V
fniion
firh
Coittifg
VOLUME 1.
LETTER FROM WISSNER.
i,!!, JOHNSTON, OF THIS PLACE, RE-
I mm i VERY INTERESTING
LETTER FROM THE
PHILIPPINES,
San Nicolas, Pkovincf, of
l;,iL-, Island of Cehu, P. I.
jIy i)KAK Paul:
I was indued
fased to hoar from you. I eu
lSC the diary of Alexandre Eri-
a corporal in the Rebel
,rmy- From papers that were
rvenme to translate I learned
at he was a man of great bra-
ry aud had been appointed
orporal because of his conduct
r, battle. Ho was killed in a
iirmish on Christmas day.
Iiis little book was found on
a person. The first entry
xaks of hi taking part in the
Ittleof the 1-th, 2lst, and up to
;ie 22nd of September, at eight
'clock in the evening. The last
atry speaks of his going out to
Luton Christmas morning It
as his lust scout. Peace to his
.shes.
As I sat by the window of our
irrucks, looking across the
Ltrcot, I noticed a man with a
aud on his arm and "that re
minds me" as Kipling says, that
Pedro Luga" is a married man.
lis wife is about li) years of age
-a little chit of a brown woman
1th black eyes and hair, and the
iniest little feet. They have
hree babies or, rather, did have
.irnneis dead. Last week, I
Hitildn't sleep for several nights
wcause of the crying of the
youngest child. One morning the
.rying ceased, and the mother
in into the street yelling like one
wssessed, picking up handfuls
if dust and throwing them on her
head, cryiug "acong anoc patay
ia" "My child is dead." Soon
the women of the neighborhood
hegan to gather, and as each new
arrival reached the scene, she
lined the lament the babies took
ip the cry the dogs began to
iiuwl. The whole scene was coni
cal as well as pathetic. Pedro
ad I had been quite chummy,
so I sent over to offer my service
Wore inquiring. I learned that
iihe dead child would be buried
he next day if Pedro could raise
'nough money for the funeral,
A funeral costs a good sum, in
their eyes, for they make great
"I death. Pedro was penniless
Imt the boys made a little purse
'whim and the company tailor
made a white shroud for the
" out of an old undershirt.
The child was washed and laid
"it on a board. Pedro, with a
handful of money, went down to
'he market and returned with
tw suekiug pigs, some. fresh
buffalo meat, vegetables, and a
?fit bundle of dry fish. The
neighbors gathered their crock
iry and prepared for a great
Wlft. At sunset I went over and
'fund about fifty natives feast
IDK. laughing, drinking palm
wi"e and siuging. The father
Wils in a condition of maudlin
'huukeuuess. So much so that
wanted to embraco me. I
found the mother squatting on
ground, groaning aud moan
'"ft wer her dead child. Tho
Ming and drinking continued
111 night. About daybreak Pedro
"ne over aud extended me an
"tuition to be present at the fu
j"'ral exercises which were to
uk l'lace at ten o'clock. About
Jjf past nine, fou.r little boys
r(-'sed in white, carrying a bier
""which rested a little wooden
jiu. painted white, arrived at
f"e house. Tho baby was placed
mo coffin (which had no cover)
nd the bier was carried out un
ur a cocoanut tree. Tho boys
J'd thom selves at each end of
J!1L'1'' neighbors again
wwiered, each carrying a hand
""f white flowers, which they
Jucea In the coffin on top of the
ca"ld' At ton o'clock the, band
me and then a carriage con
the priest and two altar
c After tho ceremony of the
Jholic church which is the
"e tho world over, the priest
wmtorod his carriage. Tho
precession to tho cemetery form
ed. First, the priest in his car
riage. Second, the baud. Third,
the bior borne by the four little
boys. Fourth, Pedro with one
child in his arms and leading the
other. The mother did not ac
company the body to the grave,
but after the procession was
formed sho rushed forward and
threw herself on the coffin aud
took a last kiss of her child.
