Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-03-22
KNUWSTHE WEATHER
THREE RIDGES, AND THE sIGsI-
FICAxcE OF HER NIGHT-GowN.
His Gum Was Antiquated, But He
Laughed Last--A Good Turkey
story--No Snakes Yet-Educationnl.
Personals and Briefs.
Correspondents Of the DIspatch.)

The autocrat Is not so fair as the
weather we all long for and she tips
the beam at I75. avoirdupois. She lives.
mostly. among a homogeneous mass of
pot-hooks and pans, and comes to the
call Of "A'nt Dilsey." but for high pro-
phecy on the variable changes OF noun
tain weather she Is entitled to a gov
eminent position.
'"ThTee Ridge" is Humpback mountain.
and the lower spurs. closely adjacent.
on each side. After a storm or continued
rains the white clouds hang there
heaviest They wrap the three ridges
across until only the bare and rugged
head Of Humpback Is visible above. and
so as the wreathing vapors cling to the
mountain-sldes country people look for
bad weather. 1t is only when the vast
ness OF white mists float before the
wind. and fold upon fold Is rolled away,
that the sun comes out.
The shadowy "night-gown," as II IL
called. lifted to-day. and. though 1t Is
cold. we have fair weather. But two
weeks have been lost to our farmers. and
that means much, II the season con-
tinues open. Two focks OF wild geese
crossed Rockfish Gap Monday. going
north. and that Is another favorable
augury, not counted In by the Weather
Bureau.
THEY KNOW FIREARMS.
In the backwoods communities OF some
OF these mountain gorges are men
who have probably never seen a rail-
road train: 10 whom the telegraph Is
hardly more than a name. and the
progress OF the world for fifty years
thing unknown and uncomprehended.
Yet, besides being wiser in weather sta
tistics than the signal corps, In one
thing they are right abreast OF clvih-
zatIon, and that is the matter or IRE
arms. They know the best, either for
hunting or for more tragic uses, ana In
some manner they manage to get them'
too, impecunious as they usually are.
Little country boys study the cata-
logues Of pistols, and the illustrated
pages Of cheap monthlles closer than they
would a painted:picture-book, and the
half-grown youth knows more about
guns than he does about spelling
book. Curiously enough, the boys have
n sort Of pride in their knowledge.
Among these future Nimrods an out-of-
date gun Is regarded with much about
the same contempt that the rider OF the
latest safety bicycle would feel upon see
ing countryman padding along on
an old high ordinary.
Sometimes the ancient shotgun does
good work. An old mossback. dwelling
in the hollows near Hungrytown, whose
visible means of support are a hard
working wife and dozen ccon-dogs,
came down the other day to a turkey
shooting match at the crossroads. He
carried an old-fashioned muzzle-loader OF
the 1850 type. and the marksmen at once
made loud merriment over the weapon
and its owner. In his secret heart the
old man was ashamed of the gun and
the ridicule with humility quite foreign
to the average mountaineer. He was
littleapologetic: yer see, boys ne ex-
plained. at was jes' this away:
Tibet are blamed niger wot works on
the Hanna place owed me e, an
couldn't git the money no how. So he
gimme this here gun, and lowed ef 1
didn't win a turkey to-day he'd pay the
81. an throw in cow he's cot, so
les come down here to git the cow"
The turkey was put up and old Jake
made ready to scatter shot and go home.
First turkey won and not the hairs
breadth OF an inch lost. and they sttri-
buted It to an accident In the old gun.
Second turkey knocked down to Jake
and that was luck-pure and simple
then the third turkey went with the
rest, and by that time Jake's gun at
tracted interest He held on to II, how
ever. and OF the ten turkeys won five:
but he refused SIS for the gun. This Is
the first turkey story out.
THE SNAKES.
The snakes haven't been heard from
yet, though there is superstition that
after st. Patrick's-iay. one may look
for them TO arouse from their long win
ter's nap-which Is very different from
@ ID.t ILL of, oertV
In ireland. and is not >.ery impartial.
either. considering that he was a Frerch-
man.
The public school at Hebron win c,lse
on the 9th with a suitable celebration.
On the same day our school at alton
will finish a most successful session.
Too much praise cannot be given TO the
excellent way In which this school has
been managed. nor the thorough discipline
maintained by the teacher-Miss Mary
McCallum, OF this county. The rapid i'm
provement OF the pupils ~ proof OF the
teachers faithfulness. and the patrons
earnestly hope that they may securs
Miss McCallum's services for arotber
session.
w. w. Johnson, Richmond, Is registered
at the Alton.
Mr. r. C. Smith. Of West Virginia, ia
visiting his father.
Mr. George Zimmerman will move into
his new house next week.
Miss Nettie Fanher. of Mount Hope,
is visiting Mrs. T. v. Martin. at Holly
Tree"
Mr.. Ed Hail. OF Orange Courthouse,
was a guest at "The MIL" Thursday.
The mineral craze has reached our
quiet suburbs, but there are good grounds
literally for an assayist here, II old le-
gends and the tales OF the Oldest in
habltants are TO be relied upop--of
which. more anon.