Some things never change, do they? Van Buren Press Van Buren, Arkansas -Crawford County June 15, 1889 Oliver Springs, June 11, 1889 Editor Press: I seen in your columns that M. E. Henderson comes out in reply to my communication of May 21, in which he says it is imprudent to bring such a matter before the public through the press. I think as much; but if it has not been for what he said here publicly I would have never said a word. He said here before a large audience that I had used language too bad for a christian man to think of, much less use. Mr. Editor, I desire to make a few brief statements through your columns, I will be as brief as possible to give the facts of the case. In the first place he says I have made misrepresentations- I do not know what it is; I can substantiate every word I have said. He has me charged of refusing to let the school have water from my spring. That is correct. I now will give the readers of this my reasons for doing so. Two years ago the directors hired Mr. Meadows to teach our public school. I told Meadows that I had went to the expense to enclose the spring, and I requested him not to allow the little fellows to slop around the spring and send the large pupils after water. He promised me that he would; but in a short time things came up that resulted in a difference, afterwards he violated his promise, but they got water all the same; also the winter school afterwards he taught. In the meanwhile, they had organized a Literary Society, which would meet from one to two nights in a week, and some mornings after they would meet it would put anyone in mind of some of the alleys in Van Buren to look around the spring in the morning, and I became very tired of it. The people got dissatisfied with Mr. Meadows as a teacher and wanted the directors to employ some other man, but they would not. They entered into a contract with Mr. Meadows before the annual school meeting. Mr. Henderson said at that meeying that he wanted the people to say whether they wanted him to teach or not as he was one of the directors he would like for the responsibility to be take off him, he moving at that time that the contract was made and signed by one of the directors, and only one has ever signed it yet, which was all illegal. At this time they knew that I had said if they hired him that I would not allow him to get water. I was told that one or two of the directors went to Squire Brewer, thinking that they could compel by law to give them water. Then they brought it to the church, was tried a second time and sustained both times. When I was on trial the second time I asked the church to deal with me according to the teachings of the Scripture and I would be satisfied. It was then voted out of the church never to be brought back again. Then I was advised by my brethren to go to another church, which I did so in order to live in peace. In regard to the Scripture he quoted that is all good in its place, but if a man does practice what he preaches then I have confidence in him. I have never found any scripture requiring a man to feed thine enemy or give him drink unless he asks you- they never asked me the first time, they tried to compel me. "But who has this world's good and seeth his brother have need and who shutteth up the bowels of Compassion, how dwelleth the love of God in him.-" 1st John, III, XVII. The brother has forgotten how he treated his father and stepmother or he would have never mentioned this. He speaks of water as one of the good things of this world. He need not kick for the water that runs out of into the road in thirty yards of the school house is better than the water he was raised on. I am satisfied I have accomplished what I set out to do- that was to convince the people that I wanted to do what was right. This is my last time to mention this through the press, if anything ever comes up after this I will just let it go, for he is making friends for me and has for the last two years. I have been told that parties have prayed to God to sink this spring, but I have one consolation, that the prayers of the wicked prevaileth nothing. Someone, the second Sunday in May, put a lot of quick silver in the spring- that was not done with any good will toward me. He told me that he would reply and give the facts of the case, and if he had, I would not have had to do so. Yours truly, C. C. Waters Fran Alverson Warren