Mothers hearts are the same the
world arouud. Fifth, came tho
neighbors the men in their clean
white clothes and the women
with black skirts aud white mau
tillas. The signal was given and
the procession started. Tho baud
began to play, but strange to say,
not a dirge but a lively piece of
music. After a pause it struck
up, "A hot time in the old town."
i'ou ought to have seen Pedro,
lie had a smile on his face aud
walked as proudly as though it
was the grandest hour of his life.
Even the child in his arms seem
ed to partake of his feelings and
every now and then would clap
its hands aud shout. The ceme
tery was reached and after a few
words from the priest, the body
wfts removed from the coffin,
shoved into a kind of vault, lime
thrown in upon it and the crowd
dispersed. The baud returned
to the home of Pedro and after
being treated toTuHA (Palm wine)
gave quite a concert. At ten o'
clock Pedro paid them off and
dismissed them. That afternoon
Pedro told me that ho felt very
happy; for, thanks to the aid of
his soldier friends, his child had
had one of the grandest funerals
ever hold in San Nicolas. I ask
ed him the total cost. "Four pe
sos," he said. Two dollars Amer
ican. From tho above description.my
dear Paul, you may get an idea
how tho people live here and
what peculiar customs theyhavo.
The only natural thing about the
whole affair was the mother's
grief. This morning I spoke to
her but nothing I could say could
win a smile from her.
There is a great deal of sick
ness here among the soldiers;but
thus far no deaths. We have
sixty men down with malaria,but
as the wet season is approaching,
we hope soon to be all well. Wo
leave here with two Maxim Nor
denft guns, and a three two-inch
cannou next week to occupy a
rebel town Ahgao, to do garri
son work there.
I have found a great deal of
curiosity among tho boys here as
to how people live in America.and
as to what boys do over there.
One thing I can't explain to them
and that is, snow and ice. They
have no words for these things
in the Viscayau lauguage.and tho
Spanish words contain no mean
ing to them. One thing here I
know would surprise you very
much, and that is, neither boys
nor girls wear any clothes until
they are about 8 years of ago.
Tho buys are taught to swim as
soon as they are able to crawl;
aud, as for climbiug, they could
give tho monkeys points and beat
them. At every meal time there
is quite a crowd of boys about our
quarters begging for bread.
They never saw bread until tho
Americans came hero, and they
look upon it in very much the
same manner as you would re
gard "lemon custard pie." .It is
hot here in the lowlands all the
time. We sleep withou t covering
of any kind. A bed would be
useless here. I have slept either
on the ground or on boards for 7
months now. I like tho country
and tho people aud would like to
stay here until I have made a for
tune. I have riled a claim to a
vein of coal, but am afraid it will
be a long time before I can work
it.
Just as we go to press we
learn of tho death of Mr. Benja
min Lyon at his home at West
Dublin aged about 83. t Funeral
Thursday.
Send a copy of the News to
your friends iu tho West.
tiii: i:cuisf.
The approaching total eclipse
of the sun, duo next Monday
morning, May iH, promises to bo
an event of transcendent interest
to the people of the United States
generally. The first occurrence
of its kind since eleven years ago,
it will also be the last till eighteen
years later. And, as children
not born at the time of the former
will see and appreciate this
eclipse, so many who set; and ap
preciate this will have passed
away before the next eclipse.
While the path of totality is a nar
row band running across a cer
tain part of the country, the par
tial eclipse will be seen from
ocean to ocean and from Canada
to the Gulf.
While this eclipse will be of
particular interest to men of
science, a largo number of whom,
from this country and others, will
repair, with their instruments of
observation, to the region most
favored, yet it will also be of ex
treme interest to all men of aver
age intelligence. If one possesses
a telescope, of even moderate
power, he will find it helpful in
makinghis observtious. But.with
or without a telescope, one must
not exX)se his eyes directly to
the sun's glare, lest he be tem
porarily, or even permanently, in
jured thereby. A piece of glass,
evenly smoked, should be prepar
ed in advance, and the sun ob
served through it, to see if it be
sufficiently dense. Then, as tho
eclipse begins, one may steadily
watch its progress, note its cul
mination, and follow its decline
to the very last. If ono be with
in the path of totality, his obser
vations will be particularly in
teresting. The momenttheinoon
cuts off the last beam of light, the
sun's corona will burst into
view, a marvelous halo of radi
auce, extending miliums of miles
into space; this will completely
crown the moon's dark body, and
present an imposing sight. Close
to the moon's body will be seeu
red flames leaping up from tho
sun to the distance of thousands
of miles; these are the burning
hydrogen of tho colossal furnace.
