Thursday, March 3, 1921
This week winds up the Democratic reign in America but it has been thought best to maintain the Democratic political organization to be used for the purpose of saving the country should the occasion arise. Of the eight years that the Democratic party was in power, seven of them were consumed in war and the purgatory which followed the war. As time mellows the individual resent- ment representing the evil that exists in every heart, the fact that the country lived through the period and came out united and strong, will redound to the honor and glory of the Democratic party, and men will turn to it again. It is no more dead than was the Republican party in 1912, when that party carried but two states in the Union at the general election.
Till the day comes when the country once more has need of the oldest party in America, Democrats can well afford to wait, for they are always the happiest during the vacation periods. They offer to serve the country and if the offer is rejected they have the satisfaction of knowing that they have kept their meat and their manners, too.
Woodrow Wilson has the distinction of having exercised more power as a ruler than any man that ever lived. Too many lose sight of the fact that he kept the country together during the war. The great thing is not that the United States joined the Allies and fought against the Germans, but that during the time when the world was mad, that this country joined and fought together. That it suffered no split or division. It made a deliberate decision upon the merits of the controversy, made its decision known, gave time for its acceptance, and when nothing else would do, took up arms and ended the war on the right side….
In the hereafter all men will say of Wilson that he brought the country safely through and that for this the Lord had raised him up.
The war is over, and we still live…
LOCAL MENTION
J. H. Smith and Stanley Robinson, of Thornwood, were before Squire Smith on Wednesday, on a liquor charge. Robinson was acquitted and Smith was fined $300 and 90 days in jail. He took an appeal to the Circuit Court.
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The country has passed through a severe storm with heavy snow. It is thought to have done much good holding in check vegetation that was beginning to show an unseasonable advance for so early in the season as February.
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This is the week the bank statements are published. The combined resources of the four banks of the county are $2,184,136.00.
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A large number of robins were seen in Marlinton Sunday. Other migratory birds are here, and welcomed as harbingers of the spring.
BIRTHS
Born to Mr. and Mrs. Frank Hayes at Hillsboro, a son, named Frank Raymond Hayes.
Born to Mr. and Mrs. Floyd Baxter, at Clover Lick, a son.
Born to Mr. and Mrs. Fred Barlow, of Marlinton, a son.
A TRIP TO POCAHONTAS
Weston Independent
Dear Friend Cook;
I have just returned from Pocahontas county where I visited many relatives, descendants of my youngest sister, Mrs. Jno. K. Hinkle. Renick Waugh, a nephew, was here, and he became a great friend of Clark Burk-hammer. They planned to take a bear hunt in the mountains near Marlinton, where Renick lives. So December 21st, Burkhammer, John E. Swecker and I took the train for Elkins, armed to the teeth. We spent the night at Elkins, and met former Sheriff Jno. A. Chittum there, and the following morning we left for Durbin, and thence to Thorny creek, thirty-five miles down the Greenbrier river, where we met Renick. We ferried across the creek to the home of his parents, L. M. and Maggie Waugh. Both the elder Waugh and his son joined us as we started for the wilds, all loaded for bear, thirsting for blood and breathing threatenings against any bear which might cross our path.
After climbing rugged mountains, falling over logs and rocks, sliding down the steeps, seeing some forbidden deer escaping over the ridges, and discovering some turkey-tracks, they returned at eventide without having seen any bear. They repeated this on the second day, and they, not inappropriately, named it “Armi-stice Day,” having deter- mined that they would let alone all bears which would let them alone, and that sort of an agreement with bears is a reasonably safe one. I should have excepted myself from this hunting party, for I sought, not the game of the fastness, but the friendly fireside and the well laden table. We were all royally entertained among my people in that rugged country, and we all enjoyed their comfortable homes and their uniform hospitality. I had a very enjoyable visit with my two nieces, Mrs. Waugh and Mrs. Lucy F. Dilley.
In Marlinton, I spent a few days visiting my grand-nephew, W. M. Waugh, and his good family.
In the car of a Mr. Hiner, I had a ride all through the town and its surroundings. Marlinton is built at and around the mouth of Knapps creek. There is a three-span concrete bridge crossing the Greenbrier river, standing on the same solid foundation where once stood an old wooden bridge, made famous because General Robert E. Lee crossed it in one of his marches during the civil war.
I asked a pretty little thirteen years old girl, Edna May, who was tending a store, to write for me a list of the enterprises in that town, and she did. Among these are two wholesale houses, seven groceries, two drug stores, two banks, six doctors, seven lawyers, etc., etc.
It used to have two newspapers until Lee Dean put his type and office towel in his pocket and left for Buckhannon. Now there is but one – The Pocahontas Times. It was being printed when I called at the office, and they were making good Times at a rapid rate. I met the editor, Calvin Price, who reluctantly admitted that he was acquainted with Ad Hall and the Independent.
To be continued..