Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1903-02-06
HEATHSVILLE.

1t remains to be seen whether tn,
trees aud flowers are going to mistak,
this warm season for the days of Ma,
and June, by coming forth in buc
and bloom; If they don't, it will b,
all that saves us from doffing ouI
heavy fannels aud from doing such
other things as fashionable white
people do when the real genuine
summertime does come. The towr
talk is, it is so very hot. But | cam
help being optimistic to-day; and
while the road contractors laugh in
downright earnest, /, too, grin littl,
bit and think | see some improve,
ment on our roads, due to this tor
turesome weather. Thomas Nelson
Page, in one Of his charming stories
says something about "the muddiest
road IN eastern Virginia." and, l dc
believe, his far seeing eyes pictured
to his wonderful mind the Northum.
berland county roads at this time. II
they didn't-but that's impossible.
The fishing season is not so fan
away now, and the fishermen, getting
In readiness for it TO begin, make
things around the water most lively
The circle of activity, in which these
fishermen move, takes u broad sweep
and includes many of our own people
whose money will be Forthcoming
ere the first fish is caught. Slowly
but with sure and certain step, the
tall, sbaggy-end pine recedes from
the waters edge. Farther and far
Their inland comes the fisherman
each succeeding year to find his trap
stakes. The long, lean fingers of
business reach out with its doom
over every forest, until now there's
hardly one unscathed by the wood
mans axe or unravished by the ugly
ragged teeth of the wheel at the saw
mill. Coming back to our subject,
hundreds and hundreds of these
giant sticks have been cut Immediate
ly around this place, but owing to
the wretched condition of our roads
the hauling of them has ceased for
a time. Rowe's landing is all blocked
up with "whoppers," and the road,
in Newman's neck is strewn on either
side for nearly mile with the naked
things. The getting out of trap poles
is not such a "snap" as the uninitiated
might suppose. The undertaking is
attended with many dangers, more
after the trees are felled than before.
The risk lies chiefly. in the 'ssnaking
out" and the hauling of the monsters.
They are generally carried in two
carry-log carts, having man at the
back one to guide it. This man,
they tell me, had best understand
his job. But in the ''snaking" bust
pess accidents most often occur.
Oxen are hitched to the large end of
the poles and told to "move on" Oft
times the other end hangs between
stumps or trees, and, being green
and springy, nnlucky the man that
stands In the way when it is released.
David jackson, a young colored man
living near Avalon, was caught nap
ping on Friday last, much to his
sorrow since, and, in the way above
described, had his leg broken between
the knee and ankle.
Last court day awhile man fetched
to this place a horse-if such poor,
miserable looking creature can be 80
termed-and left, in the belief he
had made sale of the animal to a
colored man by the name of Toulson.
What Toulson thought, heaven
knows. The poor horse was left in
this place and no one here could
learn to whom it belonged. Here
it died. For three weeks the horse
was fed at different barns at this
place, until Fitzhugh Anderson took
him in charge. While in his care,
the beast got down, and being unable
to rise, was shot. Anderson paid rs
cents to have it dragged away. Our
boys deserve praise for their kind at
tention to the animal.
Our popular and efficient.sheriff,
w. e. Fiynt, left by way of Coan
last Friday, in company with his
sister, for Richmond to meet Miss
Lee Winston, whom he will lead to
his coy home in Fairfields as his
second bride. Miss Winston is very
well known in Fairfields. where she
once taught school in the family of
G. A. Belts. Many happy years of
life do we wish to this union. The
marrying epidemic is worse in Nor
thum berland than the lock-jaw in
Norfolk this winter. On Tuesday st
the parsonage Rev. G.. w. Beale
sent young lady and gentleman on
their way rejoicing when Evard
Frankling Fisher and Miss Alkaline