The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-09-12
AWFUL LOSS!
A TunlhIs Calamity Happsnd at Ramss SmiIsy's Ban RaIsh Which Was a Hard Blow to all ihs Ban Ralssrs Present Who Went Home N Disgust Asirlhb Details BsIeW

Ramson Smiley had barn faisin last week Ramse has been talking about having a barn raisin ever sinst two years ago, being as he said he was . going to biid a new barn whereas the old one was all ttambled down and not fit to use no more, so last spring Ranse logged enuff lumber offen his wooc lot to biid the barn with and hsd 1t sawed at Snake Bend and the lumber dfawsd to the barn site where Lem Brown, our expert carpenter, has been working on the foundashiod timbefs and uprights getting same ready to be raised and put into place, which he done last week, and so Ramse he give out notice that the barn raisin would be held on last Thursday and he would be much obliged to his nabers if they would come and help him with the job. Ramse also let it be knowd that he would have a B-gaL keg of hard cider which was made this fail tive years ago on tap at the barn raisin from which all who was thirsty might drink freely. Soon as this news of the hard cider was whispered around our most respeclsted citizens of Bingville and vicinity couldn't scarseiy wait until the day of the raisin, and when Thursday arrived the men folks begin to arrive at Ramse's not long after daylight and askt where the 2-year-old hard cider was, being as they didn't see 1t on tap as Ran1se said 1t was agoing to be.
 Ramse he told the early arrivals that he didn't think 1t would be advisable to drink the cider first and then raise the barn timbers afterward, and if they would go ahead and put the tinibers into place he would then reveal the keg of hard cider to their expectant eyes.
 We'll, the boys present laid holt and the way they lifted them big barn tim bers into place was a caushion. By 9 a. m. they had the barn timbers half raised, and being as it was a purty hot day and the fellers had worked so hard and faithful, Ramse thort it would be as little as he could do to let them knock of few ninnits and tap the keg 4of hard cider and give each man q tin dippcrfui all around, so Ramse he hollers, "Hi, feilers, kin you knock of work long enuff to take little hard cider?" If a person could of saw how the men who was faisin the barn tim bers responded to this invitashion they would of thort that all hands could knock of all right. They dropt what ever they was at like it was hot potater and ali run lords Ramse, Jake Hanover and Bill Williams, who was at that minnit lugging a heavy floor sleeper lords the barn, let go of 1t like it was a red hot iron and ii fell and broke right in two in the middle. Enos McCracken, who was standing 10 it. up on a cross timber when Ramse give out the invitashion, give jump into the air, and when he struck the ground he strained his ankle so that he's lame yet.
 Ramse he led the fellers to the old we'll back of the old barn where he gifts water for his stock in dry weather and puld the top offen the we'll and told the fellers that he had put the lS-gal. keg of cider into a grain short sack and then tied a rope to the sack and lowered sack and keg into the worter of the well to keep 1t cool, and if they would kindly take holt of the rope and pull on same the keg would rise to the occashion.
 Soon as Ramse said this willing hands grabbed holt of the rope and up come