The Elk advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Elk Co., Pa.) 186?-1868, 1866-06-28

IIllS taOOOeo artcIe Dy plr'DHdlelj anu
without any license from the Common
wealth had its deleterious effect upon
the settlement at Ridgway, though
eighteen miles distant, and in feet be-
came an annoyance. Mr.. Alyworth be.
ing on the grand jury deemed the case
a proper one for presentmcnt, and the
court as properly fined Mr.. Shafer five
dollars and costs, with the admonition,
90, and sin no more" Mr. Shafer
never torgave this prosecution. Sub.
sequent action on the part of Mr.. Shafer
showed that he must evidently have
studied the laws of nations with regard
to L" Reprisals," carrying it into effect
so long as his " entertainment was alb
solutely necessary to the returning lum-
bermen of Ridgway or when any of its
citizens were his guests. The price of
meals suddenly rose fifty per cent, and
the astonished raftsmen upon their re-
monstrance, was quietly told, {" that the
Ridgwayites had got him fined for sell
ling liquor and he must make it up"
now there was logic in this. Mr., Shafer
regarding Ridgwayites as a sort of hos
tile nation, having despoiled him Of his
property by fine, believed it his duty Gas
well as interest) to make these reprisals.
Did General jackson do less when he
threatened France for her delay in ma.
king good her despoliation OH American
citizens! 1t is unnecessary to add that
Mr.. Shafer was a good Jackson man.
One other anecdote Of Mr.. Shafer will
exhibit the peculiar logic of his mind.
1t was after Mr.. Wall had established
his we'll known tavern at Brandy Camp,
(of which, special notice will be made
hereafter) the writer, with a friend !,
were on their way 10 Ridgway from
Pittsburgh, travelling on horseback,
night ovcrtakiug them, they "turned
in at Shafer's." None but children
we're at home, so they hitchcd their
horses in the old open log barn, ap.
propriating for them the only article of
food to be found, parts OF two sheaves
of oats. Mr.. Shafer having returned
in the evening, met his guests at an ear
ly hour next morning starting to Wallis
for breakfast. To the call for the bill
he apologized for its amount, stating
"that having no conveniences for keep
ing travellers he had to charge high,
that Mr.. Wall, having a good barn and
plenty of oats, good house and beds,
could afford to keep cheaper than he"
his argument was conclusive, and never
was good hotel bill paid with greater
cheerfulness But to retnrn to Mr.
Alyworth. This mistake of his with
regard to his mill, led to a survey by
himself and James L. Giilis of The race
which now courses through the west
part of the village of Ridgway. A com,
petent engineer was employed, and al
though a perfect maze of forest, swamps
and under brush, so correctly was il
staked out, its several cuttings marked
that when the whole was complete ted
mill erected, ana the water applied &c
the wheels there was not an inch varia
ton of head and fall from the draught
made by the engineer 1t is safer tt
abide the result of calculation and in
strumental guide, in cases of ike char
acter. The failure of the Alywortf
mill" gave Levi Alyworth a distastC
for forest lite and he determined t
quit, the country which did. During
the time he remained, Mr.. Ridgway
came in, looking after his affairs. HI
! was accompanied by his son John, whc
had just emerged from college life witt
no experience in business details, nor o
a woodman's occupations. Mr.. Ridg
| way, always an admirer of robust, stal
3 wart forms, could not but notice th'
slender and delicate figure of Levi Ally
worth and contrasting it with what h
I deemed so necessary for clearing land
= asked "a number of who were together
= what Levi was going to do, "Oh h
o will get along, he is deputy post mas
: ter" (the avails of this Office have beel
It before mentioued) John very naive
a ly asked how much the coffee wa
e worth ?" The elder Ridgway was evi
: dently vexed at Johns simplicity, nj
n tering sarcastic "pish I" "the devi
:, not cent" From the laugh that fo
s lowed, John in turn was embarrassed