These newsclips are from unknown Newspaper of Dickenson County , Virginia, the articles may have been written by Frank Monroe Beverly. 1890's . from the collection of Annette Damron, Louise Vanover Vore and transcribed by Rachel Vore Engle. Dickenson Dots DWALE, DICKENSON COUNTY, VA., April 20 - (Special) - L. M. Vanover, of Clintwood, has resigned as Commissioner of the Revenue of the Western District of Dickenson county, and W. M. Lambert was appointed to fill the vacancy. Frank A. Stratton, of Johnson city, Tenn., is having some coal from this section hauled to Norton to test its coking qualities. Mr. Stratton has large interests in the coal-fields of Dickenson county. George Dyer, a prominent citizen of Stratton, this county, was thrown from a mule a day or two since and seriously, if not fatally, hurt. Editor Free Press - I have lately had the privilege of examining some old papers left by an old man by the name of John Fleming, who has long since passed to that sojourn whence no voyager returns. Fleming's father came from Ireland back in the other century, and settled in eastern Kentucky. John Fleming lived near this place for many years prior to his death. The papers are dated from 1824 to 1860, and mostly relate to business affairs. Among them there is an order from Floyd County Court appointing Fleming as Road Surveyor. There is no state named in the order, and whether it was Floyd County, I don't know. The order is unique, as will be seen from the following verbatim copy: FLOYD COUNTY COURT JUNE TERM 1828 John Fleming is appointed Surveyor of the road from the mouth of the Dry branch to the picture of the Turtle, in the place of Frederick Glambaugh removed. And it is ordered that he call on all the bands on Beaver above where Samuel Harris formerly lived, and down as low as William Isaacs to a post. Hiim to keep the same in repair accounting to law; cut smooth fifteen feet wide, and dig six feet wide where digging is necessary. A Copy Att. Jacob Mayers, C.F.C.C. There is also among the papers a song ballad written in a very cramped hand, with red ink, on a very ancient looking sheet of paper, much yellowed with age. It seems to relate to some love affair, and it is a curiosity in its way, I will copy it. Here it is: A SONG BALLAD So early, early is spring I was pressed on board to serve my King, To leave my dearest dear behind. Who had often told me her mind. As we sailed down to Old Virginia town, (rest of poem illegible) SEEN AND HEARD BY THE WAYSIDE Frank M. Beverly Some days ago I rode out a few miles into the country over the "Gate Road," into the country with a friend of mine who is somewhat noted for his eccentricities, and especially his eccentric expressions. As we shambled on, our horses suddenly become scared, and as we tried to urge them onward they envinced an unusually stubborn disposition. After some little speculation as to the cause of the trouble, my friend who is somewhat argus-eyed (?) as well as eccentric, pointed to a gander hanging by the neck in a bush by the roadside. He was dead, whether he had been executed legally or lynched. My friend must have read "Book of Books", for he paraphrased a well-known passage after this matter: "Other ganders have I, which are not of this flock; them I must also hang." My eccentric friend drew a terse conclusion from an occurrence that took place in this vicinity not long since. This occurrence was related to ye scribe about as follows: One Mr. F- swapped horses with one of his neighbors who it is charged has an interest in a moonshine distillery. Now it happened on this occasion that Mr. F--, who is a professional horse swapper, was badly cheated by the moonshiner. He thought this would never do and so he went back in do haste and praved the moonshiner to "bargain" with him, which he steadfastly refused to do. After importuning him on several occasions, all to no purpose, he declared that he would set the moonshiner up with a job. So Mr. F- went into the moonshiners district and diligently searched til he found the distillery and he immediately informed the U.S. Marshals of the fact. They promised him five dollars to point them to it - but the moonshiner saw him hunting for it, and forthwith it was moved to a safe r----t, so it was not found when Mr. F-returned with the Marshals to the point where he had located it. Now, my eccentric friend says I shall be lawful for thee if thy neighbor horse-cheat thee to hunt up his 'still and forthwith report the fact to the marshals who will summarily dispatch old t-ing to revenge upon him." Dear Joe English: Two city chaps were rusticating in Cumberland mountain in Eastern Kentucky a few summers ago. They were boarding with an old mountaineer farmer, a rather gruff, eccentric specimen. One day they took their guns and went out to hunt some game. They went into a great wood, and it was not long till they saw a bear. One of them raised his gun and fired, with the other held his breath. The bear fell to the ground and after a few convulsive kicks all was over. Then the other said, "We've killed a bear." "No, no." said the first. "not we; I killed it by myself. You had nothing to do with it." Then they went up close to the bear, as they thought it safe to venture, and after assuming themselves that it was a veritable bear they concluded to go and tell the farmer what they had done and secure help. Greatly elated over their success, they told the circumstances to the farmer, who went with them to bring the bear home. The young men went before till they gained sight of the bear, when they appeared to be a little cautious about venturing to near. The farmer, however, led the way, and upon getting near a sight of the bear he gave vent to some expressions that I must not reproduce here. Instead of being a bear it was the farmer's little Jersey cow, which they had killed while she was feeding on the wild range. The farmer's wrath grew and grew till it assumed formidable proportions. The city chaps became fearful of the outcome of the affair. Then the one who did the shooting meekly said, "I'm sorry, sir, that we've killed your cow." "No, no, not we." Quickly said the other, "I didn't shoot." The chappies bundled up their duds and left for Cincinnati that evening. FRANK MONROE BEVERLY Dwale, Va. FRANK MONROE BEVERLY Dwale, Va. Kicked by a Mule DWALE, DICKENSON COUNTY, VA., May 13 - (special) - Madison Senter, a merchant of Freeling, had the misfortune to get badly kicked by a mule while handling it, recently. Several of his rib bones are said to be broken, and he is badly crippled. Dying of Hiccoughs DWALE, DICKENSON COUNTY, VA., September 27 - (Special) - Your correspondent learns that "Old Uncle" Tucker, one of Letcher county's (Ky) oldest pioneers, is dying of hiccoughs at his old home on Elborn Creek, ten miles east of Sergent, aged 90. He has a large number of descendents throughout Eastern Kentucky. Mrs. J.H. Ross, an elderly lady of Clindtwood, is in critical condition from suffocation. She is given to attacks of suffocation in its most acute form, and it is thought she will not survive this attack. Illness of John M. Neel DWALE, DICKENSON COUNTY, VA., February 19 - (Special) - John M. Neel, of Clintwood, ex-Commissioner of the Revenue for the Western District of this county, is in a critical condition, and his recovery is almost despaired of. He has been confirmed (?) to the sick-room for nearly three months. We had the hardest winds in this section Wednesday we have had for many a day, and much damage was done. Fences and out-houses were torn to pieces. Foul Play Suspected DWALE, VA., December 4 - (Special) - Intelligence has just been received here to the effect that a horse was found dead Wednesday lying in the road, which goes through Osborne's Gap, a notch in Cumberland mountain. It had been shot, and it is supposed that some one had been passing that way, and was beset by a band of outlaws, who are said to infest the mountains. Nothing can as yet be learned as to who was traveling the road at the same time, but if there has been any foul play, it was probably upon some one coming from Kentucky in this direction, as it would, in all probability, have been known, if anyone had passed from this side