December 26, 1912

Fish
Part 2
By Andrew Price

We as people are generally afflicted with a Scotch conscience and that is a very uneasy kind to have. The New England conscience is a light airy thing compared to a Scotch conscience. It is the kind that both make cowards of us all. Up until the last ten years it looked like it was going to let up on us a little bit, but it has bit down on the people lately, until they are talking of incorporating the ten commandments in the party platform and making the parties live up to their pledges. In the old days in Scotland it was sinful to fish for pleasure and only those who found it work and not play were allowed to fish. Otherwise the long arm of the church would reach out after you and admonish or punish you as it saw fit.

According to the code, all natural affections, all social pleasures, all amusements and all the joyous instincts of the human heart were sinful and were to be rooted out. Abernethey’s “Psysicke for the Soule,” published about two hundred years ago says: “Pleasures are most carefully to be avoided; because they both harm and deceive.”

Many times when as Kipling says: “I have dropped the half-dressed hide, and have let my business slide,” to go fishing the still small voice of my Scotch conscience would whisper that it was altogether wrong, and that I ought to be at home at work, or at least working in the garden, and that I was enjoying the fishing it was proof conclusive that it was sinful and wrong.

From the dim red dawn of my infancy, I have been constantly enraged by reminders of the woodpile and the garden in the fishing season…I remember thinking it some poetry when I wrote it as a parody on a touching temperance piece that was in vogue years ago. You must picture a fisherman standing waist deep in the water in the dust of a summer day, even and anon, casting far over towards the big sunken rock, waiting for another bite.  He is loaded down with black bass, but is after the elusive big one that he knows it there. His little daughter comes down to the river, and unto him these words does say:

“Oh, father, dear father, come home with me now,
The clock in the kitchen struck eight
And mamma is waiting for you with a stick,
It’s so gloomy, so dark, and so late.
The supper’s all eat, and the victuals are cold,
And mamma is mad and says how,
She ain’t going to give you nothing to eat,
Till you go and hunt up the cow.
And water the horse and lay up the fence,
And cut her a big pile of wood;
Oh, father, come home, quit fishing right now
And do up the work and be good.”

ACCIDENTS
In attempting to pass a wagon at a narrow place on the Deer Creek Road, Dr. J. D. Arbuckle had a valuable horse go over the road and be killed, last Friday. This occurred at the bend in the road below Cass. The lower side of the road broke away, letting the horse’s hind legs go over the steep embankment. The doctor stepped out of the saddle. The horse went over and was killed by the fall to the railroad track below. It was a well-bred stallion and a very valuable animal.

The concrete bridge just completed across Douthards Creek at Henry White’s fell down last night. Both arches collapsed, leaving the abutments and the middle pier standing. The finishing work had been done Wednesday, the frames taken away, and at midnight the structure went down. It is presumed the concrete was weakened by freezing. The Luton Bridge Company built the bridge, and had worked under disadvantages, and the failure of the work to stand will be a heavy loss to them.

IN JAIL
W. H. Ayers is in jail for attempting to cut his wife’s throat with a razor at Cass Tuesday. A high collar protected her from serious injury. Ayers was beside himself from the use of drugs.

HOGS
Lanty Cole butchered two hogs last week which netted 1,059 pounds at thirteen months old. One netted 579 and the other 480 pounds. A year ago the pair were bought from W. McClintic, and are a cross between thoroughbred Yorkshire and Berkshire hogs. These hogs were not stall fattened until they were helpless. They are the best we have heard about, and we claim for them the blue ribbon for the Valley this year.

SHEEP
Not less than 250 sheep and lambs are missing from the Marlin and Thorney ranges this season. So few carcases are found in the woods that it cannot be the devastation of bears and dogs. Last year, hundreds of sheep were stolen in the Alleghany range.

ARBOVALE
L. D. Wooddell and Fred Conrad are the champion rabbit hunters, having killed forty-five in one week.
We are glad to see our old mail carrier, W. A. Arbogast, back on the route again.
J. W. Gillispie has put the finishing touches on a dwelling for Bud Arbogast.

FROST
Mr. and Mrs. W. J. Pritchard and little daughter Annie Lona spent a few hours very pleasantly at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Wise Herold’s last Sunday.
Rev. Humes gave us two good sermons Sunday, we were glad to have our old pastor with us again.
A. A. Sharp let his young team get away last Monday. They ran as far as Wise Herold’s, but no damage was done.

GREENBANK
J. W. Hollen, of Boyer, is baling hay for the farmers in upper Pocahontas at this time.
E. N. Curry, of Dunmore, is having a bad time with rheumatism at present.
The oil boring is at a standstill at present.
We are glad to hear of the roller mill going up at Dunmore; it surely will be a fine thing for our farmers and all who have to buy flour.

WANLESS
Fine winter weather and lots of sickness. Aunty Margaret Cassell has been confined to her bed for some days; Rev. C. B. Collins, of Hosterman, was paralyzed last Thursday, in the left side and is dangerously ill.
Dr. Hunter Moomau was called to see Mrs. John Cassell, who is very ill. He drove in his automobile.
Rev. John Hevener and Robert have set thirty-one thousand ginseng this fall. A test in this garden showed three hundred percent profit the last year on one bed.

Thursday,
December 19, 1912

FISH
By Andrew Price
Continued excerpts
There is an old aphorism that has been all mangled by time to the effect, “He drinks like a fish.” This has been clipped.  In the original Sanscrit is reads, “He drinks like a fisherman.”  Fish do not drink.  They are in the drink but they have other use for it.  Every time a fish goes to take a bite his mouth is filled with water. But that does not trouble him at all.  He takes the solid food and swallows it and lets the water stay outside where it belongs and which he needs to swim in. A fish would drown to death trying to take a drink. He would get water-logged and sink. 
Colonel Bob Carr, of Charleston, who is one of the most truthful and at the same time one of the most popular men that I know, in the course of his scientific observances, has noted a fish which fell a victim to the whiskey habit. 