But one will have to make quick
observations, for only a minute
and a half will expire before the
moon will pass on, and the suu's
light will break out afresh.
Yet auother method of obser
vation pertains to watching for
tho shadow as it comes acrss tho
landscape. Tho path described
by the moon's shadow will lead
up from tho Pacific Ocean, across
Mexico aud tho Gulf, then take
a northeasterly course across
this country, taking in New Or
leans, Mobile. Montgomery, Mac
on, Columbia, Raleigh and Noi
folk; thence it will strike across
the Atlantic to Portugal, Algiers
and Egypt, and its end will bo at
tho Red Sea. One should stand
upou an elevated point whore he
will have a broad view toward tho
southwest, whence tho shadow is
expected. The partial shadow
which precedes the total eclipse
will make only a limited impres
sion. But tho deep shadow
which accompanies tho totality
will try tho nerves, as it is seen
coming from afar. Away in tho
distance tho landscape will bo
seen suddenly to disappear as if
iu a process of annihilation. An
awful pill falls across the country
blottiug , out hills, valleys,
streams, forests, buildings. Si
leut as is its approach, there is
an impression of terrible energy,
inasmuch as it sweeps forward
at tho rato of 1000 miles an hour,
and apparently effaces every
thing iu its path. In an instant
it has enveloped the observer,
aud he stands iu tho midst, of
what used to bo regarded ono of
tho most awful of the phenomena
of nature. But now, in tho same
direction whence came tho shad
ow, he sees the light again break
ing out. It touches tho same
hills, valleys, streams, forests,
buildings, and "in a moment, in
tho twiuklo of an eye," they are
resurrected; on comes the wel
come radiance, till the fifty-five
miles of shadow have completely
passed, and the observer is once
more euveloped in tho sun's wel
come beams.
McCONNELLSBURG. PA., MAY 24,
;ki.ss -Kl.XKOTII.
At Gettysburg, on Friday,
May 11, llioii, by Rev. Barkley,
pastor of the Reformed congre
gation at that place, Prof. Harry
E. Gross nud Miss Annie Rex
roth, both of this place, were uni
ted in holy wedlock. McCon
nellsburg does not possess a
more worthy young couple, and
the Nmvs extends most hearty
congratulations. It is only ten
years ago that Harry, as a pupil,
left the little ungraded school
over the Ridge and entered one
of the Editor's summer normals.
Since that time Marry has found
time to graduate with honor at a
State Normal, teach nine years,
including three years principal
of the McCouuellsburg High
School, accept au appointment as
principal of one of the leading
Soldiers' Orphan Schools, and
get married. No one but a school
teacher would take chauces on
being married at Gettysburg.
May it be, that as tho happy
couple turned from that historic
town, they left behiud them the
last battlefield they shall witness
in life.
KNOBSVILLK.
At this time, (Tuesday morn
ing), tho air is cool aud bracing.
The recent rains have given all
vegetation renewed life,and every
blade of grass aud grain seems
to have another hue. The farm
ers feel renewed hope, for their
crops, which were suffering from
the continued drought.
Bark peeling has about closed
up, and preparations are being
made for the transportation of
immense quantities to market
from this section. This must be
done entirely with wagons and
horses.
There is at present a mad dog
scare in South Dublin. A large
mad dog from Ayr township
having passed through as far as
Fort Littleton whore quite a
number of animals were bitten
by him, among which were the
tine large 'log of Landlord Bar
uet, two dogs each for K Bald
win aud D. Cromer, a hog for M.
D. Ilaiston aud others. Tho aui
mal then turned iu a southerly
direction, followed by Mr. Cro
mer and others, who overtook tlio
animal near John Sherman's in
I'leasaut Valley, where ho was
killed, thus ending an exciting
episode, but the result of the ani
mal's visit to this section may be
serious, but we hope to escape
any disastrous consequences.
