Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1900-10-12
FROM WEST VIRGINIA.
An Interesting Letter by virginlan
Writing From that State.
Editor SPECTATOR

Writing From that State.
Editor SPECTATOR
Top of the Allegheny, Oct. l.
promised some time ago to send you
line, and if don't do it, may be il
Augusta before | have chance. Tht
heading of this shows to my friends
where l am. This point is right or
the top of the Allegheny Mountain oil
the road from Harman, W. Va, (Dry
Fork to the mouth of Seneca River
within half mile of the of the Pen.
dleton county line. AS / look out
find myself bounded on the South by
Spruce mountain. in the distance. the
highest knob of which shoots up over
4, 800 feet, and is said to be the highest
point in West Virginia. On the East.
within half mile rises Green Knob
4,600 feet, on the West Briar Patch
close by smiles down On me, 500 feet,
and to the North lies the wonderful
coal fields of Tucker Co. just across
the ridge lies the wonderful land of
Canaan, beautiful valley, densely
woods and from which millions of feet
Of lumber have been cut, in recent
years. This first October morning
| brings breeze that makes you feei
like getting into an overcoat or pulling
up to fire. am 4uartered at the
hospitable home of MIR. Jacob G. Har-
per, an Elder in the Harman church,
| who owns, just here, about 800 acres
of grazing land. He came here forty
years ago, when all was a wilderness,
now he looks out upon most of his land
cleared and in grass. He has raised
21 children and has between As and so,
who call him 'Grand-pa'1he and
mother Harper" with children and
grandchildren would make up very
good congregation. when he settled
here he hauled his goods 50 miles from
Keyser, paid $500 sack for salt and
10 cents pound for nails. The gush-
ing spring, back of his kitchen to
which wend my way at a. m.. car
rying my tin-pan and towel to wash
my face and hands, is where the In
dians used to come to shoot the elk
and buffalo. They make you feel at
home here, after rising from your
featherbed and taking dip from this
gushing fountain, you sit down at a
table with the men only, the women
kind over here always waiting) that
groans beneath the good things. Now,
l imagine. l hear some of my friends
saying-"Well this is not descriptive
of the Evangelistic life, which we have
heard about where the Evangelist has
to stick his fork into piece of squir-
rel, while he says, ''grace," and hold
tight to it, in order to get piece.
No, l am not at such place just now
for this is veritable green spot'' in
the Evangelistic wOrk-nOw as to squir-
rels, "the woods are full of them here |
and fat, nice. tender ones-nor does
the evangelist have to kill his own
squirrel and dress it, but that is done
for HIM yesterday dropped in
to dinner, at one of the neighbours,
just as they were sitting down. Eleven
squirrels had been killed that morn
ing and all lay before us nicely broiled
after discussing about 3 big pieces,
my hostess seemed hurt because 1
wouldn't eat squirrel seeing the "old
man" ate nothing else but the heads,
l took one and if any of my readers
wants something that's nice, try
squirrels head.
l am preaching every night at a
school house not far from here down
the mountain. 1t is full every night
with attentive hearers. 1t is difficult,
however, to do evangelistic work now,
owing to the fact that this State is
boiling caldrOn of politics-both par
ties are putting forth every effort to
carry it, and everything else is laid
aside. Everybody thinks. talks and
works politics. Speaking of politics,
the writer had the pleasure on his way
from Presbytery at Beverly, to be the
guest of Senator Elkins over Sunday.
The Senator is jovial host, and
more charming woman than Mrs.
Elkins can scarcely be found. For the
special benefit of my friend Mr.. King,
of the Mary Baldwin Seminary, will
mention that l drove behind one of
Mr.. Elkins' fast trOtters out to
school house near Elkins City and
preached Sunday afternoon
have been glancing in moments of
rest, at recent history of Randolph
county, and have been much interested.
From it we learn that "the first steam
saw mill In the county was brought to
Dry Fork from Va. in 1878" We read
also the following: $50 far as known
the only man on earth who ever saw
the moon change lived in Randolph
county, While Peter Conrad was
testifying in court early in the 10th
century, he stated that he had seen
that phenomenon, adding that 1.-THE
moon just Topped over like a pan.
cake" We see also that so far as the
records show, the first religious ser
vice held in Randolph was by the
Presbyterians. I wish now to give to
my brothers of the StauntOn and Val
ley pulpits specimen of model way |
to arouse your hearers should you be
at loss. The famous preacher, Rev. !
Saml j. Clawson, who was of mixed
Indian blood, did missionary work in |
Randolph in early years. Many of the
older people remember his eccentrici-
ties and fiowery, frey and grandilo-
quent language. Near HuttOnsville,
when discouraged at the success OF his
meetinp Onlv 5 having iOinod the