A man in Florida made a fish pond and cemented it round about, and in the seine one day was found a large able-bodied drum-fish, one of the kind that grunts under water.  This big fish – he placed in his pond and after a while the Drum became tame and tractable.  The man was in the habit of drinking whiskey at times and after he and Drum became pretty well acquainted, he would put some whiskey in a nursing bottle, and Drum would take in through the nipple, and the two would have a spree together.

 Finally the man decided to have one whale of a spree and he sent into town and got ten gallons of corn liquor, and he and Drum went on their weaving way.  Along about the time that the liquor ran out, Colonel Carr was waked one morning before daylight by the man’s wife, who said that John was in a terrible way, and the Colonel went down to the house and found John – thoroughly poisoned and frightened.  It seems that Drum had got a bad case of delirium tremens, and had jumped out of the pond and committed suicide, and John thought his own end was near. The Colonel took charge of the affairs in his own capable way. He went down to the pond and saw the remains of the besotted fish and disposed of the dead body, and induced John to go to a hospital where they make a specialty of easing unwise people off their liquor.

 After a few days John concluded that he was able to drop a note to his wife and tell her that he thought he would be able to come home in a few days.  He was still nervous however and as he tried to affix the postage stamp to his letter it dropped to the floor and alighted on the back of a cockroach which was passing that way and adhered to its back, and John looked down and saw the stamp traveling across the floor in a steady way. It came to the wall and up the wall it went to a place near the ceiling where it went in a crack in the wall and disappeared from view. Not being able to understand why the stamp acted so queerly, he added a postscript to his letter and said that he might not be back home for six months.
 To be continued…
 
CHRISTMAS
The trouble with the Christmas spirit is that it is mixed up with the Christmas gift spirit.  It is a season of additional expense.  The very rich have money to pass through the season without embarrassment and the very poor do not bother much about it, but the rest of us have come to the conclusion that three Christmases are equal to one fire.  We are in for it and we therefore suggest some suitable presents: A ham of meat, five pounds of sugar, a bucket of lard, a bag of flour, a gallon of molasses and a ton of coal.  As far as the children are concerned, we want no changes from the regular Santa Claus customs of dolls and other toys and Santa Claus will see to that but for the grown ups to give and be given a lot of junk each year for which they are supposed to throw fits of thankfulness there is nothing in it. No matter what store bills are owed or how low the bank account, the bread winners are supposed to loosen up and an orgy of buying to give away is inaugurated.  Let the Economy committee look into this matter and change the rules of the game.
 
HUNTERSVILLE
Santa Claus left a large assortment of Christmas goods at G. C. Poling’s store.
 
Little Grace McComb has been quite sick for several days, but is some better at present.
Clyde Grogg had a shooting match Friday which was attended by quite a number of our local sports.
Eli Mullins, aged 42 years, died Friday, December 13th, of pneumonia or some kindred disease, and was buried at the Old Church Cemetery.  He leaves a wife and six children to mourn their loss.
Mrs. H. Lee White and son were Marlinton visitors Saturday.
Mr. and Mrs. Letcher Herold, of Frost, were here Saturday.  Mrs. Herold, who is teaching the Frost school, attended the reading circle.
 
SLATYFORK
We are having fine winter weather for hay and stock.  We have had but very little cold weather so far so it is saving the hay for spring.
The Spruce Co. is getting along nicely with its railroading. Trains are now running five miles on the Old Field Fork of Elk.
P. L. Brown, who has been working for the Spruce Company, is now clerking for L. D. Sharp.
Mrs. Rachel Showalter, of Linwood, is staying at L. D. Sharp’s.
 
CUMMINGS CREEK
Floyd Lee moved his sawmill from this place to near Millpoint, last week.
C. N. McComb received a severe blow on the side of the head while helping to tear up the sawmill for Floyd Lee.
Rabbits are bringing prices ranging from 10 to 12 ½ cents apiece.  Anyone can make good money as they are so thick that anyone can kill from 20 to 25 a day.  Many of the farmers are complaining of them peeling their young fruit trees.
The Cumming Creek School is progressing nicely under the management of James McComb.
 
YELK
Getting wood is the order of the day.
Forrest Gibson and Harry Varner were at the wood chopping at Rosa Gibson’s, near Mace, last Friday.
A number of Elk people were at Marlinton last Saturday, among them were Jim Gibson, Sam Rider, Jake Gibson and Harry Varner.
 

Thursday,
December 12, 1912
 
FISH
Excerpts from an address by Andrew Price to the West Virginia Fish and Game Protective Association:
 I do not know whether I will make fish, or flesh, or even good red herring out of this subject.  I have had to talk fish over twenty years and the subject being somewhat fishy to start with, I may not have as good a memory of my past assertions…
 The place that the fish holds in the realm of sport has been written dry. It has been proved beyond all peradventure of doubt that it is better to have fished and lost, than never to have fished at all. It must be taken for granted that with the exception of lost time, temper and religion, that fishing is a noble sport, and should be indulged in during six of the seven stages of man.  After a man has come in with wet raiment and a hungry gut, it is his bounded duty to see that friend and enemy alike enjoy the same kind of misery that he enjoyed…
 I say, Woe unto you, ye Fishermen! Boasters! Wine-bibbers, prevaricators, procrastinators and malefactors.  You are a red-necked generation! Turn from your ways and be otherwise.
 Did you ever see half-dozen able bodied men headed for the woods or some other secluded spot for a week’s fishing? They are so healthy looking and are bent on having innocent relaxation in some vast wilderness – some boundless continuity of shade. Search their packs and what do you find? Whiskey and cards! Out of their own packs do you condemn them.  Pre-sently they will be taking drinks of whiskey and playing some cards, ever and anon a big red-neck will arise and say: “Oh, piffle, if I was playing for Limburger Cheese, I couldn’t get a smell. Ho, ho, bring me the bottle.”

