The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-08-14

great friends, so much SO that they
were much of the time together; and
frequently George would go up into
the office, after his store had been
closed for the night, and spend an
hour or two with Woodson, who gen.
orally sat up, taking the dispatches
and preparing copy until the paper
went to press, at any time between
midnight and three o'clock in the
morning.
One night Woodson was kept later
| than usual in the office, and being very
! tired and sleepy, he fell upon a
lounge in the editorial room and went
| to sleep, not waking until next morn
| ing, at late hour, when George had
had his break -aSt and gone to his
store
Not seeing Woodson about George
concluded he would go up and see If
he was in the office. Sure enough
ne found him asleep on the lounge.
There was a billy goat that lived in
Georges back lot; and, to have lit
tic fun, George ran down, shouldered
the goat and carried him up the two
flights of stairs, and with strong
tWine string tied him to one of Wood
sons feet and then concealed himself
in the room to await the issue.
Soon the goat jerked against the
string when WOodson in a sort of
dreamy way said: 80, let me alone.
I'm sleepy" But, the goat pulled
again and n little harder, when Wood
son said in a tone of Impotence:
LET me alone, l tell you; don't care
for any breakfast; I'm sleepy About
then the billy-goat gave his foot hard
jerk that caused Woodson to open his
eyes when there stood before him
what might have been the
we'll he didn't know what the thing
was; so, his first impulse was to get
away from it. The office door was
right at the head of the stairway lead
ing to the second floor and then right
on down to the street.
When he jumped to run, he found
that something had him by the foot,
and looking back he saw that that
thing with horns and hoofs was right
at him. He plunged down stairs at
such a rate that he jerked the billy
goat pell-mell down against him, when
they became so entangled they rolled
down the second flight of steps and
came near rolling over the Hon. B. F..
Moore, who was just then going up to
his office. George afterwards said
that when Woodson and the goat
stood on the sidewalk cycling each
other. it was plain to be seen that a
mutual hatred had taken possession
of them which could never be over
come; while the remarks Mr.. Moore
made about people who are always
playing pranks on other folks, made
him feel like he ought to apologize to
all of them: Woodson, Moore and
the billy-goat.
/ do not vouch for the truth of the
story; but, as George Stronach was
so full of pranks. / guess there was
something like it happened.
Very few editors whom I have
known could surpass Capt. Woodson in
making local column attractive,
while as a canvasser he had few if
any equals. He was a man whom
everybody liked
The Friends of Temperance were
doing business in Raleigh about the
time of which ] am writing, and the
Captain joined them and for a while
ne attended the meetings of the
Council, and, of course was verv
| popular with the members. He said
| he joined in order to get another man
"a friend of his, whom | will call
| jim join with him.
| one rainy day when everything was
oull on the street, and still duller in
doors, wife and / were seated in the
| edltorlal sanctum,-(a room adjoining,
our residence) -reading and writing,
! havln9 no idea that ony one womb
venture out in such weather. when ali
oil sudden heavy footsteps were