The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1889-06-29
WIT, HUMOR AND PATHos.
Odd Little Stories From the Rims Of
J0hnstown.


the great food the Fourteenth Regi-
ment has gathered mascot in the
person of Shad Lewis Jones, color
ed man. The fellow lived formerly
on Cinder street, in this city, where
he lost his wife and one child.
"Shad," which is the nick name the
soldiers have conferred upon him, is
a character from the sole of his large
feet to the top of his cocoanut shap-
ed head
When he talks about the flood and
tells how he lost his wife, his voice
becomes tremulous with pathos and
sincere emotion.
IAN, gentlemen" he will say, 81
loved my wife dearly, and | stayed
with her on the roof as long as there
was room for us both. But when
the water came so near and so high
that | saw we wouldn't be able to
hold on both, | jumped of to save
myself"
'But why did you not stay with
your wife and drown with her sooner
than let her perish by herself?' /
asked him to-day.
"Well, now, look here. sir; those
were trying times" he answered;
land self preservation is the first law
of nature"
And that is the only excuse he
will offer. But after the waters be-
gan to recede he went anxiously
looking about, and he never rested
until his wife was found and buried
1t was then DR.. Foster of the Four
tenth Regiment, found him, and he
got him at once installed as cook
In that capacity Shad has not only
been the man who furnished the ia
BILE with all the delicaeies the camp
would produce, but he has also been
the main source of amusement and
entertainment to all the soldiers.
An incident took place this morn
ing in the gorge of debris above the
Pennsylvania railroad bridge, where
gang of Italians have been employ
ed in clearing away the wreekage
and hunting for dead bodies They
suddenly struck an object which
looked very much like the corpse Of
little child about years of age
Gently ana carefully, in order to
keep the baby unframed, the man
cleared the rubbish, dirt and lumber
away to lay the body bare 1t was
hard task, because the logs had
surrounded the body as in double
wedge and it's extrication was at last
accomplished under very considera-
BILE difficulties.
When the Italian had succeeded,
however, he was afraid to touch the
body, so he called some of his friends,
but all were afraid to touch it. Then
word was sent to the Millville morgue
and in few minutes half dozen
men arrived with stretcher for the
transportation of the corpse to the
morgue.
But when one Of the undertakes
examined the body all the Italians
ran away with mortified astonish-
ment when the man said: "Go and
get me an ak, | will chop this body
up and bury the pieces.
The Italians were disgusted at the
brutality of the undertaker's express
sion and nothing would induce them
to come near him, and even while
everybody was laughing at their
fright they stayed away. The fact
of the matter was that the supposed
corpse of little baby was nothing
but very handsome baby doll,
about p feet long.
Another peculiar coincident of the
coming of the flood attracted my at
tention to-day in printing office on
Market street, Johnstown. The place
is almost completely Quilted, except
one room on the top floor-on the
third floor. Here l noticed num-
Der of placards, real estate sale an
nouncements, and other proof sheets
of various printed matter pasted
upon the wall, and among them was
one which read:
"People of Johnstown, look out for
the circus coming May 81. The
greatest attraction Of the age, the
wonderful water queen. Come and
see her. Look out, for she is sure to
be here. Don't miss her-The Won
derful Water Queenr'
While / was looking at the placard
the printer came up to me and said
THAT Water Queen did come, did
she not? But l never thought that
| would print the advertisement for
her"
The relic hunter, who has been a
great nuisance in Johnstown to the
civil and military authorities, can
at last get all the relics he wants if
he chooses to pay for them. One Of
the latest acquisitions here has been
relic seller, and the fellow, who
comes from Harrisburg, is doing
quite business already. He only
arrived here yesterday, but has got
a very fine stock of things on hand;
how long it will last it is hard to tell.
Old coins,pieces ivory from pianos
and organs, tablespoons, forks, small
ornaments and articles of every kind
are sold from cents up to so cents
and dollar.
A Boys Ingenuity.