The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-12-17


Winter has its joys no iess renowned
than those OF summer, and not the least
o. these is the contagious cheeriness Of
big roaring stove. which forms the
center of congenial circle of ''the
boys" for no matter how old they are
still "the boys" 70 each other; and par
,Icularly so when the SHOWS of Deem
Der are reflected in their thin and whit
eaed locks.
Man Is a gregarious animal. Like mis-
cry he loves company. and so you find
him now clustered about fire either In
rhe paiatious club house or the unpre-
yentious but none the less comforting
corner store. There he uses up his spare
time and tobacco vefy often the latter
being his peIghbor's. The love for an
hours chat IL the wlntry season lie not
confined to tie iTlbitual lcefef, 1t Is an
inbred QUALIFICATION OF nearly every hui
man bIpsd Of the masculine deBomina-
tIon. one brief spell Of soothing COM
panionshlp thusly, and away with frost
and snow and cares that cut deeper than
the lash OF chilling winds. Oh, great Is
the stretch on the green sod with sum-
mer skies above, and grea. IS the Boz
hemlan companlonship Of the winter
stove.
All over the land the stove Is promot-
ing peace and good will among men,
and UP in lonely rooms the traveller finds
C0mpanlonship as he dozes and dreams
by the fire. The hills are white with
snow, icy-crusted and silent are the
rivers and the creeks, the storm-king
revels amid his landscapes. OF winter
beauty, but inside coRtented homes the
stove burns on.
out In the country TIC clans have
gathered for the siege. Grocer Jones
has placed his store boxes. SCARED by
many knife, within easy range of the
sawdust box, which does duty as free
for.all cuspidOr. Jones regrets that his
seating capacity Isn't Sufficient, and he
generously rolls back the csttons and the
calicos from his counter to accommodate
the crush. And night after nigh. ''tfe
boys" talk of the new preacher ana the
new teacher; the sinGin' out at Buzz
Yards Knob: Bill Smiths chnnces for
commissioner: " there was any truth In
the report Of Jim LlnsinG's hitchin up
With the Widow Brown and goin' out
Nest?-and the village gossip from end
10 end. And Jones, closing up for the
night, repeats his We'll, good night,
boys; come round again
With the dawn Of spring the grocery
crowd shows signs OF thinning, and soon
the fields have welcomed back again the
tillers and the toIlers for another har-
vest. But SO long as the stove holds out
10 burn the finest farmer won't return.
The ruralite's spouse argues In vain for
mis- presence at the family hearthstone.
but II the farm adioins thevtllage ne has
business at the store. And his ears be-
come as adamars to his wlfe's unceas-
Ing salutes. 1t is: Down at Jones
again. A wonder TO me that man ever
stands Il. with you and lot more men
that ought To he home with their fam
lilies. loafin' around an old stove,
Chawin' terbacker and argyin' politics
and slch. And me home here all alone,
with a sick baby. tcoi On. you men!"
But her man IS used 10 that. and con-
tents himself with saying women never
will understand mems business.
The store-bo% whittier IS a minus
quantity in wheeling, but although they
haven't taken the same degree as their
rural brethren the towns Inhabitants
are well up In the work. Allurlng rest
ing places Tor the winter months are in
the ward hose houses, the justice shops.
shoe shops, and other places where men
are won't to Congregate. And warm
fire inside and cold day outside con-
duce to interesting "reminiscences. What
possesses greater interes. for the willing
nv
old mailer on the roStrum? All. me! the
old nailars. They are fast passing away
and with them tales OF greatness. l. Is
like O page from the Arabian Nights to
hear one OF the reel on his yarn of
the days before the strike" when money
flowed like water and the mailer was
king. And the more aged ofthem-whO
haven't drIfted into other ana fairly lu-
cratlve avenues OF employment. cheer on
their declining years with the dreams OF
the old times.
Reminiscent men are, for the most
part, slowly going down the other side
OF the mountain, but the youthful SPAR
kle OF the eyes comes back In the tell
ing OF the late, though the dlmDess re-
turns after the tale Is told, and after the
old coat is buttoned closely over the
shrunken form, lettering homeward over
the blustery streets.
Then, to the lonesome stranger in the
upper story Of the big hotel, the fire
meath the mantel speaks s;ory on the
storm-driven night. The windows rattle
back to the moan of the winds, troopIHg
over the hills and housetoDs, but the,
reveries before the crate soften and
soothe the elements of the soul. The
man peerIng into the blazing Goals Is far
away. Out from the glow OF the CRATE
and the low turned lamp, and over the
hills and housetOps-thls drummer ab-
sent from loved ones and home.
Sales were bad: business dull In every
town; Increasing harshness OF tone In
his firms letters. Troubled are his
thoughts as they drift hither and thlther
among the mazes OF orders and sales
Drifting out on the winds, which now
seem strangely Gained az the FIRE
illckers up another pIcture-over the
hills md the hOusetopg
a mother Is kissing her child to sleep.
The white-r0bed angel llsps the Now l
lay me-" and feels her mothers addi-
tIonal caress as both tenderly breathe.
God bless papa, who's away Tonight
And the lonely room In the upper
story Of the big hotel Is tenlnted. The
light 0f the Goals has died down ana
the wind ceased rs mutterlngs, The
drummer site By the CRATE, and his eyes
are closed. For he is FAR awayA-Over :he
hills and the housetops.
An Appeal for Mercy.
a..