Mt. Vernon Signal, 1897, Rockcastle Co AUGUST 20, 1897 Possum Holler, Ky Now in the days of the rein of Billy the first. Billy whose sur name is mcKinley I took up my pen to rite and i rit, for i had much to rite about that consurns my people. On my return from my unplesent trip i made last nov. i find times hard and getten, harder and munny scase and getten scaser; and that twin sisters of deth, that german corn of h-I-debt, rainin in lmost every house. The nuseof the passge of the tariph law by cong was haild with joy by our republican nabers but the Bryan men sat in sckcloth drest withashes and whin our only hannacrat learned that sd tariph had advanced shooger 1 cent per lb and that egs, "the pore mans dearest frend" had fallen to 4 cents per doz he kicked his self until he was too sore to st fur votin the aid society ticket last year, but we,ll just let him kick. It's the advance in shooger that hurts him not the advance in gold. Truly surkimstances do alter cases and the parable of the farmer and lawyer which is on record in that immortal book the blue back speller shood be read often by them with appropriate emphsis and comment. Corn crps air prospurous but trade is at a standstill, schools are better attended so fart his session than usual. Nothing is soken concernin election yet but we presume as the days get cooler pokitiks will bile fur the Bible sed when "Greek meets Creek the tug of war gegins" therefore we will look fur the fur to fly before the ides of Nov be past. Mr editor as "Job's turkey" has bin spoken of rovially when referring to poor burtes we would naturally suppose it to be the poorest living animal on earth but it now fills only a secondary place fur one of my nabors bot a hog last week of M.W. Deborard who had starved it untill it had to be soked in strong brine 3 days and nites before its hide wood hol slop, now spell if you can and ifs former owner was a kind harted man too but such is the effect of the Sing Gold Standard. Dr. Price affirms that sd hog had actully digested its own stomick. We presume that prosperity was frmly mounted on the wheel of confidnse when Bill Mc sined the tariph bil, but we predict that it will get frost bit bafore dog dase is out & the whole durnd thing will collapse before it reaches us. Yours in faith, Buck Varnon (spelled as written) John Gaught is visiting Lexington Bob Nortin has a big boy at his house Editor Mrtz is travling for an Ohio house Mrs Susan Henderson was in town Tuesday Egbert Walton was injured by a run away team Peter Shutts was in from Quail last Saturday N.M. Shumate was here from his farm Monday A.W. Stewart and John Coffey were here Saturday B.P. Martin has moved from Rowland to Stanford J.M. Cress of Garrard is attending Brodhead fair R.W. Boulware of Kinston was visiting relatives here Reuben Mullins has a hotel sign erected at his new house Mrs W.T. Brooks of Paris is wisiting her parents here H.C. Jones of Brodhead neighborhood called on us Saturday AmM. Bentley the wreck boss was up from Livingston Tuesday Sam Myers near town died las night of consumption Miss Maymee Jones has been visiting her uncle R.L. Jones at Stanford James and John McHargue and J. Robinson was in Saturday from Pine Hill J.S. Reppert and wife of Ravenwood were visiting the family of J. W. Nesbitt Saturday last Jeff and Joe Mitchell who were our old school mates at Lowell in 1870 are two of Ricemond's solid citizens J.P. Reeder of Knoxville, one of the cleverest traveling men on the road gave us a pleasont call last Saturday J.W. Cornelius and J.G. Reedy of Montpelier, Ind were here on business Saturday and were the guests of George McCoy A. Clontz bought a bulea Engine and gris mill at Rowland Miss Georgia Creed of Middlesboro is visiting relatives here F. Kruger bought a lot of Willis Adams lying just west of the lime kiln Henry King of Gumsulphur and others subscribed for our paper this week Ike Preston snared a large rattle snake near Pine Hill and captured it alive John Watson and daughter of Pulaski were visiting the family of Jonas McKinzie Andree, who lett Spitzburgen in July by balloon for North pole has not been heard from Isaac Snodgrass is fireman on the stem drill and telegraph operator at Murrays crusher Deputy Nels Griffin arrested one Purmese in Estill county last week charged of moonshinging Jonas McKenzie is agent for he Champion mowing machines and Birdsell wagons Mrs Mary Hayes near Wildie had a $50 dollar cow to choke to