We notice that some of our re
cently married young men who
are working at Kearney are homo
on a visit. We are always glad to
seo them, aud our merchants
seem to be happy wheu the boys
come home.
Thomas Barber, daughter Mrs
Falkender and her daughter were
Saturday and Sunday visitors at
D. II. Myers, also Mrs. John
Oak man aud daughter, accompa
nied by Miss Debbie Oakmau,
John V. Glunt and son and (Jeo.
Braduick, aud later on (J rant
Baker.
So snake stories are ripe. We
will give you a truthful one.
Wheu returning home from a vis
it to Reuben Helrnan's on Friday
last tho writer saw a large black
snake crossing tho road, being an
expert in snako killing ho seized
a largo stone and without delay
placed the serpent hors du com
bat iu short order, when ho fouud
tho reptile measured five feet
nine inches. On Saturday morn
ing, when passing tho spot he
noticed tho reptile lying on tho
bank of tho road. On returning
homo an hour or two later he was
surprised to. see au almost exact
counterpart of tho dead reptile
lyiug on tho opposite side of the
road, and on closer examination
found that the last ono had re
ceived its death in an exactly
similar manner as the one killed
by the writer, Of course this is
not really a snake story iu tho
true sense of the word, neither is
the coincidence strange.as at this
time of the year reptiles travel in
pairs to long distancos.
1900.
MAi) ihh;.
The good people iu the neigh
borhood of Fort Littleton have
been a good deal excited over the
appearance of a mad dog. Last
Wednesday a strange dog ap
peared iu the community and bit
Dan Cromer's big "Shop" aud
two dogs for Elijah Baldwin at
the mill. The dog was not seen
for a day or two, when he turned
up ou Sunday and bit the old
houud at the hotel aud a pig for
Mercer Hastings. It was felt
Monday morning that time had
come for prompt actiou, and sev
eral men went gunning for his
dogship. Fred Cromer got his
eye on him near the residence of
I). 11 Myers, and iu a moment
after, a shot from his trustyguu
turned tho dog's toes iu the air.
The animals bitten have been
killed. Too prompt measures
cannot be taken against a dog
that shows any ovidouce of ra
bies. I'INGI'.KS SAWKI) OIT.
The many friends of James B.
Austin, a former merchant and
postmaster at Saluvia, will regret
to learn of au accident that came
to him.
About a year and a half ago,
Jim decided to relieve himself of
the cares of business; and so,
dropping the yardstick aud can
celling stamp, he sold out to Bob
Spoor, and weut out to Pullman,
Illinois. Here he accepted a po
sition in the great car works, and
was getting along finely until tho
evening of the tenth instant
when his left hand was caught
by a buzz saw, and in a twinkle,
every finger of his left hand was
sawed off close to the hand.
IN lll'C K VAl.LKY.
.The following arrangements
have boon made for the obser
vance of Memorial Day iu Buck
Valley:
Sermon will be preached iu
the M. E. church or iu the
grove near by at 1 0.510 a. m.,
Sunday, May l'7th,' by Rev. E. R.
Simon.
On Wednesday, May 30th, ap
propriate exercises will be con
ducted by tho G. A. R. and W.
R. C. Meet at tho M. E. church
at 1 o'clock p. m. All Sunday
schools and other organizations
will participate.
DiU'nt Tun Out.
Our good friend J. Wesley
Hoop, of Licking Creek township,
is a progressive farmer. From
the scarcity of bacon this spring,
and tho high price it is bringing
in tfie market, it occurred to him
that there ought to bo lots of
money iu tho hog business. His
plan was to provide himself with
a good brooder and raise a big lot
of pigs. He argued that if one
pig could bo raised and sold for
ten dollars, one hundred pigs
would bring one hundred times
ten dollars or ono thousand dol
lhrs and a thousand dollars is
not picked up every day. Well,
he secured a mammy pig, and
one day not long ago ho weut out
to the pen aud there was his first
litter just one pig. That was
disappointment enough; but in a
few days' tho pig died, and all his
visions of a fortune in hog raising
vanished.
Dingley llolley.