 KILLED
Randolph Wees was killed at Cass last Thursday morning, by being thrown under a freight train.  He was driving a dray wagon, and his horse becoming  frightened at a close approaching train, he attempted to hold the horse and was thrown under the train and instantly killed.  The deceased was about 45 years of age, lived at Clover Lick, and is survived by his wife and five children. He was buried at the Poage graveyard.
 
 
ONOTO
Butchering hogs seems to be the order of the day.
 
Our public school is progressing nicely under the management of E. C. Smith.
 
T. M. Hill, our merchant, seems to be improving under the care of Dr. Cole.
 
Mr. and Mrs. John Campbell expect to go to housekeeping in their new house at the Riverside addition in Marlinton, soon.
 
Owen Kellison was down from Laurel Creek Tuesday and helped George Auldridge to butcher his hogs.
 
Andrew Barlow, of Beverly, is out on a visit, and if Andy sees a chance to make a dollar while visiting he makes use of the chance.
 
DUNMORE
 
J. C. Duffey has opened up a barber shop in the old mill.
 
Tilman Carpenter will open up a barber shop in the new mill when it is completed.
 
The iron bridge was unloaded at Sitlington, Tuesday, for Back Creek in Highland county, near the Ruckman farm.
 
If a man would build a mill and spend all his own money, whose money would it be but his own?
 
Auctioneer Swecker was in Marlinton Monday, selling land and personal property.  He has a half dozen farms he will sell.
 
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Phillip’s little child died Friday of pneumonia at Boyer, aged 20 months.  The family has the sympathy of the neighborhood.
 
ARBOVALE
The Literary at Bruffey school house last Friday night was good with B. M. Arbogast, chairman. Question for debate: Resolved, that He only is the man who has distinguished himself in battle; two for the affirmative and one for the negative.
 
P. W. Arbogast has a very interesting music class at Pine Grove; among the bass singers are Billy Riley and Fred Conrad.
 
Our merchant shipped quite a large lot of turkeys for which he paid a very good price.
 
Bud Arbogast butchered two fine hogs last Saturday.
 
Don Vandevander and Brown Varner attended the reading circle at Durbin Saturday.
 
CAMPBELL’S MOUNTAIN
It has been fine skidding weather and the Campbell Lumber Co. has been doing fine work at both of their camps.
 
Harry Aikey dropped a piece of lumber on his finger one day last week and mashed it so badly that it had to be amputated.
 
Mrs. Wm. Graham was visiting in Marlinton last week.
 
A Mr. Blankenship and his wife in trying to walk from Camp 9 across the mountain to Warn’s Camps last Friday, became bewildered and after walking all day were back at their starting point.
 
SPRUCE FLAT
 
We are having fine winter weather.
 
The health of the people in this community is very good at present.
 
The wood chopping at Mrs. Beverage’s was largely attended.
 
We have a fine school with Miss Maud Loudermilk as teacher.
 
The Mutual telephone wires will be kept up by Buzz Whiz Rogers.
 
C. C. Allen killed the largest raccoon of the season – weighed 20 pounds. Who can beat it?
 
A. B. Beverage is champion turnip raiser of this neighborhood, having pulled 200 bushels – some weighing 5 ½ pounds each.

Thursday,
December 5, 1912
 
WANLESS
The winter weather has called our attention to the fact that winter is here in earnest.
The wind last Monday blew H. L. Kesler’s new barn from the foundation.  It was soon replaced and no damage done.
Thomas Barnett is on the sick list.
Floye Gragg passed through here Saturday to spend the night with Griffie Sheets.
Born to Mr. and Mrs. Anderson Tallman, a son.
The correspondent at Green Bank last week said that the election was over and that the slain were cared for.  This is good; this recalls past experience. We often hear it spoken: Poor fellow, his is gone, we don’t know where but we gave him a decent burial.
 
DUNMORE
The best thing that ever struck the Greenbank District is the building of the roller mill at Dunmore. Win McElwee has bought the machinery and is now putting in the foundation for the mill. We expect to see lots of grain raised here as this will stop the shipping and hauling out of our grain to be ground elsewhere.
Our road monkeys made a great mistake that they don’t clean out the road ditches, cross ditches and culverts and save the roads for winter.
Aunt Liza Galford, wife of James Galford, died at her home at Stony Bottom, last week. Mrs. Galford was a noble woman and her many friends will miss her.
The hunters all came back like the fishers that don’t catch any fish.
 
DRY BRANCH
Butchering hogs seems to be the order of the day.
Bessie, the little four-weeks-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Snyder died suddenly Monday evening.  Mrs. Synder had gone to Mace to see her father who is very ill, and was returning home, and the mother uncovered the babe to see if it was all right and it was dead.  It was buried at Mingo Tuesday.
The many friends of Uncle George Beal will be sorry to learn of his prolonged illness. He has been confined to his bed since the first of September and the end of his useful and interesting life is expected daily. Five of his sons live close, are devoted to him and take turns at his bedside through the long hours of the night.  It can be truly said no father ever had better sons. Their tender care of their aged and afflicted father has won for them the esteem of all who know them.
 

FOR
BETTER OR WORSE
Count Guy de Lasteyrie arrived on the Mauretania last week from France with his sweetheart, an American girl, who is going to take the Count, December 21, for better or worse, and may find that he is worse than she took him for.  We have systematically opposed these international matches with very little effect.  We have to be content with the belief that the foreign nobility may get the boodle, but not the brains.  The Count had a black eye and was secluded in his state room. He said he got it by falling out of bed, but rumour hath it, that the lady gave it to him in a friendly boxing match.  We have an idea that this match may turn out better than the common run of these high tone marriages.
 
