Thursday, January 24, 1899
From the Highland Recorder: Otho Gum suffered a stroke of paralysis from which it is thought he cannot recover. – E. M. Arbogast rented his farm in Pocahontas county to S. M. and C. L. Burns for $260 per year. – Jehu Gum, of Pocahontas county, while on a visit to John Page’s on Little Back Creek, took sick suddenly and died on Thursday evening of last week.
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It is a very common sight to see trappers bringing in the skins of polecats on long poles to the stores where they bring high or low prices according to their color – the more black, the higher the price. When they reach the dealer in furs they are known as the Alaska sable. A naturalist writing in the Forest and Stream gives some interesting facts concerning this distinctive American animal. The early Canadian settlers name it L’Enfant du Diable, “Child of the Devil.” They have but one power of defense and that is to eject to a distance of 4 to 10 feet an offensive secretion. A tablespoonful is about the quantity the animal has at its command…
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We see it stated that the University of West Virginia in its report failed to give an itemized statement of its expenditures. Now they are after it to find out how much money, if any, was paid to bring on that monstrous sociologist Professor Ward with his nest of addled eggs, including the doctrines of free love and free thought, to lecture before the students of a school for both sexes. We would like to know how much it really did cost to originate such a shame and scandal.
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It is said that the mileage, expenses and hotel bills of the committee appointed to purchase chairs and desks for the Senate chamber is over six hundred dollars; the members considering it necessary to visit several of the principal cities of the United States in order to purchase a small bill of furniture. Verily, Verily, the affairs of State are queerly managed.
BIG FOOT WALLACE
Sunday morning, January 15th, one of the most noted frontiersmen of Texas passed away, William A. Wallace, aged about 84 years. He was born near Lexington, Virginia.
When a mere youth, while he was plowing, news was brought to him in the field that his brother Samuel had been slain by the Mexicans. He left plow and horses standing in the furrow, and made arrangements to go and avenge his brother’s blood. To use his own expression, he “got full toll.”
He became one of the most noted of Mexican and Indian fighters on the Texas border, and was called “Big Foot” Wallace – a name given him for overcoming an Indian warrior noted for his strength and size in single combat. Wallace was dangerously wounded in the contest with the Indian “Big Foot.”
His adventures were set forth in a volume entitled “Big Foot Wallace,” and details in graphic style his thrilling experiences as the avenger of a brother’s blood…
Some of his relatives yet live in Rockbridge. Among them is Mrs. Phebe A. Wallace, his brother Andrew’s widow, who lives at the Wallace homestead a mile or so south of Lexington.
AN OLD TIME FAMILY
Jeremiah H. Robey, an aged West Virginian living two miles from Lumberport, Harrison county, has made a noted record in the way of rearing families. His first marriage, more than 60 years since, was with Charlotte Griffin, daughter of a Baptist minister. By this marriage there were seven sons and seven daughters. At the time of his second marriage to Cevilla Swisher, he was 65 years of age and the bride was 28. By this marriage there are ten children. The second marriage occurred sixteen years ago, and the youngest child is about six months old. Two are twins. His children are all living but four. Mr. Robey is an industrious person and has managed to make a good living for his families, and is now in comfortable circumstances. He has been able to help all his married children to the amount of four or five hundred dollars when setting up for themselves. He is now 81 years of age, and never spends an idle day, and sends his friends word that he does not feel any older than he did twenty years ago. One of his daughters of the first family is Mrs. Aaron Kellison on Dry Branch of Swago.