Thursday, May 54, 1950
Monday, May 1, was May Day in Marlinton, with high school young people playing the part of town officers. At the regular council meeting that night, suggestions in never ending flow for improvement were received. Anyway, there is a notice in this paper calling for a fire department meeting with the council.
OLD THINGS
Mrs. E. J. Patterson, of Lower Camden Avenue, has a prize possession in a valentine of the crop of 1850. It was sent to her mother, the then Miss Caroline Arbogast, aged 16 years. It is an intricate, artistic affair, of many, many cut out hearts. Of the score or more sentiments – each little heart carrying one – is this:
“Round as the ring that hath no end,
So is my love to you, my friend.”
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Mrs. Waldo Waugh sent in the word that she had an old picture called “Flight into Egypt.”
There was writing in some foreign language on the back, with dates as early as 1802. Would I like to see it? Sure, I would. Not doubt it was one of those crude, highly colored prints of a century ago, now so eagerly sought after by collectors of old things. The ones by Ives for instance.
The other morning, Mrs. Waugh brought in the picture, and I was much more interested in the picture than the old figures on the back. It was a watercolor painting, copy of the celebrated painting of Joseph and Mary and the Young Child Jesus on their flight into Egypt. I am no artist, so I am no judge of artistic values. However, I liked the picture, and Mrs. Waugh rightly sets great store by it. Her sister found it in an old homestead near Grafton. There was no writing on the picture itself, not even the name of the artist. The backing matter of the picture and frame were old sheets of a ledger account book. I took the writing to be German; the dates were 1802 and 1803. The value of items was listed in pounds, shillings and pence.
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Mrs. William Akers, of Marlinton, gave me a copy of the Cosmopolitan Magazine, dated May 1902. A feature story, well-illustrated, had to do with railroad wrecks…
That was in the day of worship of financial success. So much so, the old magazine devoted whole chapters to life sketches of “Captains of Industry,” with the announcement that 20 to 30 pages would be so devoted each month…
Skeptical critics were taken to task for doubting that Scientist Marconi had actually received a wireless message last winter from Newfoundland, across a distance of 1,800 miles.
In view of an approaching air congress, much interest had been aroused concerning the possibilities of aerial flight in machines heavier than air.
The possibilities of the transmission of power without wires is discussed at length with no definite conclusions, other than if the energy of space is static, we are stuck where we are. If active – kinetic is the word they used – why, eventually man will “succeed in attaching their machinery to the very wheel work of nature.”
After all, pictures tell things more plainly than words. A cartoon in the old magazine shows the Russian Bear looking hungrily over a high stone wall at Great Britain’s John Bull. Though nearly fifty years have passed, the same ravenous beast is still in the news, – looking just a hungrily at the rest of the world. This time the artist would picture him peering from behind an iron curtain.
WEDDING
On Saturday, April 8, 1950, at the Methodist parsonage at Elkins, Mrs. Beulah Clendenen became the bride of Floyd Davis in a quiet ceremony.
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Potted plants decorated the Lodge at the Federal Prison Camp for the marriage on Saturday evening, April 29, 1950, of Miss Betty Elaine Goodman, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Raus L. Goodman to Kenneth Hultz, son of Mr. and Mrs. Lyle Hultz, of Baltimore, Maryland.
BIRTHS
Born to Mr. and Mr. Don Norman Rogers, of Huntersville, a daughter, Sharon Anita.
Born to Mr. and Mrs. Frank Parker Hight, of Monterville, a son.
Born to Mr. and Mrs. Ronald William Pennington, of Marlinton, a daughter, Linda Louise.
Born to Mr. and Mrs. Hubert James Sharp, of Marlinton, a daughter, Karen Jean.
Born to Mr. and Mr. Gene Lindy Perrine, of Hillsboro, a son, Gene Garfield.
DEATHS
Elmer L. Duncan, aged 64 years, of Cass; funeral from Cass Presbyterian Church with burial in Mt. View Cemetery. The deceased was a son of the late William and Clarissa McNeill Duncan. He is survived by his wife Mrytle Baxter Duncan, and their children Earle and Alex.
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Bryan O. Gum, aged 74 years, of Green Bank; funeral service was conducted from the Green Bank Methodist Church with interment in the Arbovale Cemetery. He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Laura Ervin Gum, two sons, Frank and Orville; four daughter, Mrs. Edith Taylor, Mrs. Anna May Tallman, Mrs. Una Galford, and Mrs. Margaret Hise.