Thursday, December 22, 1898
The skaters have been enjoying rare sport the recent cold days on the river and creek. There has also been some coming and going between Marlinton and Buckeye, by the ice route.
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Every fall, for a number of years, a panther track has been seen in the Indian Draft. It is supposed to be crossing from Gauley Mountain to the mountains east. The same track has been observed in the spring for several years, returning.
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I am the happy possessor of a “jovial Uncle,” who is as good and kind as it is possible for anyone to be. Like a true “Johnny Bull,” this jolly English Uncle has a hearty appetite, as needs must be to support his splendid “physique.” It is on record that he once tried to see how long he could fast. After a big breakfast, he started the experiment; but it was too much for him, and he broke down at luncheon time, when he polished off several rounds of roast beef, a dozen plum puddings, and a demijohn of ale. He lives to tell the tale, which no one relishes more than he does himself…
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I have noticed that it is often the same thing with talking as with eating. A man may keep silent in company for a short time, and even “keep off the grass” as far a scandal and gossip is concerned – but he soon breaks down and shows the cloven foot by an overwhelming torrent of blatherskite and fool talk about other people’s affairs – which shows him up as a “hass.” One longs to escape to a cave – far from the busy haunts of men – take an emetic, or get drunk to escape being bored to death in such instances. Don’t forget, boys, that there are other people in this world besides you – and they are every bit as good as you – and often better!
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Uncle Johannes Caplinger has built himself a cellar, and is now at liberty to take his walks abroad. He left home at “sun-up,” walked to Sam Wood’s store by mid-day, and then started home with three yards of stove pipe in one hand, and a square rood of leather in the other; but the objects of interest and conversations on the return journey were so numerous and entertaining that it was “full moon” before “home, sweet home” was reached.
Abuses of Tobacco Chewing
A writer in the North Carolina Presbyterian gives a very singular account of the abuses of tobacco chewing. He tells how, at the recent Synod held at Gastonia, there were left “stains that would not be obliterated for many years to come.” The “spat” of which we speak came in the form of tobacco juice from the mouths of ministers and ruling elders, and was deposited on the beautiful carpet of that beautiful church building which has been dedicated to the service of God.
THE SCANDAL MONGER
It has been often remarked that country newspapers print news notes of, apparently, unimportant events. In chronicling the uprisings and down-sittings of country citizens, no doubt a good many items of too little importance creep into the paper, but, many weeks, if the editor waited for something great to happen, his paper would not appear. The city dailies make capital out of these items, sometimes by copying detached ones verbatim: “James K. Jones, Esq. is having his house painted.” This is given as a sample of the makeup of a rural paper, and in another column of the daily, there will be an article of five hundred words about a boy stealing a banana from a push cart man…
