Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1911-07-21
GOOD FOLKS in
CROCkETTS COVE
A Mountainous, Rough Sec
ton That Needs Improved
Roads Badly.

WoS piuy ing u ilcW TOlc OH w Cd
nesday. In copmany with A. j. May,
Thomas Hankins, Jo. Crockett, Jos.
+. Harman and j. II. Gildersleeve.
Jr., he was odered by the authorities
to view proposed location of road
in Crockett's Cove. and pass on VA
rious and sundry questions involved,
such as damages, etc. The eXpe-
rience was new, the country was new,
everything was new. except the roads
we travelled over. They are the same
as they were several hundred years
ago perhaps, only little more so.
After making this trip, over roads
and hills n fellow feels like singing,
"I'll go back there, no never" but
after meeting so many good folks and
receiving such kind treatment one
feels better toward the roads. am
not at all sorry. that made the trip.
l saw territory | had never seen, and
which hope to see again, when the
roads are better. On the way saw
Tom May, as handsome and genial as
ever, Mt his store at Adrin, where he
IS doing good business, and deserv-
edly popular. A little further on is
Tom Brown. AS rode up to his gate
he commanded me to "lihgt." and
lit, and will always be glad of it. My
watch hands were creeping around to-
wards dinner hour, and saw there
was something doing" Mt Toms.
The house was full of pretty girls
and nice women with n man or two
sitting around. Sure enough it was
company day, ;" and everybody
knows what that means i'm the coun-
try. Mrs. Brown, the wife of j. Il.
q. Brown. and | don't know how many
of her pretty children were there.
Miss Peery, daughter of Pres, who
lives higher up, and Messrs. Neel, of
Clear Fork, a sister to Pres. Peery q
wife, were there and also Mrs. Hurt,
near neighbor, and others of the
"small fry" too numerous to mention
whose names did not get. And such
dinner! Tom gave me the head of
the table, or the foot. don't know
which. 1t is called 1.-the foot of the
table mt my house, and where the
coffee pot sits IN called "The Head, +"
anyhow had the seat of "Opportu-
nifty. 'and made use of it. Bacon
and beans, a Royal dish in Virginia,
fried chicken, fruit, onions and Gu
cumbers sliced, in vinegar, yellow
butter, and biscuits that the world
couldn't beat They were not Cheat
en-" biscuits, preserves, great stack
of apple pies, which l never did get
to for lack of capacity, two big cakes,
and know not what else, with n
great, big fine welcome thrown in,
/ made up dinner to be remembered.
Who wouldn't be countryman? AT
+ ter dinner there was song. Tom
! asked me to sing and play "The Old
Time Religion,.' and substitute the
words, "Tis the Tazewell Bond Is-
sue. " which did to to the best of
my poor singing ability. Tom joined
in and his voice and mine together
sounded like somebody saving wood,
but it was the best we could do, and
we liked it alright. Just then Tom
Hankins came along, and joined
him. and when told Tom my expc-
ricnce he looked sad He hadn't had
any dinner, but it was too late then,
so ne had to fast. Over Stony Ridge,
down the other side, great cliffs and
awful hills and rocky, steep roads
How on earth the good people of that
section ever get to town with wagons
even in the summer time, is a mys-
terry. But they do, and haul heavy
loads, too.
At Shraders, in Crockctt's Cove, is
the large country store of Il. +.
Riley. His son, Jo., good looking.
business young fellow was in charge
ard met p. G. Shrader, who mar
ried Miss Annie Rhudy, and j. c.
, Pruett and l.. N. Brooks, who had q
large grain cradle on his shoulder,
and Lewis Evans all good, long suff.
ering citizens of that good community
which needs good roads worse, per.
, haps than any other community ir
the county.
l picked up few subscriptions, ant
invited all the boys to come and sec
me, but don't see how they'll ever gel
here.
The man at the machine reminds
me that time and space is out and /
can't write now of big woods, ant
cool springs and the mountain homes
of the people, recalling so vividl.
mountain paths and splashing brooks
the music of hounds, the blessed pic
lures of forms and faces of other day
, which were, but can never be again.
j. A. l..