Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1919-05-01
IN HARRISBURG.

II
little time gave the opportunity TO en-
| Joy the day of rest with good friends
there-except that there wasn't very
much rest after the days activities had
been finally ended.
The way, of course, TO see our friend
MIR. Harvey w. Harmer, was TO go TO
the Methodist Church. He's always
there. So, wishing to meet him, il
was easy TO kill several birds with one
stone-we listened to an eloquent
sermon by the pastor, enjoyed the
beauty and comfort of one of the hand
soonest churches in West Virginia and
heard good music. To meet up with
Mr.. HarIner about the dinner hour
could have but one result. Indeed, he
frankly admits that IL he would fail TO
take to his hospitable home any Shep-
herdstowner in the city the conjugal
felicity of his establishment would slip
a cog. His wife just wouldn't stand
for it, for though Miss Nellie" is loyal
to Clarksburg and is happy among her
friends there and active in all good
works, no one must forget that she was
born in Shepherdstown and she still
maintains that there's no dearer spot
on earth and no friends are better than
old friends.
Mr. and Mrs. Harmer are happy in
one of the most beautiful homes in
Clarksburg-a lovely house of artistic
design and furnishing, in a command
ing situation that overlooks almost the
entire city and the hills and villages
for many miles around. A warm well
come from the good hostess made the
excellent luncheon all the more de-
lightful, and il was another added
pleasure to inspect the charming home
from cellar TO attic. We were almost
ready TO forgive Mr. Harmer for hav-
ing taken away one of our very best and
sweetest girls when We saw how well
he has provided for her and how ap-
preciative he is of her excellent house
keeping. 1t was a pleasure TO be in
such happy home and see the pros
perity and affection of our good
friends.
Mr.. Harmer proposed an automobile
drive for the Recommendations
duties having been attended to-and
his suggestion that We motor to Philip
pi was unanimously endorsed, for that
meant that we would probably see our
good friend Sam V. Woods and other
acquaintance there. So with Mr. and
Mrs. Souders as fellow travellers, Mr..
HarmeT Steered a true course for the
capital of Barbour county-not a
straight course, for an aeroplane would
have hard time lodging those West
Virginia hills-and kept US moving
steadily over fairly good roads. Not
being used TO hills three or four hun
dred feet high and hairpin curves and
similar incidentals, the editors heart
tried its best to jump up through his
throat on several occasions, and he was
kept busy endeavoring TO hold the auto
mobile on an even keel. But II was
delightful ride through that typical
West Virginia section, where the cattle
on a thousand hills find rich pastures
to the cTests, and though the farmers
do not have the fine, substantial homes
and the big barns that we have here
IN the Valley, nevertheless they are
prosperous and comfortable. It is a
bluegrass country, and so cattle rails
ing is the chief agricultural feature.
You could Just see the herds OF white
face steers growing into money as they
munshed on the green hillsides and in
the fat meadows.
In due time, having toppled off none
of the hills along that thrilling route,
We reached Philippi, which has the
deserved reputation Of being one Of the
up-to-date towns in the State. Ii is a
most attractive place, with many beau
=; al ,-I n
nestes snugly among the towering
hills, which encircle il as the noun
tains do Jerusalem. Ii was at Philippi
that the first battle of the Civil War
was fought, and if our memory serves
US correctly the Confederate forces
were commanded by Col. Porterfield, of
Charles Town, who with skill protect
ed his little army from the cannonading
of the Union batteries that were pound
ing away at them from the surrounding
hills.
Being a lovely afternoon, Philippi
folks were enjoying the spring sun
shine, and happily We soon ran across
Mr. Woods, Senator I'd Talbot, Mr..
Harry F. Byrer and other friends, and
it was mighty pleasant to meet them
and to be greeted by them so cordially.
We accepted the invitation TO return
soon and stay longer, and we expect
TO say more about Philippi later on.
The return trip was made by a diff
ferent route which took us through an
other rich bluegrass section, and a
stop was made at the Benson farm,
where he located one Of the deepest
wells in the world. A hole D the
ground on this place is SOLO feet deep
considerably more than a mile. II
was bored by a natural gas company,
and when they struck what is now call
ed the Benson sand they got the gas
lots of il, according to our view, but
nothing really important in the opinion
of the natives, for il only flows about
a million cubic feet a day What do
you think of that We inquired par
ticularly about the feasibility of NOV
ing that we'll 70 the Eastern Panhandle,
| but it transpired that there were GER
tain difficulties and We dropped the
subject. Young Mr.. Benson was very
courteous in giving US enlightening in
formation concerning this new wonder
of the modern world.
There was much of interest TO be
observed upon this return drive, but
the lengthening shadows gave warning
that we must speed up. so Mr.. Harmer
gave his Buick some Rockefeller gas,
and we headed toward Clarksburg,
reaching the city in good time. Ii had
been an altogether delightful day, and
at its close we felt peculiar satisfaction
and happiness in the knowledge that
our friends had been so kind ana
courteous and thoughtful. Indeed We
were quite ready to agree with Emer-
son that "a friend may we'll be reckon
ed the masterpiece of nature"