The McDowell times. [volume] (Keystone, W. Va.) 1904-1941, 1939-02-24
Bill to Smash POLICY
i. Racket. is Offered

ed him to tease him and expect
him to tease them. 49,.
After he retired as special
delivery carrier = about a year
agc-Rice found it hard to put
in his i'm che had been so
busy each day for SO m a n y
years. Day in and day out, Rice
could be found sitting in a COM
Portable chair, before the coal
stove, in Circuit Clerk Vernon
their farm in The Flats Rice
was living in the little one-room
shack in the back of the John
son residence. AS Ham once
said He was living there when
we came and he can live there
until he dies" Rice did, that is
alone and one night he almost
froze to death had it not been
for his friends-but more about
that later.
1t was touching to be enroute
home with the family and then
see Rice on a cold, damp even
ing trodding up the street to-
ward his home - alone no
family, to old to hardly see or
hear, but he had friends and lots
of times friend would walk
with him TO see him safely home.
But one night not so long ago,
something happened to Rice
no one really knows what-but
lie was found near his own door
step in a stupor-had he had a
stroke was he just feeble ?
was he too cold to make it home?
were the questions asked. Lying
there, he was found - his life
slowly ebbing away, it seemed.
Gently he was picked up by his
faithful white friends and carri-
ed to a warm cell at the county
Jail. When Rice was able, he was
removed to the state hospital
at Lakin where, several days
later, the breath of one of PIT.
Peasants greatest characters
slipped away-peace at last for
Jones' office-three-fourths Of
the time nodding - trying so
hard to keep awake-or maybe
his head would be bowed in
slumber. One unconsciously
would speak softly w h e n on
business in the office just to keep
from disturbing the tifed old
Negro. .............. ..'.
And one thing about Rice
which we Point Pleasantites will
remember is his pipe. Never
was Rice seen without his pipe,
the one he was holding in his
hand when the picture was taken
by young Tom Howard of Mt.
Hope at the corner of Sixth and
Main streets many months ago.
Young Tom is grandson of
Mrs. w. H. Howard, of this city.
and in the city on a visit he saw
Rice trodding along the street.
He stopped and asked to take
his picture-Rice consented and
admitted it was the first time
he had ever had his picture TAX
en-. ....'.
Perhaps group of Rice's
most beloved friends were Ham
ilton Johnson, Hams brpther,
Howard S. Johnson, and mother
Mrs. Maggie Johnson. Years ago
when the Johnsons moved to
their Wand street home from
the aged man.
The youth of a man who will
6e remembered by Point Pleas
ant folk for many years to come
was perhaps as little known as
any man that lived in this
county. Ask any old-timer about
Eicc-he'll answer you Il can
not tell YOU a thing about him
he was an Old man when l was
a youngster.
\ But this much Is known -
Rice was born on a plantation
I'M Virginia-no doubt, in slavery
He came to Point Pleasant short
~ after the Civil War with mem
bers Of his family. A brother,
Henry, and other members of
his family died years ago, leav-
ing him alone without relatives
and he never married. Rice al
ways said Women worry me. :"
In 1908 Rice was given a job
Of delivery messenger for the
railroad company and post Office
and a feU wars Iatay fra sneci-