Henry R. Diugley, of Maiue,
aud Miss Ella Jauollolley.daugh
ter of Silas J lolly, of Amaranth,
Pa, wore married in Cumberland
Tuesday aftornoou, of last week,
by Rev. Frederick H. Ilowdeu'
rector of Emanuel Church. Mr.
Dingley took his bride to Cumber
laud Tuesday morning. His bi
cycle broke down nt Hancock and
he walked Hi miles to Amaranth
after her. Ho fought iu Cuba
during the Spauish War ' aud is
now employed at Cumberland,
llo claims to be a nephpw of tho
late Congressman Dingley, of
Maine. Hancock Star.
coy v..
i i
The News told you last week
that at the time of going to press
our little Mary was lying uncon
scious. At half past two that
(Wednesday) afternoon, tho poor
little soul breathed her last. For'
about a week prior to her death,
her suffering had been indescrib
ably severe. Tho disease was
ccrchro meningitis and much of
the time she was writhing in
convulsions.
She was aged seven years, sev
en mouths, and seven days. Du
ring the past three years, she and
her sister Cora, four years older,
have had their home iu our fami
ly. Wo were greatly attached to
the child, and it was a severe tri
al to have to give her up; but her
loss to us, as keenly as we feel it,
is only what every other feels in
thus parting with a member of
one's family.
Commendable.
Mrs. Joe Edwards, of Taylor
township, has been sick for sev
eral mouths, and on that account
the usual honsecleaniug in her
well kept home has been delayed.
But she has kind neighbors. List
Weduesday.Mrs. William Iaidig,
Mrs. Casper Brant, Mrs. Joe
Fisher, and Misses Margaret
Clevenger, Nina King Anna
Hockousmith, and Lena Laidig,
FairviewEpworth Leaguers, went
to the home of Mrs. Edwards,
and with mop, broom, aud scrub
bing brush, gave the sick lady's
homo just such a thorough re
movatiug as the good woman her
self would have done if she had
been well.
It is tho dispensing of such
acts of kindness aud thought 1'hI
uess for tho comfort of those less
fortunate than ourselves, that
makes life worth liviug.
Oldest and Youngest.
Mr. James Miller, a life insur
ance man of Pittsburg, accompa
nied by his son Warren, spent
Sunday night and Monday with
his sister, Mrs. Dauiel Mock, of
Tod township. Mr. Miller and
his son came to this county, pri
marily, to visit his brother "Un
cle Dan" Miller, who has been
very sick at his homo on Clear
Ridge for some time. Mr. James
is tho youngest, and Undo Dan
the oldest, of a family of thirteen
children. James says lie and
Mrs. Miller have a family of ten
children. The boy he had with
him i is the baby little past
twenty one, who, on his -1st
birthday weighed rJJJiJ pounds,
and he does not look like ho
needed cod liver oil, by any
means.
WELLS TANNERY.
Tho recent rain has changed
tho appearance of our valley won
derfully. Ono .man made the re
mark that ho "was not thankful
for it, for tho reason that it was
not sent sooner."
James Stewart has recovered
from his recent illness and re
turned to Langdondale to handle
the yard stick.
Moody Stewart and Harry
Truax, two of our successful
school teachers have gone to Al
toona to attend business college.
Miss Nora Griffith has gone to
Rock Hill to school, Horace Grif
fith has returned homo from
DerrickCity where ho was princi
pal of a graded school.
Mrs. Mary Hunter and son of
Lowistown are visiting her par
ents Mr. and Mrs. Harvey Wish
art, Miss Nellie Fesler of South
Fork is tho guest of her sister
Mrs. Boss Bivons.
Morris Baker took in tho sights,
or a part of them, in Philadelphia
last week.
Tho Wells Valley Lumber Com
pany have secured a planer and
will soon begin to haul away there
large stock of lumber smoothed
on one side.
NUiWBUR 36.
Personal.
Mr. nml Mrs. li vin Wilson of Tort
I.ittohon spent Monday in town.
Superintendent Chestnut was in Mc
( 'onnelshurg tho lii-st of the week.
Miss l,ena Lalding, of Htistontown,
spent Monday at MeConnellsbuiy.
