Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1912-08-09

whiskers trimmed. and generally
brings. at least. his wife. "Aunt
Marthy," with him.
He strobe into the News office,
wearing that same kindly smile on
his old weather-beaten face, face
which, somehow, makes one think of
some old painting seen somewhere, a
face of the olden time, clean, strong,
genial, bewhiskered, except as to his
upper lip-such face and expression
as one delights to look upon. He took
n proffered seat, drew his pipe and
soon the blue smoke was curling
around and over his face and head,
like fog hanging over crag on the
mountain side. 1 saw that he was in a
good humor, which means a talking
humor. So "cleared deck for ac-
tion," and urged him to let fly. To
give him a start asked him about
the crops, and Old Jerusalem. Uncle
John Is deacon in the Old Jerusalem
church, and his home is the resort for
crowds of young people as we'll as the
ministers on their monthly rounds.
In reply, he said that crops were
looking medium. Corn had been dam
aged by the wind, and was weedy,
owing to constant rains. Fruit was
abundant. 81 don't understand, said
Uncle John, ga great many things
see, but one of the darkest mysteries
to me is sorry. low down, lazy
white man. They amt no good. What
the Lord wants with 'em, or why he
tolerates 'em, l don't see. Now,
there's a white man Twin on the
mountain near my place, just too
sorry to kill. He has a wife, likely
gal of 18, and half dozen or more
smaller children, half fed and half
clothed. His wife is a good woman
and does the best she kin-takes in
washin', the children gether berries,
and he-why he tramps over the
mountain huntin'. He's got two half
starved old houn's and single barrel
old shotgun. He sings this old gun
over his shoulder and follows the old
houns all the time, while his wife and
children are home at work. He never
kills any game-never takes anything
home for his family to eat or clothes
Tor them to wear, and just why the
good Lord let's him live don't see.
The other day sent the sorry cuss
word to come down and help me in my
wheat harvest. The lazy pup sent me
word he was sick and couldn come,
and, bless your soul, | heard his old
shotgun that evening, banging away,
up in the woods back of NY pasture
field. He is not only lazy but liar
from way back. I never knowed n
sorry, lazy whelp like him that
wouldn't lie if it was necessary.
Uncle John wound up by declaring
that such men twas fifteen only for
buzzard bait"
He said, after short pause,
"Well, you asked me about the
church. Old Jerusalem is gettin' on
tolerable. Last Sunday we had bap-
tizin' and church meetin' on Sat-
urday before. Our pastor is gettin'
on in years, and is too slow for some
of our young ones, but we old men,
| bers like him still. and if / have any
say ne will stay with US as long as he
lives. or until he just quits of his owr
accord. / don't believe in sellin' ar
old horse or turning him out to die
after has has worn himself out work.
in for you. And that's just the way
some churches treat their old preach.
ers. The big schools is responsible.
When these boys and girls come home
they want to change all the old GUS
toms, turn things upside down, and /
don't know what all. There was Lem
Sy kes' boy who went off to study tc
be preacher. His first Sunday home
our pastor invited him to preach, and
ne spoke right out and said he would.
So, there was big crowd out to hea,
the boy for the first time. You know
he is member of Old Jerusalem. as