Thursday, April 13, 1900
LOCAL MENTION
John Moran, of Beaver Creek, died Sunday and was buried on Swago.
Jake Gibson, of Elk, and Miss Kramer, of Clover Creek, were married last Wednesday.
Mrs. Annie Walker, wife of William Walker, of Brownsburg, died Wednesday morning, April 4, 1900. She was the wife of William Walker and the daughter of Howard Tibbs and Louise Tibbs, and the mother of three children.
William Miller, a respected colored citizen, died Sunday afternoon, April 8th, of pneumonia at his home near Driscol, aged about forty years. He leaves a widow and five small boys.
Married the 4th inst. at the residence of William Payne, Mr. Jessie Uriah Gum, of Greenbrier, and Mrs. Mattie E. Jackson, of Pocahontas County.
Captain J. A. McNeel, of Rockbridge, passed through Marlinton last Saturday on his way to the Levels. He thinks there is no doubt that it was the genuine smallpox that was epidemic in Rockbridge the late winter.
Contractor Kramer has built a house at the three-mile tree and moved his family into it last week and will begin work on the Huntersville and Marlinton boulevard at once. He has been delayed by the quarantine and weather.
A LEAF FROM MY NOTEBOOK
We proceed on our way from Slaty Fork to Edray. We left our readers at Sheldon Hannah’s place last week. We notice Mr. Hannah killed a dog of his that went mad a few days ago. Several dogs have gone mad in this vicinity this spring and had to be killed. Some two or three head of cattle are reported to have been bitten by mad dogs and had to be killed also.
We wish to give a passing glance at all the settlers along this road and yet there are some families that we know nothing about and must now pass along with this mere mention of them.
We pass a house to the left of a little eminence. We know but little of an aged couple who used to live here and yet we have heard of them and know something at least of their family. Passing here, we feel like alighting from our horse and looking for the sacred spot on the floor of this old house where “the husband and the father prayed.” You will ask us why we think they were followers of the meek and lowly Jesus. We answer, we think they were, for “by their fruits, ye shall know them.” Rev. Geo. P. Hannah, of the M. E. Church, Henry Hannah, merchant in Renick’s Valley; Mrs. Silas Sharp, of Slaty Fork, and the late Mrs. Samuel Gibson were born and raised here.
Just beyond this place we find Grant Higgins sitting on the fence by the roadside. To all appearances he has just returned from salting some stock. He is seated here for a few moments chatting with Levi Gibson who is seated on his horse heading downstream. We learn from these young men that the morning air is a little too cold for comfort and yet they wish to be sociable and exchange a few words as is the custom with people in crossing roads through life. “We go this way, [that is, through life] but once.” Let us help each other all we can as we meet and cross roads.
Yonder is Samuel Gibson’s residence to the right of the road and near the bank of the Creek. This man and his little family seem comfortable and happy. He, however, with the rest of us, has seen trouble in this life. He has his second wife and a bright little boy to cheer him up and make him happy. His first wife was referred to above in speaking of the last-mentioned family.
We are nearing Samuel Hannah’s place. Here is a very comfortably situated one of the nicest men on this Creek.
The Creek bottom widens out here and the grand old mountains lift their heads high and present an attractive scene to the onlooker. These lofty peaks attract and gather the fruitful showers in summer which greatly helps to make these fields productive.
Still this bottom widens out more and more as we proceed on our journey. On one side of the road here are the ruins of a burned down house, which belonged to Bond Hannah. This house was burned early last fall. A little later in the season William Gibson had a barn burned on the opposite side of the road. These gentlemen lost greatly by the burning of these buildings. To tell how these fires originated is out of the question.
So far as we know, the whole matter is wrapped in mystery. There will, however, be a by and by, whether it be a sweet or bitter by and by, it will be an uncovering of all mysteries. Let us all transact our affairs so that whatever leaps to light we never shall be ashamed. We need to stand securely when we shall be disrobed of all our surroundings in a condition of things when every man’s work shall be thoroughly tried.
Time flies, but we do not fly up this Creek very fast on this trip, but don’t hurry us and we will work cheaper. A.M.
A BIT OF HUMOR
“Before I give my answer,” said the careful parent, “I would like to ask a question. Can you support a family?”
“I can, sir,” replied the trembling suitor.
“That settles it. Take her at once, my boy. Her mother and I will move in as soon as you set up housekeeping.”
