; whenever the word "Arkansas" is mentioned it brings to mind almost all the luxuries and valuable products of the United States; it is synonymous with the great plantations of cotton and corn, wheat fields, the finest apples, peaches, plums and strawberries in the world, the best timber and largest saw mills in the south, rich mines of lead and zinc, of iron, coal fields of vast extent, marble that rivals that of Italy, even gold and silver, and pearl fisheries that pay. The people are the best in the world, have good schools and churches, telephones and railroads in all parts of the state. The poor man has a chance; he can buy a home and soon pay for it and be independent. Arkansas has no unemployed; all who want work can get it. When the Arkansas man now goes abroad he has no reason to be ashamed of his state, but can proudly say, "I am from Arkansas, the pearl of the south." Verily, great is Arkansas.-- Ex.