The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1878-06-01
ny A CITIZEN OF CALHOUN COUNTY.
CHI AP. I.

\ distinguished author lail down a
the three cauOns Of criticism, three tes
questions, to be asked and answered
First-what Goes the writer propose &
do? Seconds it worth doing
Th;r4-has he done it we'll?
Applying these question to incidents
Of tho past, | propose giving The
readers Of TuE DEMOCRAT n few chap
ters 10 relation thereto. And shoult
minc DO considered US the whimsical
vageries ofa teemiug brain, wrOugh
from the tinscled gi!dings of fiction
the solution may be found in tho re
aection that "tru,h is sometimes q
!casD stranger than GctiOn."
1t was in tho spring of 1851 sha
| landed in GIenvillo, tho coraty sea
Of Gilmer county, snail aud prosper
Gus yilIiage, contiguous to J. F. "
Hollis saw and grist pEll.
came iinbucd with tho id.a tha
Gilmcr VOC iclested with beurs. punth
crs, catamounts and other two legget
acuizrns of like nature. Whilst on tht
other hand, all eustern people wer'
looked upon as proud, aris,ocrati'
set of-damphools-a very commenda
Glc opinion on both sides, under ,ht
circumstances.
llailing from the eastern portion o.
the State, was ut u Iuss at GgS! to nc
cOmoIatc myself to the manners, habit!
aud cusloma ei the good people among
whom | hu;I set my stakes to roo
hog or die. But soon became ac
climate,l, end was very soon iultintec
into the mysteries of western lite.
The first effort to harness Inc to tht
code of civilization, was made by my
distinguished friend aud new fellow
citizen, George Lyuch, Esq. The
Bismarck Of America, whose acquain
tance bud the honor of making at 4
time when he was engaged in surrey
ing the dimensions Of bis ot.prints
on q sandbar, iu the middle Of The
Little kauuwha river, preparatory tc
entering aud carrying into gruat u
homestead.
In these days open or cultivateG
land was source, and my friend did no
wish to pat himself to the trouble o
clearing out an entire forrest for tht
sake Of starting black berry patch
and the idca OF trcspassing upon hi.
beech nu: orchard, would have beer
outrageous and dangerous in the ex
trCme.
By some means. l became canii
date for the office Of -; ard whilst
canvassing tho lower portion Of tho
cOun,y,I camc across my friend Lynch,
who was also q candidate for the Office
Of Commissioner Of the Revenue. IL
took mo under his protecting wing. md
away We vent, Every man We mcthc
would modestly inform him tLa. be was
candidate, and request him not to tell
au3 body else. He would Introduce inc
as tue gentleman from tho "herring
pond )" adding also that | came from a
country where tho dogs had to lean
against persimmon trees to bark; and
that "kildecs." iu travelling from one
[icll to another, had to carry kuupsacks
Of provisions on their backs to keep
FROM starving; and also ksusgcstiug
that it would bo dangerous to allow me
to put my "possum claws" ou any 10.
gal papers, ifth amount in controversy
exceeded fifteen sAillings.
After seeing all tho voters iu .hai
section. GeOrga invited me to go with
him 10 his beech. nut domain on the
West Fork. lie said hG thought that
il would go and see his people. and
maee thcm speech from .he top of t
black jack stump, and sing them the
old song
'Thc sOrrel horse has gotE cough,
And his rider dNak in ,l.s Oil hAy loft y
that they would elect me. pr9viIcd i
better man did DOT show himsclt.