death from eating apples one day last week J.M. Norton who has been thresing wheat says that it is better than ever known before in tis county. He has been a resident for twenty years. Mrs Polly Cummins mother of Wm and Charlie Cummins, died last Friday at her home near Bordhead. She remained in a stupor and slept nearly all the time for fourteen days. The burial took place Saturday The following names are mentioned in connection with the office of U.S. Commissionership to be established at this place: James I. White, S.D. Lewis, Dr. S.C. Davis, J.S. Joplin, J.B. Fish and Sam Ward. Teh appointment will be made about Sept. 1st, when Judge Barr returns from his summer vacation Jack Adams sold to J.R. Baulware of Kingston 18 head, one and two year old steers for $504 Mrs Jones accompanied by Mrs Maret and a party of their young friends made an excursion in wagons to the Jones farm and Rockcrusher Tuesday T.J. Pennington and Miss Ardilla Tyree of this place were married at Gum Sulphur last Saturday. Their many friends extend best wishes for their future welfare Cam Menifee says the Lord is still on his side. His tema ran away with him and he was almost skinned but managed to patch himself sufficiently to come to town two days afterward to carry a dollar to the SIGNAL Our devil, Charlie Davis one of the most industrious and best boys in the county has set all the type for the Signal since last Thursday when our exellent foreman S.C. Franklin went to Lexington with his wife to visit his father and mother who lives near Lexington On a recent visit to Richmond we found our good friend R. Lee Davis head over heels at work on the Register which is now ably editing. Mr Davis is yet a young man but we are told he and Craddock began newspaper work about the same time. The reason this is sadi of him is the excellent work he turns out, but we know better Bob is a natural born pencil pusher. GUMSULPHUR Tom Cress is teaching Copper creek or trin to Mr Editor I see from your colums that old Buck Varnon is yet alive Mirs Ardilla Pennington iz teaching our skule and they all like her splindid Rev Morgan preached two surmins hear Sunday and they was good ones too Crops in jenneral look purty well. Arch Roberts leeds in the water mellon crop. Granville Leece in the hay crop Jeff Fennington pade us a visit Sunday and plaid the point of gitting him a wife, Miss Ardilla Tyree and Squire Owens he tide the not at the house of Bill Kings Allow me to take my old pen and tri to elucidate you just how much J. Wesley i mean, John Wesley Bker iz going to flax Henry Katern it makes me feel like axin wher is I but there is no use to tell yer fur yer will see 575 iz morgority jist tells what Dick will doo fur the other man, will be a plenty. Iz mity notion hollowing riter hear fur Dick WABD Mrs Alice B. Cromer has moved her store near Wildie Henry the little son of Wm Warrens is very ill Mrs Mort Owens who has been sick for some time we are glad to say is some better George Cummins little daughter Beckie has been very sick but is improving at this writing On last Saturday night some unknown parties ent to Geo Levissays watermelon patch and after eating all they wanted then destroyed them the damage is about $25. We are sorry to say we have such people in our neighborhood On Last Sunday night week Joe Bray and son John and Thomas Moore went a coon hunting and treed as they thought one, they and Nathan Bray, James Payne and Wm Cummins guarded it until morning when they began to cut the tree down they saw five coons. They then began to shoot not less than fifty shots were fired, killed four then cut the tree and caught the other one there was eleven dogs twenty seven persons which eleven of them were women. Now if any one can beat this for a coon hunt we would like to hear from them. BORDHEAD Mrs Polly Cummins is very ill Mr Cox of Rowland is in our town Miss Jennie Reynolds is visiting Oak Hill friends Mrs Dr. Benton is the guest of relatives at Cynthiana, Ky F.L. Thompson who is drummer for Glazebrook & Bro gave us a call Saturday J.Thomas Cherry and M.G. Aldrige went to Stanford last week on their wheels and the latter broke down, they came in on the iron horse, one day later J.H. Langford was here Thursday last S.C. Franklin and wife have returned from a visit near Lexington Mr. E. Payne of Crab Orchard and Miss Wright of Brodhead were married here at Joplin Hotel on Thrusday last From: Cindy Crawford DBXP64A@prodigy.com 13 May 1998