Thursday, April 28, 1976
FIRST
William Harper has a tomato plant in the window of the Men’s Shop with ten ripe tomatoes on it.
PANTHER
On the telephone Tuesday, Bill Vanscoy, Superintendent of the French Creek Game Farm, said the panther from Bruffey’s Creek was eating now and getting along fine but was definitely somewhat tame.
He shot a groundhog and took it to her; she walked out and looked it over, not a foot from him and not the least excited and then ate it. She doesn’t look as heavy as at first, evidently, she had really gorged on mutton, enough to last a while. He said again that neither the State nor the U. S. Game Officials had attempted to stock the animals.
Some people in the Lobelia area thought it might have been released but it is still at French Creek. Mrs. Lodge Walton was in Friday and said Larry Dean had heard what sounded like a panther cry back in the mountains and the Walton’s sheep wouldn’t venture far from the house and barn.
TRAVEL MAGAZINE
The May issue of Travel Magazine carries a highly complimentary article by Patrick Frazier on a trip through the Monongahela National Forest. He was “conquered” by the beauty and the serenity of the farms and mountains – the “soulful landscape” – and concisely describes most of the attractions of the area.
There is a full-page picture of the Hammons Family musicians and their dog, and a smaller one of the Thornwood Church.
DANGER STILL HIGH
Only .05 inch of rain fell Sunday, so the forest fire danger remains high. So far for April, there has been only .23 inch of rain, a record low for April going back late in the 1930s. The watch plane started flying Tuesday and towers were to be manned Wednesday.
PCHS TRACK
Albert Pondexter led the PCHS trackmen to victory in their own invitational at home last week. He placed first in the long jump and 100 yard dash and running leg on the second place 440 yard relay team.
The Warriors scored a rather lopsided victory over four opponents. Team scoring was PCHS 93; Webster County 61; Braxton County 55; Nicholas County 51; and Richwood 24.
EXTENSION HOMEMAKERS
The Mt. Zion Extension Homemakers Club met at the home of Mrs. Bill Campbell April 12. The meeting was called to order by club president Mrs. Lynn McLaughlin.
Devotions were given by Mrs. Gordon Dilley.
Mrs. Eldon Fertig gave a very informative lesson, “Diabetes, a Growing Menace.”
The following members were present: Mrs. W. G. Dilley, Mrs. Gordon Dilley, Mrs. Eldon Fertig, Mrs. Douglas Albee, Mrs. Everett Seldomridge, Mrs. Lynn McLaughlin, Mrs. Ray Corbett, Mrs. Dewey Sharp, Miss Renee Fertig, guest, Mrs. Robert Hiner and our hostess, Mrs. Bill Campbell.
Dear Mrs. Sharp;
That was indeed a very interesting article about your hand set newspaper which appeared in the March issue of “Wonderful West Virginia” mountains. I never dreamed that any printing shop like this ever existed anywhere in these United States today.
My late father, Dr. Lief E. Walton, was one of the staff (circa 1922-1923) of the old Marlinton Hospital, a very large wood frame building. I still have a hand-colored postcard of it made for the Kee & McNeill Druggists. If you care to run a picture of it, I would be glad to loan it to you for that purpose.
I was between four and six years old and I don’t remember much about the place or what street we lived on. I believe a Mrs. Duncan was our next-door neighbor. I drove through there around nine years ago, hoping to see the old hospital standing.
There is one incident that I will never forget. My brother, Harold, and I were tagging along with some older boys cruising the railroad trestle. When we got about halfway, we heard a train whistle ahead.
Boy! I mean we were scared; we turned around and scrambled to get off. By the time we reached the end and jumped for our lives on our bellies, the train whizzed past and threw cinders all over us.
We never told our parents about this near escape of getting killed until years later.
Maybe some of the old folks still remember my parents. My father was reared at Renick, at that time the township was named Moder. When he moved from Marlinton to Pennsboro, he gave up surgery because he wanted to open his own practice. He became well known throughout Ritchie County and was mentioned in the “Who’s Who of the Medical Profession” book.
Sincerely,
Lief E. Walton, Jr.
BIRTH
Born to Mr. and Mrs. Verle L. Pyles, of Maxwelton, a son, Verle Lee Pyles, Jr.