ANSWERS
FOR THE ANXIOUS
We do not know the value of a half dollar of 1836, we only know that it should have been spent before 1838 to get anything like its value.
We know that William Shakespeare is the author of the quotation beginning, “All the world is a stage,” but we cling to the opinion that a good deal of it is vaudeville.
We do not know what day of the week June 13, 1807 fell upon, and we’ll be hanged if we are going to dig through a lot of old calendars to find out, when the inquirer can arrive at the correct answer by patiently counting backward and making due allowance for leap years, and so far as we are concerned, if June 13, 1807 fell on any day in particular we have no evidence that the day was bruised to any extent.
We don’t know what will make plums stop “working,” and if we did know we would not tell, for we consider canned plums a misdemeanor in the diet. – Wilbur D. Nesbit
 
SCALDED WITH TEA
Little Evelyn Brown, age one year, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Grover C. Brown, of Ronceverte, was dreadfully and fatally burned last Saturday morning, November 23. At the breakfast table Mrs. Brown was holding the baby on her lap and at the same time trying to pour out the tea. As the teapot was tilted, it slipped on the plate on which it had been placed, the top fell off and the scalding tea was dashed over the child, horribly burning her right side from shoulder to knee. The prompt attention of a doctor could not relieve the sufferings of the child, and after lingering until Tuesday morning, the little one passed away.
 
IN MEMORIAM
Georgia A. Varner, daughter of William A. and Mary E. Varner, was born April 30, 1898, and fell asleep in Jesus, October 29, 1912, aged fourteen years and six months.
Georgia was sick but a few days till death relieved her of her suffering.  She was stricken with peritonitus while at school, and went home where all that loving ones could do for her relief was done, but she grew worse and upon the advice of the physician she was taken to Baltimore for treatment, but nothing could be done to save her.  The disease would not yield to treatment.
The writer went into the car at Marlinton where she lay to see her. She greeted him with a smile though she was suffering intensely, and the little hand which she extended was burning with the fever which was consuming her young and beautiful life.- Ira F. Rickett
 
KILLED
Miss Marie Crummett, of Staunton, was killed in a runaway accident at Lewisburg, Sunday afternoon. She and a Miss Argabright were driving.  The horse took fright and in plunging broke the front axle.  Miss Crummett fainted, and Miss Argabright was thrown out.  The horse ran for half a mile or more and dashed the buggy against a telephone pole.  She had apparently not moved after striking the pole.  The young lady was 18 years of age, a daughter of Silas W. Crummett, of Staunton, and a niece of G. F. Crummett, of Marlinton.

Thursday,
November 28, 1912

A murderer when he found that he had to pay five thousand dollars as a fee to the attorney for defending him complained of the high cost of living. Murderers will find that if they will all hang together that such fees can be saved.
In Greenbrier county last week, two brothers named Grant Workman and Lee Workman were tried for the killing of a man by the name of Roberts, and were acquitted. They were named for General Grant and General Lee.
A party of Buckeye hunters got two deer on Cranberry last week. A big three snag buck fell to the lot of J. C. Duncan.
Five freight cars were derailed at the Kennison curve below Seebert Friday evening, delaying traffic several hours.
While cutting wood Monday morning Editor Kramer, of the Pocahontas Independent, caught his axe in a clothes line, causing it to strike him above the right temple, inflicting a deep wound requiring four stitches to close.
The diptheria situation in Marlinton is getting much better. So far this week no new cases have developed, and next Monday the school will reopen and things go on as usual. Through it never became necessary to make the quarantine rules rigid in the extreme, they have been carried out strictly and intelligently. Antitoxin was administered to those known to have been exposed to the disease, wherever a case developed the house was quarantined, and the inmates instructed by their physician as to precautions to be taken. A strict quarantine of the wage earners of the household, where they have not been in direct contact with the disease has not been considered necessary by the physicians of the town nor insisted up on by the board of health. The day before the school was closed several cases of diptheria developing in school, two score or more children were exposed to the disease.

THE DEMOCRATIC ROOSTER
The Pittsburg Post says the history of the Rooster as emblem of the Democratic party dates back to the year 1840, when William Henry Harrison, the Whig candidate, defeated Martin VanBuren, the Democratic candidate. In that campaign, a despondent Democratic postmaster of Indiana, Chapman by name, wrote a letter to the editor of the Indianapolis Sentinel in which he despaired of Democratic success. The editor replied in a word of cheer and concluded with the words “Crow, Chapman, crow.” The letter fell into the hands of the Whigs, who made much capital out of it and published it in their campaign papers, “The Spirit of 1776.” Four years later the Democrats turned the tables, James K. Polk defeating Henry Clay, and they did crow. From that day the rooster became the recognized emblem of the Democratic party.

BATH COURTHOUSE BURNS
The handsome new county courthouse of Bath county, at Warm Springs, burned to the ground at an early hour Friday morning. The fire was discovered at 1 o’clock but as there was no fire protection nothing could be done to save the building and by five o’clock it was a pile of ruins. Clerk of the courts F. L. Larue and others rescued from the clerk’s office many valuable books and papers, tho’ the bulk of the county and court records were in the vaults and escaped injury.

HUNTERSVILLE
Joe Webb will soon complete his job of sawing lumber for the club house. He will then saw a set for the Minnehaha Hotel.
Frank Harper and little granddaughter, of Academy, were visitors at J. C. Loury’s Saturday evening.
Miss Anna Cleek, who is teaching at Millpoint, was seeing her parents on Knapps Creek Saturday and Sunday.
Miss Lynette McKeever came up from Lewisburg to attend the funeral of her grandmother, Mr. Adkison.
John A. Cleek passed through town Saturday with a fine lot of colts which he had been pasturing on Williams River.
J. H. Doyle repaired the roof and windows of the Masonic Hall last week which had been damaged by the recent heavy wind storm.
Grandmother Adkison departed this life Friday evening here in the home of her daughter, Mrs. I. E. McKeever, who had faithfully and tenderly cared for her so long in her afflicted and helpless condition. For some years she had been a patient sufferer from rheumatism which developed into heart trouble and other complications which culminated in her death as above stated. We believe all her children were present when she died. His remains were interred near Buckeye Sunday evening.

