Thursday,
December 20, 1962
From the desk of Mrs. Jane Price Sharp
 
Prayer for the Middle Aged
Lord, Thou knowest better than I know myself that I am growing older and will someday be old.  Keep me from the fatal habit of thinking I must say something on every subject and on every occasion. Release me from craving to straighten out everybody’s affairs.  Make me thoughtful, but not moody; helpful but not bossy.  With my vast store of wisdom, it seems a pity not to use it all, but thou knowest, Lord, that I want a few friends at the end.
 Keep my mind free from the recital of endless details; give me wings to get to the point. Seal my lips on my aches and pains.  They are increasing, and love of rehearsing them is becoming sweeter as the years go by.  I dare not ask for grace enough to enjoy the tales of others’ pains, but help me endure them with patience.
 
I dare not ask for improved memory, but for a growing humility and a lessening cocksureness when my memory seems to clash with the memories of others.  Teach me the glorious lesson that occasionally I may be mistaken. 
Keep me reasonably sweet; I do not want to be a saint – some of them are so hard to live with – but a sour old person is one of the crowning works of the devil.  Give me the ability to see good things in unexpected people.  And, give me, O Lord, the grace to tell them so. Amen. Copied
 
Boys and Girls in Service

A Long Tour
Across the blue Pacific, Hawaii is the spot, we are doomed to spend our time, in the land that God forgot.
Filled with rice and pineapples, we are gallant soldiers true, out in the middle of nowhere, 3,000 miles from you.
We are soldiers of the 25th, we earn our measly pay.  Guarding other people’s millions for two and a half a day.
On our sacks at night we dream, of a certain lovely miss, to hold in our lonely arms again and receive a treasured kiss.
No one knows we’re alive, no one gives a damn, the old gang has forgotten us, we are owned by Uncle Sam.
In the heat and dust we march, dusty and begrimed by sand; we’re classified as convicts, defenders of our land.
But when the pearly gates at last come swinging into view, our frowns will turn to laughter, for the joke is all on you.
For once inside of heaven, you’ll hear St. Peter yell, “Fall our! You men from Schofield – you’ve spent your time in hell.”
 Pfc. Edward E. Sutton and buddy, Rudy.
 
 New Sawmill
Plans now seem definite for the establishment of a new sawmill at Stillwell below Marlinton. R. S. Burruss, Jr., of Lynchburg, Virginia, has purchased the Brown McComb property of 265 acres and will operate an all-electric band mill, chipping plant and lumber concentration yard, employing 25 to 30 men at the beginning, later going to about 45.  Power lines are being built, a railroad siding will be put in, the access road will be improved, and a low water bridge across Knapps Creek will be built in the spring.
 
Weather
It was a little cold around the edges last week, even though winter does not officially arrive until Saturday, December 22, at 3:15 a.m. Temperatures down to 24 below were reported.  The official readings at Seneca State Forest, according to James Schaffner, were the lowest since their records began in 1938.
 
Newspaper
The Marlinton Journal, beginning this week, will be printed by a new process of printing – offset.  This “cold-type” process involves no hot metal casting.  The printed matter is set by Varityper and Headliner and pasted on a page form.  Then the whole lay-out is photographed by a huge camera.  This is then developed on a metallic sheet and printed on a new Multilith press. The most admirable feature of offset is the clear reproduction of photographs. And it eliminates the extra step of making engravings as with conventional printing.
 
Centennial Queen Contest
Mrs. Robert Sharp, County Centennial Chairman, helped with the staging of the State Queen contest in Charleston last weekend.  She reports our Queen, Miss Patsy Hevener, looked mighty pretty and was about the most pleasant and congenial girl there; also that the judges had a hard time deciding because the points were so close for so many of the girls.
 
Injured
Larry Mitchell, Joe Shafer and Ralph Dunbrack, Jr., were injured last Friday night when the Mitchell car, coming toward Marlinton from Huntersville, apparently hit the shoulder and swung out of control in a circle, hitting the left front against the concrete wall on the right hand side of the road at the Joe Buzzard curve. The boys were thrown from the car. Mitchell suffered several broken ribs and a punctured lung, among other injuries; Dunbrack has a skull fracture and cuts; Shafer has a chipped vertebra and other minor injuries.  Reports on Tuesday indicated they all are making satisfactory progress.
 
 BIRTHS
Born to Mr. and Mrs. John Workman of Droop, a daughter, named Roxanna.

Born to Mr. and Mrs. James Shearer, Sr., of Marlinton, a daughter named Teresa Renee.

Born to Mr. and Mrs. Garland Galford, a son, named Gary Page.

Born to Mr. and Mrs. Grady Austin, Sr., of Lewisburg, a son.
 
DEATHS
G. A. Workman, of Hinton; son of the late Mr. and Mrs. James M. Workman, of Hillsboro; burial in the Oak Grove Cemetery.

Elza Morton Rexrode, aged 67, of Frank; burial in the Arbovale Cemetery.

George Stanley McLaughlin, aged 55, of Stony Bottom; burial in the Stony Bottom Cemetery.

R. Glenn Shrader, aged 51; the son of the late George H. and Lena McCarty Shrader; burial in Mountain View Cemetery.

Asa Clark Barlow, aged 87; a veterinarian and farmer in Pocahontas County since early manhood; the son of the late Henry and Nancy Cassell Barlow; burial in the Edray Cemetery.

Kirklyn McNeer Kerr, II, aged three months and one day, the son of Dr. and Mrs. Kirklyn M. Kerr, of Morgantown; grandson of Mr. and Mrs. Beard Kerr of Green Bank; burial in the Arbovale Cemetery.