Will Cowan, of Foltz, spent Wed
nesday mi this nide of tho mountain.
Paul Pishong spent a few minutes
in tiie News olllce while in town ono
day last week.
1 William Sprigs who has been in
Alloona for some time eame home last
week for a few days.
Mrs. George J I. Fngor and son Kd
moiid of the Cove are visiting friends
in Ilaneoek (his week.
Mr. and Mrs. II. I!. Hogo and their
little daughters, Ksther and Myrtle,
spent Monday in town.
Mrs. Hannah Goldsmith spent sev
eral days visiting friends in F.verett.
She returned on Friday.
Hartimous Smith, Ksw, one of Hcl
fast's most worthy citizens spent Fri
day Inst iu McCounollsburg.
Mr. Tommy Karher und daughter,
of Saltillo, spent a day or two last
week with the family of I). II. Myers.
Mr. Denton Hendershott of Itelliel
township spent Wednesday night with
the family of rrothouotary Lyneh iu
this place.
Mr. and Mrs Thomas Shepherd and
family are visiting Mrs. Shepherd's
parents, Mr. and Mrs. 1). M. Kendall
iu the cove.
Jim Smith went along home with
landlord John Fisher Tuesday, and
will make himself useful aboul tho
Fisher House in I'.edford this summer.
Kev. F. S. Ilousor, formerly pastor
of the Presbyterian congregation at
this plaee, but now of Meohaniosburg,
spent Friday night at the Washington
1 louse.
Mrs. Otto F. I lex roth of Washing
ton, is, after an absence of six years,
visiting her mother, Mrs. Hannah
Goldsmith, and other relatives anil
friends hero.
Dr. V L. MeKibbinand his brother
George spent two or three days iu
town this week. The Doctor seems to
have quite recovered from his illness ,
of last winter.
Mr. Claronco Sipcs of the Nmvs of
liee, accompanied by his sister, Miss
Blanche, spent last Sunday with tho
family of Mr; G. Kunyan Sipes in
Licking Creek township.
. Mr. A. W. Johnston aud his grand
daughter Miss Mary called ' Tuesday
afternoon. Mary was quite interested
in witnessing our big power press
turning olT the Fulton County News.
Landlord John Fisher, of the Fisher
House, Bedford, drove down to Mc
Conni llsburg on Silnday and spent a
day or two with his brother-in-law aud
sister, Postmaster and Mrs. S. 11.
Woollett.
Mrs. John Sheets spent several days
during tho past week with her sister
Mrs. Dr. Hanks at Hays Hill. Mrs.
Hanks has 1 n right sick for some
time. Tho trouble seems to hu a form
of neuralgia.
Mr. aud Mrs. Joseph Snotts of Al
toona are spending a couple of weeks
among their many old friends iu this
county. Mr. Snotts is in the carpen
ter department of No. 2 Hound House
P. H. II. Shops, and has a nice posi
tioii. ,
Mrs. .T. Walker Johnston was in
town Monday aud favoivd tho News
ollleo with a short call. It was her
lirst visit to McCouuellsburg for sev
eral months. Her many friends will
be pleased to learn that sho has re
covered her health again.
AMARANTH.
Miss Amy R. Hixson audbroth
er Guy spout Saturday and Sun
day visiting relatives in Brush
Creek valley M rs. Sarah Car
son and son, George, spent
Thursday with Mrs. Daniel
Straightiff, of Robinsonville
Miss Ella T. McKibbiu and little
niece, Mary, spout Sunday with
tho family of George McKibbiu.
....Mrs. Maria Crawford, who
has been seriously ill for some
time, was able to bo moved Satur
day toll. A. McCrill's John
D. Hendershot aud Roubeu lel
lott, two of Bethel township's en
terprising farmers, passed
through this place last week,
going to Eyorott Mrs. Goo.
McKibbiu, of Buck Valley, spent
part of last week visiting rela
tives near Hancock. "" Loo
Crawford, Michael Brabsou, and
Frank Karns left Suuday for
Potter county where they oxjiect
to spend some time taking tho
jackets off of hemlock.
Stake and Thompson are busy
applying a coat of paint to Ooorgo,
Cooper's now building. ,