GREENBANK
Well, the election is past and the slain are cared for, and now we settle down to business, hoping all is for the best. Let us put our shoulder to the wheel and do what is right and all will be right.
Our farmers are butchering some fine pork. Our postmaster had one butchered that was guessed off at 350 pounds.
The railroad grading is being put through J. P. Wooddell’s farm at this time.
It snowed Sunday night and the rabbits are being chased by boys and old men.

EDRAY
S. B. Moore is building a large stock barn; Bob Jordan and Hake Townsend are doing the capenter work.
Dick Smith is hunting on Elk
Frank Young is slowly improving from the hurt he received last week by falling from the top of a truck of logs on the S. S. & B Ry.
Andy Hefner was calling on friends here last Sunday.
Clarence Barlow has accepted a position on A. C. Barlow’s farm.
The spelling bee at E. C. Smith’s school at Pine Grove schoolhouse last Firday night was largely attended.

DROOP MT.
It is very cold up here with a little snow.
Dr. D. H. McNeel was called to George Alderman’s Tuesday morning to see his daughter Ruby who is very ill; also the veterinarian was called the same day to see his fine black mare.
Carl, the little infant of Mr. and Mrs. Dameron Gladwell, is very ill at this writing.
Sherman Kellison got his hip broken last Monday.
Clive Alderman was shopping in town last Saturday.
Christmas is coming! Hurrah, for the sleigh bells.

Thursday,
November 21, 1912
 
While hunting on Back Mountain last week, Judge Dice and Elmer Moore found a wild honeysuckle bush in full flower.  They had the blossoms to prove it.
Died. November 15, 1912, the infant daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George Camper.
 
4 SHOTS, 4 BEARS
Abel Arbogast, of the Sinks, Pocahontas county, is some bear hunter. Last Friday he tracked an old she and three cubs into a laurel patch.  He then went home for help and returned with his brother and another man to drive the bears out while he watched a crossing.  The bears came out and Arbogast killed all four of them. Shooting but one shot for each one.  Then on the day following he went out and killed another large bear.  On his house are stretched the hides of two big bears and the three lusty bears.
 
 BROWNS CREEK
The weather is quite cool with some snow.
Sheldon Moore and wife of Glade Hill, have been visiting among their relatives and friends here for some days. Both are enjoying good health.
There are several cases of whooping cough in the families of Ed McLaughlin, I. B. Shrader and J. D. Dilley.
H. P. McLaughlin is talking of going to Greenbrier county to spend the winter with his cousin, A. M. McLaughlin.
 
SUNSET
Rev. A. S. Rachal preached a very able sermon at Westminster Sunday night.
D. W. Dever sold ninety-two fine two-year-old cattle to D. G. Ruckman.  They were delivered as far as Marlinton by Mr. Dever.
P. M. Harper is in very bad health at present.
Mrs. Kate Gibson and Mrs. J. Siple were the guests of Mrs. Dennis Dever last week.
Butchering hogs seems to be the order of the day.
 DUNMORE
Fine fall weather.
Quite a crowd of timbermen, of Pittsburgh, are looking at the Alleghany mountain timber.  Dunmore may get a railroad yet.
Win McElwee is looking for his mill men this week.
Woods Buzzard, Clyde Carpenter’s baby and Robert McLaughlin are on the sick list.
Lockie Gragg has moved on to Thomas Creek.
S. A. McCullough has completed his feed store at Sitlington and is now filling it with grain. 4,500 bushels of oats have been unloaded and next week a carload of corn and one of hay will come in.
H. B. Cottrill has been here a week or more looking at timber.
Fifteen wagons are hauling bark and lumber to Sitlington.
We are sorry to learn that our neighbor, John R. Hevener, is going to build on Clover Creek; we like to keep good people with us.
 
LOCAL MENTION
Paris D. Yeager is in Charleston this week.
John Will Sheets was over from Beaver Dam, yesterday.
Miss Rachel Edgar is at the home of her brother, Mayor Edgar.
Miss May Little broke her arm by a fall at the opera house Tuesday night.
Squire and Mrs. P. T. Ward are moving into their fine new residence near the courthouse.
C. J. Richardson, A.M. Harter and John Moore are in Bath county for the open hunting season.
Andrew Price, L. M. McClintic and N. C. McNeil are attending courts in Charleston and Lewisburg this week
Mr. and Mrs. Sheldon Moore, of Dunmore, were in town Monday on their return from a visit to friends at Huntersville and the Levels.
Millpoint went dry in the recent prohibition amendment contest.  By some mistake we had the returns reading 106 to 64 in favor of the saloon.  It did not look right to us – it surprised and caused us pain. And with gladness do we make the correction and put Millpoint in the dry column.
Owing to the prevalence of diphtheria in town and the development of several cases in school, the local board of health found it necessary to close the schools for a period of two weeks.
S. R. Allen expects to go to White Sulphur to work as a carpenter on the new hotel now going up at that place.
George Lightner, who is playing an important place on the Wesleyan College football team, came home yesterday from Buckhannon.  This is the leading team in the State this year.  Another star on the team is young Kellison of Buckeye.
 
 

November 14, 1912
 
Some excitement was caused at the courthouse last night by a demented man standing guard at the front door with a two handed club, threatening any one who came near.  In the afternoon he appeared at the office of the prosecuting attorney and told a tale of having been driven out of the Guyandotte River region and followed by persons who sought his life.  The next seen of him was in the hallway when the janitor attempted to turn on the light.  This he forbade, and being armed with a single tree and an iron bar his orders went.  Later a crowd congregating, his attention was attracted in one direction and he was tackled from behind and overpowered.  He is a man of middle age, tall, and says his name is Anderson, and that his home is in Ohio.
 A little child of Mr. and Mrs. U. S. Gilmer, of West Union, died Saturday morning from burns received the day before by falling into a pan of scalding water.  Its age was fifteen months.  It was buried on Sunday.. our sympathies are extended to the bereaved parents.

