Thursday,
February 18, 1915
Are the men and women of Pocahontas county maintaining the high standard of honesty, intelligence and morality of a generation ago? This is a question that has often come to mind in the last few years. Are we preserving our most valued inheritance – the high character for which the people of this county have been noted?
In the last fifteen years, the county has experienced a great industrial change and many valuable new people have made their home here. It has been a time in which the financial affairs of the county have experienced a decided change and there has been just as much change in the occupations of the people. During that time, many of the best men and women having completed their work here have passed away, and their places have been taken, after a fashion, by another generation. We hope there has been no letting down on the part of those who are now wearing the mantles of those who have departed…
“Remember this – that there is a proper dignity and proportion to be observed in the performance of every act of life.”
PROHIBITION
Everybody is looking forward with a great deal of interest to see the first man drunk in town. It used to be common enough, but that has all changed in the last six weeks. The first man who celebrates will have no little notoriety thrust upon him. We never saw such a change in a short time before.
If you would ask us what we considered the softest snap in the way of a job in West Virginia, we would have to say that it is the job of being policeman in a small town since the express company ceased to deliver liquor.
ONOTO
We are having ground hog weather sure enough.
Stock is looking well in this part considering the long winter we have had; feed is getting very scarce.
C. C. Baxter has installed a feed mill to his gasoline engine and has been doing a lot of grinding for the farmers of this vicinity.
The stork visited the home of Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd VanReenan at Woodrow on February 5th and left a fine pair of twin boys.
W. G. Cochran is installing a lime grinder on his farm. This is something that has been needed by the farmers in this neighborhood. This will enable them to buy lime at a low price and save the use of so much fertilizer.
JACOX
We are having plenty of rain and mud in this part now. Some of the roads have no bottom to them.
Some have been asking what has become of all our old time teachers? The teachers like other people must grow better or lose out.
“Old Scholar” says he learned more in four months than they do now in six or seven. We think from his letter he had better go to school one term now and see if he could not learn some more.
The worst trouble with the schools today is lack of interest among the patrons; they are thinking more of the dollar than education.
YELK
Certainly no further argument will be necessary than the old Scholar’s letter to prove that the hoosier (sp) schools were superior to the schools of today, and that orthography was their pet and hobby.
Many of the farmers are building lime kilns, and very likely the farms will be much improved by the proper use of lime.
DURBIN
C. L. Curtis’ family has been very sick with scarlet fever.
Lots of mud since St. Valentine.
Some of our friends got valentines; some of them were glad and some of them were mad.
Business is looking better now. The I. O. O. F. is selling one half interest in the fine Hall building to the Royal Order of Moose. There is talk of other buildings going up.
H. E. White, with two dray wagons, delivers goods for the Durbin Mercantile Co., rain or shine, cold or hot.
DUNMORE
The blue birds have made their appearance.
The road from John Wanless’ to Cloverlick is in the worst shape we have ever seen it.
Jacob Lightner, the young cattle king, was in town Friday. Jack is hustling his cattle to get them through the winter.
We think that Huntersville correspondent is troubled with black head and crippled under the hat rim when he writes about our working the roads with a pen. Wonders have been done with the pen and the sword. We know what we are talking about.
Died at his home near Mt. Zion Church, February 11, 1915, Morgan Grimes, aged 85 years. Mr. Grimes was a good, clever, Christian gentleman. He was laid to rest beside his wife at Mt. Zion.
OAK GROVE
Well, well, well, what do you know? The Independent says the Lord is on the side of the Republican party. Well, I wonder who told him, for he hasn’t got any scripture to prove this assertion. It is a well-known fact that the G. O. P. has been associated with that dark skinned fellow who wears horns for a long time, but for a man to accuse the Prince of Peace of politics. Why, he would push little one day old chickens into the water if he got half a chance.
