The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1874-10-20
NEIeHBoRHOOD NEWS.
tR OCTOBER 10th, 1874.
MARTINS FERRY.

UNFORTUNATELY it is mems follies
and vices rather than their strong points
or their virtues, that the public demands,
hence our record is small. Would it
were the fashion to hunt the good deeds
and record them in stead of the bad ones.
We fatter ourselves if such We're the
case that heret in Martins Ferry We
might find . bright and shining record.
IT seems like our queer old ladies insult
be out on dress parade this afternoon.
As We passed up Mulberry street We met
two. No nonsense there, We can tell
YOU. Black dresses, ample and straight,
good motherly aprons, in whose ample
folds the wains can hide their tear-stain-
cd faces, and be petted into calm. One
face is radiant as the full moon and fair
lv beams over with kindness, and the
blue eyes are large, calm and helpful in
their expression. The other has the
merriest face, like the old body could
look back over o whole life of comic
scenes, and WAS going to spend the rest
of her existence laughing at their recol-
lection. Her old fashioned cap
border, plated full around her
face, must have at least ten
yards in it, aud she is knitting away,
keeping step to some old tune that runs
through her head as she listens to their
clicks. Her face is wrinkled, but seemly
none of them are made by care, and her
black eyes slightly crossed, are like two
black beads and the expression makes
YOU want 10 turn a somerssult, if you be
q small boy, and wish you were if you
are not. We walk slowly up the street,
as we pass our old ladies, and troup Of
noisy school children come hurry skurry
at your heels. AS they reach the point
of the deep grade at the pump on Wal
mt street. they stop and some look sad,
but rs several pick up pebbles and dirt
and bigin to throw them and jeer and
laugh, We step forward to see what it is
they see. No wonder ono bright boy
with happy, honess fsce, cries shame
Old age how art thou fallen! Gray hairs,
that should be glory, and crown of
protection, how art thou degraded, Alas
for the weakness of humanity! AS we
look down the steep banks, We
see an old man, apparently sixty
years old, his hat fallen of, and his
grey hairs falling over his eyes. A bum
die of tin cans he was carrying lie scat
tered, and he was on his knees trying to
rise from where he he has fallen down
the hill. After while he gets up and gets
his things together and starts up the
other bank, but by the time he is half
way up he staggers and falls down on his
back, and the blood is flowing from Il cut
in his hands, made by the sharp edge of
one of the cans. He tries again to rise
but cannot, and his childred become
louder in their cries and taunts. Finally
the boy who tried at first to stop their
cries goes to his help, puts his hat on,
picks up his cans and helps him home.
Only drunken man, you say. Yes,
only drunken man, but man for all
that. A man fallen and degraded, with
the usual curse upon him, the crowd, to
ieer and laugh at his downfall, and only
one to help. Bless God for the excep-
tons to general humanity.
IMPROVEMENTS are general in town,
the most Of the houses receiving repairs
for winter, and many are gorgeous in
new coats of paint.
THE Presbyterian church is being
painted and improved.
The school house is having new
pavement laid in front Of it.
The glass works are shipping glas to
different parts of the country, and turn
ing out more work than for several
months.
For the last two weeks the Benwood
Iron works have turned out from thirty
to thirty-two tons ofpig irOnper day, the
best work they have ever done. -
COUNCIL meets tomorrow night, and
the establishment of the grade on Ohio
avenue will be discussed. ~. ...
BUTTER continues at forty cents =
pound, and is scarce ut that.
The dry goods stores have laid in n
larger stock of goods than for several
seasons before.
THERE are yards in front Of almost all
the churches in town. Why would it not
be good idea to beautify them somewhat
by planting shrubbery and flowers, in
stead of having them merely SO much
waste, barren ground? L. l..