West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1900-07-12
THE JERICHO
POSTOFFICE.
Spirited Discussion on Lightning
Rods.

started the schoolhouSe discussion
He came along the other day anC
saw that the schoolhouse was with
out a rod, and he went to the towr
board and offered to put one up fol
SO much. The town board wrastlet
over it all day without comm to q
conclusion, and when it got to be
known all over Jericho big crowd
assembled at the postoffice in the
evenin' to talk the matter over. Ii
was Deacon Spooner who called the
crowd to order and said
GAS it appears to me and to a
majority Of the citizens Of this town
that an epoch in the history of Jeri-
cho has arrived, / call upon the
lightnin' rod man to state his case. "
"rhere amt much to state" re-
piled the man. "I'ye offered to put
up two rods on the schoolhouse and
warrant it good job for $40. Bein'
as school house is an emporium of
knowledge and bein' as the cause OF
education may be said to be the
bulwarks of liberty, I've knocked
SIS of of the reg'lar price"
al take it that he's made a pint, f"
says the deacon as ne turks on the
floor with his cane. emporium of
educetion and bulwarks of liberty
seem to come in jest right and hit
the schoolhouse on all sides at once.
for one am standin' neutral in this
bizness, and I'd like to hear both
sides of the question. Mebbe Silas
Lapham, who lives next door to the
schoolhouse, would like to make a
few remarks"
Gas fur me, says Silas as he rises
up, Ppm ag'in the idea of lightnin'
rod. That there schoolhouse was
built Is years ago, and durin' them
IS years we've had IL thunderstorms.
If she's lodged IL, why can't she
dodge 200? Why can't she keep
right on dodgin' till she tumbles
down of old age1 Forty dollars fur
a lightnin' rod means more taxation.
Fhar's SIGH thing as an emporium
of education, but thar's also SIGH a
thing as an emporium of taxation.
Jericho is out of debt and no one
kickin', but let the hand of excessive
taxation clutch her throat, and how
long would it take to strangle the
life out of her? Pm askin' you to
pause and ponder afore it is too
late"
"Silas, you've made pint and
strong one" says the deacon when
the applause had subsidized. off
the scho olhouse has lodged u
thunder storms, thar's no reason to
think she WON'T keep up the record.
Yes, it's pint, and mebbe the
lightnin' rod man would like to an
swer it
al don't think much of the pint"
says the man as he gifts up ag'in.
"Thar's so, 900, 600 people in these
United States, and because none of
'em fell down stairs last year it don t
toller that heap Of 'em won't tum
bic down this year. I've known
man to go on dodgin' mules heels
for sixteen years and then git 'em
both in the stomach at once. Mebbe
your schoolhouse will dodge a hun
dred more thunder storms, and
mebbe we will skassly hev sought
our virtuous couches this night be
fore a thunderbolt as big as a bar'l
will 90 drivin' through her and leave
nuthin' but heap of splinters to
mark the spot where your emporium
of education once reared its proud
roof to the blue vaults OF heaven.
i said $40 to the town board today,
but in order to show my interest in
in the cause Of education and to
prove to you that my hand is ever
u
stretched forth to uphold the pres.
tige of nation of freemen III make
the price $50"
"He's made pint, gentlemen
he's made a pint, says the deacon
as he whacks on the stove and looks
around, Eyes, sir, when he talks
about our schoolhouse rearin' its
proud roof to the blue vaults of
heaven he's made pint, and I'm
more favorable to the lightnin' rod
than I was. think the crowd
would like 70 hear from Enos viii.
liams."
'1'm with Silas Lapham," says
Enos as he shets up his jackknife
and gets his feet under him. '1'm
fur lettin' sartin' things dodge or
bust. They wanted to insure the
meetin' house "a years ago, but my
advice was to let her dodge. She's
thar yit. I've got barn 80 years
old, and she's never had a lightnin'
| rod or bin insured lest had "a