Thursday, December 22, 1949
FIELD NOTES
The other night, the dogs at the home of W. O. Ruckman, near Mill Point, sounded an alarm. On investigation, it was found to be baying a coon. Catching the coon, it was found the varmint had its head fast in a tin can. It took two persons to pull the can off, and it looked like the animal’s head was in danger of coming off, too. The coon was about half grown and thin in flesh. After a few days in a cage, the door was purposely left open. It disappeared, evidently returning to the forest.
The can was that of a favorite brand of meat. Presumably, it had been left in the woods by a hunter and the curious coon had proceeded to investigate.
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Theodore McMillion of near Lobelia was a visitor in town last Saturday. Somehow or other, the topic of conversation turned to farm fences, and then from wire to rails. From a hundred to 150 rails in oak was always considered a good day’s splitting when the timber was in oak. When it was chestnut and the cuts were big and of straight grain, a thousand or more was not an uncommon day’s splitting. I asked Mr. McMillion for his record day at rail splitting and he said 1,400. The timber was big and of finest quality; the cuts had been assembled on good ground, and it was all in the nature of a race, too. One brother was to do the splitting and the other was to build the rails into fence. Theodore was able to split faster than his brother could haul and lay up. I do not know whether that experience had anything to do with the brother quitting the farm, but I do know he went to California and is there now, a successful building contractor.
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One cold night last week, Norman Alderman, of Beaver Creek, saw in the light of his automobile a big crane – blue heron – humped up beside the road. The car was stopped, and the great bird raised and flew away into the night. It is unusual for this summer visitor in these parts to remain so late into the cold season.
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Over at Harry Cochran’s log camp at the head of Hills Creek, there was panther sign last week. In the dark of one early morning, a teamster was in the barn making ready his team for the day in the woods. He heard mournful sounds like a woman screaming not far away back in the forest on the mountainside. The man paid no mind as he figured the joker of the crew was just pulling another one over on him. Back in the camp, he found his friend had never been way from the fire. Then he knew he had heard a panther. Came the weekend and the crew all cleared out for their homes, on their return, there were big cat tracks in the snow where a varmint larger than a dog and smaller than a bear had visited the camp.
BIRTHDAY PARTY
Buckeye – On last Wednesday night a number of friends gathered at the home of Mr. and Mrs. James W. Howard for a surprise party. The occasion was the nineteenth birthday of Miss Juanita Howard. She received a lovely chest of silver, fifteen pieces of Fostoria glassware, and many other presents. The beautiful cake was baked by her grandmother, Mrs. J. L. Howard.
BIRTHS
Born to Mr. and Mrs. David W. Sparks, a son, Paul Jackson.
Born to Mr. and Mrs. William Barrett, a daughter, Carmen.
Born to Mr. and Mrs. Imon Walton, a son, Winters Charles.
DEATHS
Mrs. Eleanor Leona Davis Slaven, aged 50 years, wife of John K. Slaven, died at her home in Cass December 18, 1949. Her body was laid to rest in the family plot in Arbovale Cemetery, the service being held from the Cass Methodist church. Mrs. Slaven is survived by her husband and their ten children… She was a daughter of the late Lorenza and Chilla Ann Shiflett Davis, of Rockingham, County. Va.