 PROHIBITIION
We are glad to see the Independent taking a stand for Prohibition.  It stated earlier that it did not make any difference where Pocahontas people bought their liquor, Hinton or Cincinnati.  It must have heard from the people.  It does make a difference to Pocahontas people to get rid of the liquor lobby in the legislature.
 
TOP ALLEGHENY
We had a big wind storm Friday night.
Everybody was surprised at the election returns, even Woodrow Wilson, but I suppose his surprise was an agreeable one, which is more than can be said for everyone.
Mrs. Luther Phillips met with a serious accident Wednesday.  She and her husband were in a spring wagon, driving two colts.  The colts got scared at a buggy passing in the road and Mrs. Phillips went to jump out, and her foot caught in the wheel, breaking both bones in one leg below the knee. Dr. Hall was called and rendered medical aid and she is getting along as well as could be expected.
C. M. Barkley and wife have gone to Elkins hospital to have an operation performed on their baby’s mouth.
Charles Spencer bought a nice young mare at the Sterret sale at Crabbottom which he is riding to and from school on Buffalo Mt.
Lee Wilmoth has laid the foundation for a large barn.
Lee Barkley has quit the woods and turned farmer.
 
FROST
The recent rains have made salt river navigable for defeated candidates and we hope they will make the trip safely and be ready for the next election.
T. M. Kroeber expects to get the job of running a soup house at this place and the Republicans of the place are very much encouraged and think there is some hopes of living through the coming administration.
Cheer up, John Mc. As soon as we get the standard weight of potatoes changed we will want you back to make laws for us.
A. A. Sharp says a mud hole is an ideal place to fall when a colt says to dismount.
Claude Malcomb spent Sunday at the post office.
 
CUMMINGS CREEK
We are having some cold weather now, with a little snow flying.
W. P. McComb, who has been quite ill, is improving.
Kenny Underwood was visiting at Huntersville Saturday.
Isaac Simmons, of Watoga, is hauling lumber from J. B. Pyle’s sawmill.
Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Buchanan, of this place, shipped some poultry to Cleveland, Ohio, one day last week.
James Reed, of near Huntersville, hired three men of this place to husk some corn and he was obliged to stop them so he could fix a place to put it away.
 
 ONOTO
The sick are slowly improving.
Born to Charles C. Baxter and wife, October 25, a ten pound boy.  Mother and son are getting along nicely and the father recovered in time for the election.
The people of the neighborhood, numbering about 25, and four or five teams, gathered up Monday and Tuesday and shucked W. H. Gilmer’s corn for him, hauled in his corn and stacked the fodder.  Those from a distance were Porter Kellison, Buckeye, J. W. Gilmer, Upper Elk, Henry Galford of Camp 4 on Campbell’s Mt.
A.    C. Barlow was on Elk after his sheep Tuesday.
P. L. Carter received a bad cut on his hand Saturday. He was riding with his knife open in his  hand eating an apple, when his horse scared and the saddle girth broke and as he was thrown to the ground the bridle rein caused the knife to cut a deep gash in his hand.  Dr. Howard was called and dressed the wound and he is getting along very well.

LOCAL MENTION
Mrs. Joe Simmons, of Watoga, was paralyzed last week.
Prof. John S. Moore, who was paralyzed last Monday, is slowly recovering.
Ralph Johnson, who was left among strangers in Harrisonburg two weeks ago, was recognized and brought home by a gentleman of Hot Springs, a friend and acquaintance of the family.
G. W. Clark has bought M. E. Pue’s fine new five passenger touring car.
Mrs. J. J. Coyner was down from Cloverlick Saturday morning.
Floyd Baxter, of Edray, killed two large wild turkeys with one shot recently.
L. S. Shoemaker and G. W. Williamson will go to Cranberry today, bear hunting.
 
B. E. Smith reports the biggest Hanover turnip of the season – eleven pounds and a half in weight.
Hevener Dilley saw a very large buck deer cross the road a short distance in front of his horse near the McCutcheon place last week.
Pete Spitzer was painfully injured by falling a distance of eight feet or more on a cement floor at the tannery last Friday. He is now able to be out.
S. L. Brown has been confined to his bed the last ten days.
Geo. W. Ginger killed a spike buck on Alleghany Mountain and Amos J. Dilley and Jacob Schrader each killed very large bucks on Thorny Creek mountain last week.
 
 

Thursday,
November 7, 1912
 
ELECTION NOTES
Woodrow Wilson is elected president by the largest electoral vote ever given.  He carried at least 37 states; and his vote in the electoral college will not be less than 412.
The lower house of Congress is Democratic by 100 majority, and the Senate by two or three majority.
Hatfield and the Republican state ticket is elected, and the legislature is Republican by about 20.  The Senate is Democratic.
In Randolph county a Republican sheriff was elected for the first time in a generation.  His name is Spiker.
The Prohibition Amendment carried by a majority of 75,000.
Michigan, Oregon, Kansas and Arizona joined the ranks of the States in which women are allowed to vote.
Roosevelt did not carry a single State in which women voted, despite his advocacy of women suffrage.
A little girl of six years wanted to know if Wilson was elected to the electric chair.
 
