Thursday, September 20, 1918
Much obliged for the letter, Mr. Burroughs. It is a considerable honor to introduce immortals to the home folks. We feel a good deal like Jupiter had sent us a picture post card from Mt. Olympus, with a message such as, “How does this strike you?” From Jube.
We are pretty well thrown out of court on that proposition of the big blacksnake stealing milk from the cow. Others have deemed it incredible, if not udderly impossible. The witness is not at hand, but that the blacksnake took the nourishment like a calf is not insisted upon. The way that a blacksnake milks a cow is to reach up with his flexible tail and seize the teat and direct the stream of milk into his open mouth. If the snake should seize the teat with his mouth, he would not be able to let go, and Old Sukey, the cow, would cause some excitement in the barnyard when she came home with a chance acquaintance trailing after her, like the case of the convivial gentleman who takes home a barroom companion.
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The frost keeps off, but it borrowed time. Last year, a black frost came on September 10th. The corn had not matured. The first year in the memory of old men the corn did not ripen fully. It looked pretty well, but it lacked that quality of hardness that makes the best corn meal. When the grain is hard enough to make a good pearl button, then it is the kind to make good corn meal and it came to pass that the order went forth to eat corn meal and it was no sacrifice or hardship. This year bids fair to give us a kind of corn meal that will be a pleasure to eat, we assure you.
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Married, at the Marlinton Hotel, September 18, 1918, by Rev. J. M. Walker, James H. Nottingham and Trudie L. Shinaberry. The bride is from Stony Bottom, and the groom from Boyer. Best wishes of this office goes to them for a long and happy life.
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That Guy Stewart and Rube Jackson, two soldiers of this county in France, had been killed, according to rumor last week, has not been confirmed. Wm. Stewart, brother of Guy, and uncle of Rube, says that no telegram has come to that effect and we have not seen their names in any casualty list.
REGISTRATION
On the 12th instant, 1,936 men came forward and registered in this County. Below we give the number registered at each place of registration, and the number according to citizenship…
Durbin 215; Greenbank 95; Dunmore 55; Cass 244; Thornwood 80, Boyer 52; Hosterman 40; Bartow 37; Spruce 58, Marlinton 181; Edray 100; Linwood 34; Cloverlick 61; West Marlinton 104; Buckeye 50; Slaty Fork 38; Frost 60; Huntersville 90; Mill Point 72; Hillsboro 66; Lobelia 59; Seebert 50; Beard 61; Droop Mountain 34. Total 1,936. Native born 740; Naturalized 9; Citizens by Father’s naturalization 6; Declarant aliens 8; Non-declarant alien 173.
LAUREL CREEK
Mrs. Lottie Kellison is very ill at this time.
The threshing machine is busy at this time. Oats, buckwheat and wheat are all turning out very well.
Neal Barlow, of Warwick, Elmer Poage and son, Van, of Edray, were here looking at Mr. Poage’s cattle Monday.
Vester Gilmore and T. S. Dulaney were also on business at the County Seat recently.
John Galford is running his sawmill part of the time, and is cutting and delivering some fine lumber to the people as an expert sawmill man.
Fred Galford and Paris Hamrick have gone to Huntersville to cut corn for J. H. Buzzard.
HILLSBORO
Mrs. W. H. Cackley is now visiting her mother, Mrs. Emma McNeel, in Lexington, VA., having stopped off there on her return from Richmond, where she had gone to see her husband who is there in training. She was accompanied by Mr. and Mrs. Lee Cackley.
Mrs. Verdie B. Mann left last Saturday morning for Thornwood on her way to the “Sinks” community where she will be in charge of the school at that place.
Burke McCarty, of Cass, spent a few days here last week with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Ellis McCarty.
Mrs. F. L. Cackley met with a painful accident one day last week by falling on a butcher knife, cutting a deep gash between two of her fingers. Dr. H. W. McNeel was called to dress the wound.
STAMPING CREEK
Ernest Rose is at home now, having been discharged from the army.
Word has been received of Winters Rose, Lowell Grimes and Fred Waugh, safe arrival in France.
Withrow McClintic has a sawmill set on Henry Rose’s place while sawing the timber brought from J. B. Waugh.
DEATH OF A LITTLE CHILD
Muriel Virginia, the little daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Lawton, of Durbin, who was fatally burned while playing with matches on Sunday evening, September 1st, died a few hours later, and was laid to rest in the cemetery at Bartow, on the afternoon of the following day.
The accident was a distressing one… She had wandered away from the other members of the family at the supper hour, and in some unaccountable way, chancing upon the matches, had set her clothing afire, before her absence was discovered…
The large Tannery at Durbin of which Mr. Lawton is head bookkeeper was closed very considerately by Mr. J. W. Goodsell during the funeral hour, in order that the employees might attend…
The sadness of the little girl’s death was heightened by the fact that her brother, James, who is now on the fighting front in France, could not be present when the last rites were performed…