Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1889-05-01
MiddIebreek Iteu..

We had the benefit Of a ine rain last week.
Everything looks green and the trees are
blooming and leaf1ng. There Is very fine
prospect for q large hay and wheat crop. In
this vicinity. for which 1t would be well for
some folks to give thanks unto the Lord.
Mr.. r. A. Helms has left for Bath county,
where he has q job at the Hot Springs for the
season.
Joseph G. Shelton. silversmith, of this place,
will 60 to Goshen soon to run business. 10 is
q good mechanic and we are sorry to see him
go away. His family will remain here.
There are several mechanics here who have
to go away to O distance to make q living for
their families, and there Will be mole to go
coon unless the boycott is raised soon. Weis
the money N ade by men who have to 20 away
from home Is not spent here, or at least not
much OF 1t. ~ Staunton now offers atrong In
ducsnents and We find . large number OF
country people In town often for the purpose
OF buying goods. Business 10 very good amoBs
the merchants here at present. There are
"lots'' of commercial travellers visiting on,
place this spring. and the "goodsr business
bids fair to he brisk this year. There seems to
be general cut. down OF prices amopg the
blacksmiths of this neinhborhood. Well.
boys. remember, everything you have to buy
10 eat has advanced and you can get q living
price just easy as you can lose money on
your work. and once the prices 60 down you
will never get them up again, no matter
wheat is s15O per bushel. Whenever lot OF
mechanics cut down their prices. they just
cut stick to break their own heads with.
But they are nearly all into 1t.
There is q great deal said about the young
men Of to-day not learning trades. All (! there
are many good excuses for their not doing SO.
There are a great many old mechanics. and
they are cutting down prices, therefore there
is barely q living in the trades any more
Tn en-, again, they see the utter impossibiltty
of establishing custom that Will stay by
them longer than fog on May morning
Then there comes another drawback; when
you present your bills, due to some people they
fly off the handle and change shops. We sup.
pose that is the reason some people are al
ways changing newspapers. It Is no fault OF
the paper, but when they have to pay for 1t
they then conclude II is Of no account; 30 1t IL
with w0rkmsn whenever they present bill
they at once conclude that workman is of no
| account. and they quit him and join in with
the 'ring" in abusing him and injuring his
business. That is one reason why the boys
are not learning trades to-day. When this
country gets short Of good mechanics, then,
appreciated. That day is not far off. The
young men of to day are making lawyers.
doctors. preachers, &C., of them selves, and
very Wisely too, while some favored few are
marrying fortunes and getting through life In
that way in comparative ease, great many
people will say often, "why don't these fell
lows go to work instead of idlirg around
here?" Well, 1t is just because some of them
have come unaer the .dispeasure OF the
"Rins;" others are only offered So per month.
and some are working for that and trying to
support large families. The worst sin that
can possibly be In country any where is to
push the poor TO the wall and grind them
with the heel of oppression. The cloak Of
church membership ffords shelter for many
dirty Deeds People often say the cloak of res
ligion. This is wrong. 1t is not religion. blu.
the cloak Of Church membership. There are
often many immoral deeds committed under
the guise of, "well he Ia a member of the
Church." like certain negro who was
whipped for stealing when that law was in
force. Some one suggested that his preacher
would haul him up before the Church Council
for 1t. An old darby said mo. sir. you can't
do anything wild him. he is too high up in the
Church."
D. NJ. Smith, of this place. has been offered
good situation at Goshen. Va, but owing to
an Increasing business here will not 60.
Mr.. Bats. a blacksmith of Bells Valley. Va,
Is going TO move to our town SO me learn. he
says he wants place where he can get his
money when the work Ia done. Well, there
are lots OF good .payi'g people In this country
and again there are more who never count on
paying any thing unless they are sued. There
are lots of people who never pay their taxes
until the Collector Ievies. We will extend to
him q cordial welcome to our town and wish
him success.