Thursday, September 30, 1926
Levi Baxter, of Onoto, gave his Sunday School class a picnic last Sunday. They motored to Minnehaha for the day. Those present were Misses Alva Moore, Ada Wooddell, Alice Wooddell, Opal Barlow, Katherine Kellison, Ira Barlow, Leon-ard Kellison, Dolphia Sharp, Dorsey Sharp, Layton Sharp, Glenn Moore, Melvin Wooddell, Loy Sharp.
ODD FELLOWS HOME
The Independent Order of Odd Fellows of West Virginia has found something worthy of the boasting they give it, in the home they have established at Elkins for boys and girls.
Approximately 200 children ranging in age from 16 months to 16 years, find a home at the institution. It is the largest of its kind in the state and one of the most successful. Five of the children graduated in June from the Elkins high school. Four of them will enter the West Virginia University in Morgantown this fall, and the fifth will enter Marshall college at Huntington.
The aim of the institution is to conduct a home for the orphaned children who are unfortunate enough to lose their parents before they are able to maintain themselves, and to prepare them to become useful, law-abiding citizens.
There are approximately 40,000 Odd Fellows belonging to the various 100 IOOF lodges over the state.
During this year the farm products raised with help of the older boys and girls were as follows:
750 bushels of extra fine quality potatoes; 555 bushels oats; 250 bushels tomatoes; 1,000 bushels corn; 250 bushels beans; 1,000 dozen sweet ear corn; 65 tons hay; 140 bushels rye; 800 bushels pumpkins; 20 bushels beets; 5,000 heads cabbage; 26 bushels cucumbers; 1,700 gallons milk per month; 800 dozen eggs; 150 bushels buckwheat; 51 head hogs; 140 gallons raspberries; 120 tons silage; 12 head thoroughbred calves.
FROM FLORIDA
The following letter was received by O. L. Orndorff from his son who was in the great storm which swept over Florida last week.
Dear Folks;
I guess you have heard of the disaster by now. We have just passed through the worst storm in the history of the United States. And as I write I am thanking God that I am able to scribble a few lines. Even as I write, I can hear the sirens of the Red Cross and the Ambulances bringing in the dead.
The storm and tidal wave lasted six hours. In that time in Ft. Lauderdale alone, over five hundred million dollars damage was done. There have been 1,700 people killed so far, and of course, there are many more that were never found, and still new ones are being found every day.
People are homeless and penniless. I have lost every dollar I have but that is nothing, I have carried bodies and food day and night since Friday morning.
The storm started at four o’clock Friday morning September 17. We were all drifting in six feet of water before daylight. I haven’t had any sleep or anything to eat but wet bread since then. I struggled with a little girl to keep her from drowning until I collapsed. When I came to, I was in the Masonic Temple. Was picked up by the Red Cross. I am cut from head to foot.
Shirley is all right. I got him out of his room in seven feet of water. He has waded and worked ever since.
I am all right. Don’t worry, for everything is over now. The soldiers are here and relief trains are running so we won’t starve. I lost all my clothing and haven’t anything to wear but will come out some way.
If I ever prayed, I prayed during the storm. You can’t picture the horror of it all. I am so torn up I can’t write. I had a little money in the bank, but I can’t draw it, but my Boss gave me $75 and said don’t worry I will take care of you. Just this minute the Relief car passed with 16 bodies, all dead.
My nerves are so bad, I can’t write but will write more next time.
Lovingly,
Lennis
THE PEOPLE WILL TALK
“Yes, people will talk,
The saying is true;
They will talk about me.
They will talk about you.
If we go to the opera,
Someone will say,
We should go to church
And learn how to pray.
If we go to church
And offer up prayers,
They say we are hypocrites
And putting on airs.
If we are rich,
They call us a thief,
Scoff at out sorrows,
Laugh at our grief.
If we are poor,
They say we shirk,
We are always lazy
And never would work.
“They talk of our prospects,
They talk of our past,
And if we are happy
They say it can’t last.
They talk of our loved ones,
They talk of our foes,
They talk of our follies
They talk of our woes.
They talk of our joys,
They talk of our fears,
They talk of our smiles,
They talk of our tears.
They talk if we are single.
They talk if we are wed,
They talk of us living,
They talk of us dead.
Though we live like an angel
With circumspect walk,
Our efforts are useless
Because people will talk.
