Spirit of Democracy August 15, 1895 Sardis When we received the news of our defeat in our local option election two weeks ago our hearts cried out "how long O Lord, how long must we be cursed with a curse!" but since we have heard of the grand victory of Perry township, we feel like throwing our hats in the air and singing the doxology. Oil is the topic of conversation. Although our people have very little invested, we realize that it has been and is of great value to our business interests. Quite a number of our townsmen have found work in the field and business in general has received a stimulus on account of it. We understand that there is to be a prohibition picnic over the river in Paden's valley some time in September. Ex Governor St. John of Kansas is to be one of the speakers if he can be secured. Everything is booming in our little town. New houses going up, merchants busy, landlords happy and the livery business taxed to its utmost. Miss Emma Hotchins, nee Davenport, of Des Moines, Iowa, who was visiting friends, has gone to Matamoras as the guest of her aunt, Mrs. John Hare. We are astonished at the amount of travel through Sardis, but when we remember that all roads lead to "Dogskin" our wonder ceases. Our pastor, Rev. Mr. Wilson, has gone to Mt. Lake Park on account of asthma. His son Ernest will fill the pulpit in his absence. We now find Mr. and Mrs. Will Goodwin "at home" in their elegant new house which they recently erected. A number of our people attended the funeral of the late W. Musser whose sudden demise we deplore. Mrs. John Goodwin, jr., and two children, are visiting friends in Belmont and Cumberland, Ohio Misses India Witten, Adda Knight and Erma Vetter are spending a week at Epworth park. Mrs. Abbie Bercle and children of Wheeling are visiting relatives here and at Trail Run. The heavy rains of the past week have made the heart of man rejoice and be glad. Mr. and Mrs. F.W. Litten of Sistersville called on friends here yesterday. Miss Ella Richardson has gone to Pennsylvania to visit her son Eugene. Mr. D. W. Mozena and wife of Martins' Ferry are visiting friends here. Frank Knight is clerking for Hubbard & Witten in the oil field. Miss Mattie Anderson of Wheeling is at her home here. transcribed by Sara Richardson Kelly re: Richardson, Suter, Griffith, Nesbitt, Deiter