Thursday, August 24, 1928
An automobile party from Lucerne, Missouri, composed of J. R. Kellison, his sister, Mrs. Sallie Young, Mrs. S. S. Putnam and Allan Hill, came back to Pocahontas for the Home Coming at the Fair. This is Mr. Hill’s first trip back to his native county in 58 years.
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Dr. H. W. McLaughlin, of Richmond, arrived Tuesday morning for the Pocahontas County Fair. He will judge the sheep. The Doctor spent the last two weeks in Missouri lecturing at a Bible Conference. As the head of the Country Church Department of the Presbyterian Church, Dr. McLaughlin has a national reputation as an authority upon this important phase of Christian endeavor. He has just published another book on this work, “Christ and the Country People.”
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The residence of Mrs. Mary Sharp, in the Big Flats, east of Edray, burned down last Saturday night. House and contents are a complete loss. The loss is several thousands of dollars. There was no insurance. It is not known how the fire started as Mrs. Sharp was away from home, at the bedside of her sick sister.
CRANBERRY
This once upon a time was early in the fall. The trees were decked in all the splendor of autumn colors. The shadows of the evening lengthened over the valley of Cranberry. As the shades of night settled over the earth, a ruddy glow brightened the sky above the mountain. Soon it looked as if a great conflagration was devastating the country back and below.
Presently the firey disc of the fall moon climbed higher and higher into the sky.
First the long shadows of trees and mountains were sent over the valley, and then the long rays of light were cast over the beautiful lake which nestled in the mountains. The waters flowed like a mass of moulton silver amid the black setting of mountains clothed with the dark evergreen of spruce and hemlock.
The quiet of night was broken by a party of barred owls that hooted and laughed with each other. A panther screamed from the Black Mountain. The browsing deer stood motionless for death itself stalked abroad for some of their number.
A beaver splashed his warning call to his mate. The law of the jungle prevailed.
Those took, who had power, and those kept, who could.
A geological period has passed. The fall moon is again above the crest of the Cranberry Mountain. Its beams and shadows are again cast across the valley. But the silvery bosom of the lake no longer gleams amid the mountains.
Change has taken place. In these thousands of years, the lake has been partly filled – erosion, transportation and deposit.
Water plants gradually covered the surface of the water. The quaking glade was just beginning its life.
Year followed year.
Young glades became old glades. Plant succession showed tendency toward high degree of hydrophytism.
Alder established itself on the borders of the glade, gradually working toward dominant association until the present condition has developed.
Still a quaking bog, but with islands of more or less solid ground. The forest encroaching slowly, surely.
An inch a year?
A hand’s breadth in a century?
It makes no difference. The forest comes.
First the lake, now the bog, next the forest.
“Thus times do shift – each thing his turn does hold:
New things succeed as former things grow old.” ~ W. S.
GREENBANK FAIR
The Greenbank District Fair was a success. The horses were better, the exhibits were better and everyone had a good time. The fair opened in the morning with the musical program, Quartettes, community singing and Old Fiddler’s Contest.
The first thing in the afternoon was the horse show. Twelve horses were entered and the contests were good all the way thru. The horse show included gents, all day saddle class, one gait, farmers class, gate, ditch and log; potato race; tournament, gents three gaited saddle class, boys and girls saddle class.
Two games of football were on the schedule – Rugby football. Cass versus the world Soccer football, Dunmore versus the district.
The household exhibits were large and varied. A great many more were entered than was expected. Flowers, canned goods, cakes, biscuits, linen, needlework, rugs…