FORTY-NINE
YEARS AGO
Dear Times:
You must excuse me for writing to you this Sunday afternoon, and I will explain to you why it is that I am thinking of Pocahontas County, and Pocahontas people more today than usual.
It was forty-nine years ago today that General Averill broke camp at the Travelers Repose neighborhood, and came down through the upper end of Pocahontas, and your correspondent, a boy Confederate soldier, was captured above Greenbank.
The federal soldiers very kindly carried me to the widow Gillispie’s and laid me on top of the bed clothes of Mrs. Gillispie’s best bed, and from this position I was not moved until the sixth day of January, 1864.
Forty-nine years is a long while, but your writer remembers the occurrence of the incidents at that time as well as if it had been of a recent date.
The kindness of the people and their generous treatment of me could not be forgotten if I were to try my best.  Although I had been born at Glade Hill, seven or eight miles from Mrs. Gillispie’s, still I did not know very many people in the Greenbank neighborhood before the time of my capture, and since then I have carried in my mind almost everybody of that community.
A year ago I was a business visitor in the neighborhood of Greenbank, and spent a fortnight in that community, which was one of the most pleasant times I have ever experienced in my life, and again I was the recipient of the kindness of the people for whom I have always entertained the most cordial good wishes; and through your paper I desire to say that I shall ever remember dear old Greenbank, and the vicinity, with good feeling, expressing the best wishes of my heart.
 
John McNeel
Lexington, Virginia
 
ARBOVALE
Mrs. Rella Friel returned home from Thornwood where she had been visiting her brother George Gum.
Some of the camp boys are home for the election.  Glad to see them making use of the rights that are given them.
The teachers of this neighborhood are expecting to organize a Reading Circle at Bruffey school house Friday night.
 
DUNMORE
Good Morning! And his first name is Woodrow Wilson.
And then it rained and Billy Bryan says the same sun will continue to shine.
Roosters have advanced in price to do the crowing and the hens did the scratching.
Sixteen years ago the Democratic postmasters trembled in their boots and now the Republican P. Ms. are doing the same thing.
Billy Arbogast will instruct the band for a while.  The boys came  very near having a run-off with the band wagon going to Greenbank Tuesday night.  The only thing that saved them was the breaking of the wagon tongue.
 
STONY CREEK
We are having some cold weather at present with snow on high ground.
The corn shucking at William Gilmore’s was largely attended.  About four hundred bushels of corn was shucked and cribbed and the fodder stacked.
Mrs. William Gilmore is improving slowly.
Porter Kellison was at Uriah Beverage’s one night last week, buying lambs.
N. S. Duffield was a pleasant caller at Mrs. Nancy Beverage’s Sunday.
W. M. Marley is general manager for Ed Sharp; Fred Poage is stable boss and Frank Young Swamper.
 
HOSTERMAN
We are having some very cool weather in our section at present.
The people are husking their corn and preparing for our usual cold winter which some of our older people say is not far away, and judging from the feeling that comes over us when we step out these cold mornings we are well aware that this is a fact.
Last week we were delighted to have Supt. B. B. Williams to visit our school. He was with us about one half a day and judging from the interest he took in our school, we can truthfully say Supt. Williams is the best supervisor our county schools have ever had and we trust Mr. Williams will prove this statement by his good work throughout the county.
 
ACCIDENTS
A sad accident happened at Thornwood on Wednesday morning, October 29, 1912, when Harry Edward McArdle, oldest son of Mr. and Mrs. McArdle was run over by the log train on which he was working and was so badly hurt that he died about two hours afterward. He was 21 years, eight months and 27 days old. He is gone but not forgotten, and the bereaved family has the sympathy of the entire community, and pray that our Heavenly Father may support them in this their great affliction.
A very sad accident occurred at Thornwood on Friday evening when William August Rose, son of Mr. and Mrs. August Rose, was accidentally run over by the log train and so badly hurt that he died in about thirty minutes. His remains were laid to rest in the Yeager graveyard at Bartow.  He was to have been married the 20th of this month to Miss Lamb. The family and his fiancée have the sympathy of the people of the community.  May the comforting influence of the Holy Spirit abide with them.

Thursday,
October 31, 1912

VICE-PRESIDENT DEAD
Vice-President James Sherman died at his home in New York State after a lingering illness, Wednesday, October 30.

EDITORIAL
Your attention is called to the fact that on next Tuesday, November 5th, an election of various officers will be held in this county, at which time and place all male persons, over the age of twenty-one, not disqualified by their misfortunes or their faults, will have an opportunity to cast a ballot in a secret manner for a number of estimable gentlemen, who have put their fortunes to the test. Some of these candidates will be your acquaintances and others you will know only by having seen their names in by public prints or through the words of those who have seen them. You will know little about any of them. As a matter of fact, a man is a mighty uncertain thing, and you do not know how any of these men are going to perform after they are elected and put to work. When we go forth to hire a cook, we can generally tell, and do in a general way, that the person that we are hiring can and does cook, and if a mistake has been made, if the employer is more than ordinary determined and reckless, he can fire the cook and get another one. But when we elect a man to office, we do not know whether he is going to be fair, honest and industrious and capable, and if he turns out to be a gold brick, there is no adequate means of firing him, and he serves his term. Many a man has been elected to office who ought to have been relegated to the penitentiary long ago... It is nevertheless the bounded duty of every good man to vote. It insures respectable candidates.

SUGAR
In the grocery stores here in Marlinton are sugar barrels which bear large posters announcing that but for the tariff the sugar in the barrel would be two cents a pound less and advising all customers to urge their representatives in congress to vote for a reduction of the tariff on sugar.

BANANAS
Bananas cannot be raised in the United States except under glass in artificially warmed houses. It is estimated that bananas can be grown in this way at a profit if they could be sold for thirty-one cents a piece. Therefore, it is our duty to promote the growing of bananas by immediately putting a tariff of at least thirty cents each on all bananas imported into the United States. This would fully protect an infant industry at the expense of the bellies of the common people.
The average tax paid on food used by the families of this country under the Payne-Aldrich tariff law is $98.00 per family. This is not guess- work. It is the work of careful estimators and students of political economy.

LOCAL MENTION
Born to Mr. and Mrs. Charles Baxter, of Onoto, a son.
F. R. Hunter and family are at the Sweet Chalybeate.
Norval, little son of Wilson Courtney, fell on a nail yesterday and was badly hurt.
Guy, son of Dr. Yeager, was stuck in the face by a golf-stick in the hands of a play fellow yesteray and received a bad cut.
Hon. Henry Gilmer addressed the biggest crowd of the campaign at the opera house Tuesday night, and he made a powerful speech.
J. W. Milligan is at Minnehaha Springs to commence work on the motel foundation for the Minnehaha Springs Improvement Association.
A fine bear was seen in the road a few miles from the club house of the Allegheny Sportsmens’ Association at Minnehaha Springs, on their game preserve. It was chasing sheep, and came near a man on horseback. A great number of sheep have been killed in the Alleghany range this year by bears.
Frank McCardle was killed at Dunlevie Tuesday morning by the log train. He caught his foot in the track and was run down by a string of trucks. He was about 22 years old and had been married about a year. His parents live at Deer Creek.
Married, Madison Faulkner and Miss Blanche Maupin, Wednesday, October 30, 1912, Rev. I. F. Rickett officiating.
Married, Jason Cloonan to Miss Hattie Sharp, October 28, 1912, Rev. Wm. T. Price officiating.

J. S. MOORE
PARALYZED
Prof. John S. Moore suffered a stroke of paralysis Monday evening, and is now in a very precarious condition. He was at the home of John Perry at Clawson where he had been teaching school. He had been cutting wood before being taken sick. He was brought home next morning. Mr. Moore is the oldest teacher of the county, having taught continuously for more than forty years.

ARBOVALE
The farmers are about done sowing rye and digging potatoes and a few are done husking corn.
Candidates have been moving around pretty lively for the past week. They all say that they will be elected, but we cannot tell yet.
Porter Kerr had the misfortune to break his engine down a few days ago as he was leaving Oda Freeman’s with his threshing machine.
Lanty Wooddell has been laid up for a couple of weeks with some broken ribs.

October 24,1912

Ralph Johnson, the 13-year-old son of Paris Johnson, of Marlinton, struck hard luck in Harrisonburg this week. The lad was in the care of a West Virginia man, who drank too much booze this week, got put out of a local hotel, had most of his luggage stolen, was forced to sell his horse and buggy for ten or twelve dollars, and became down and out generally. The little Johnson boy has gone to Lilly to visit friends and will be taken back to his West Virginia home soon – Harrisonburg News.
Georgia, aged 15 years, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Varner, of Elk, died of appendicitis in a Baltimore hospital, Tuesday. She had been sick less than a week, and so rapid were the ravages of the disease that she was in a dying condition before reaching the hospital. She was brought back yesterday and will be buried in the family graveyard on Elk, today. Our sympathies are extended.

High School Notes
The Freshman and Sophomore classes of the Marlinton High School met last week to form class organizations. The sophomores elected the following officers; Paul Overholt, president; Charles Richardson, vice-president; Agnes Price, secretary; Marjorie Moore, treasurer.
The freshmen officers chosen were Robert Arbogast, president; Margaret Price, vice-president; Enid Harper, secretary; Elise McClintic, treasurer.
Later a meeting of the two classes was held. Gladys Warwick, Zed Smith, Anna McGraw, and Charles Marshall were appointed a committee to draft the by-laws, and Agnes Price was made class reporter. The officers of both classes were appointed a committee on colors. The colors finally chosen were old gold for the High School, and gold and blue for the Freshmen and old gold and red for the Sophomores.
The girls of the High School have organized a basket ball team and expect to begin to practice as soon as their basket ball comes.

Green Hill
Report of Green Hill School for the month ending October 18th. Following is a list of the pupils who were neither absent or tardy: Girls, Annie McCapin, Mamie Jackson, Glenna McLaughlin, Marie Sharp, Ethel Jackson and Gladys Gum. Boys: Page Davis, Lawrence Davis, Lanta Sharp, Lee Jackson, Gray McLaughlin, Dennis Wooddell, Melvin Wooddell, Garland Gum, Frank McLaughlin and Charles Sharp.
Parents, are your children’s names on this list? If not, why not?

DUNMORE
Do you know what Col. Roosevelt will say when he goes to take his seat at the White House the 4th of March? He will take off his hat and say, “Good morning, Mr. Wilson, You got in sooner than I expected.”
Well the world moves and so does George Hoover. He has moved back in our neighborhood. What is Boyer’s loss is our gain.
Charles Kelly is very sick with typhoid fever.
Misses Mabel and Hettie Moore are at home on account of sickness.
Win. McElwee has bought a fine team. He is going to build the roller mill and it will be run by electricity. This will be a fine thing for our town to have light, besides the great benefit to our farmers to have a mill. More grain will be raised.

ONOTO
Mrs. W. H. Gilmer, who has been very sick with a complication of diseases, is improving slowly.
Ward Wooddell, aged about six years, cut his foot very badly with an axe some time since, and came so near bleeding to death before medical aid could be had, is still suffering much pain but is getting along as well as could be expected.
Uncle Joe Barlow is suffering considerably from being kicked on the foot by a horse.

STONY CREEK
The farmers are shucking corn; the corn crop is light this year, but we have a fine crop of potatoes and pumpkins, so we won’t starve.
Henry Moore will soon have our new school house completed and a better house cannot be found for the money.
Howard Meeks has killed some fine turkeys since the season opened.
Jacob and Robert Beverage raised the bumper potato crop this year. They have one acre of ground in potatoes and will have three hundred bushels.
Lost, from the head of Stony Creek, a young man by the name of Otto Adkison. Any information concerning him will be gladly received by his parents.
Andy Gay was a pleasant caller at Nancy Beverage’s Sunday. Boys, get your bells ready.