AN EXCITING TIME
Copied from Spectator
Newspaper Article.
By Carlis
B. Wilson
This article involve my grandfather Tildon
Wheeler his brother Archie and their father
and other well known men in the Sparksville
Community in the year ca 1905.
AN EXCITING TIME
Near Sparksville - Citizens
Thoroughly Aroused Over Strange Noise,
Join in a Wild Chase
After a Boy With Tin Cup.
Sparksville, Ky., April 3, (ca 1905)
SPECTATOR:
A few days ago Mr. Dallas Morrison, a
young merchant of this place, while examining a peanut box, found a small
instrument made of a small tin cup with a rawhide stretched over one end
to which a string was fastened. He also found a little stick covered with
rosin. While alone Mr. Morrison found that the little machine produced
a very peculiar sound. He stuffed it down
into his pocket contenting himself with the thought that he had found the
very thing he needed. After supper Mr. Morrison put on his hat and walked
down into a deep hollow below
a steep bluff, known as Matthew Sparks
spring bluff. He began to operate the little machine in a systematic way.
Poor Archie Wheeler
walked out to the yard gate upon his crutch and cane and he too, heard
the ferocious beast. (Mr. Morrison and his tin cup) He turned and went
toward the house at a rapid gate, making from three
to six steps with his well foot; to one
with his crutch. When he reach the house he asked his mother in breathless
tones, “Where is that butcher knife?” By this time several of the boys
had gathered at the top of the bluff, but nobody had a gun or a dog, so
they began to yell for Mr. W. R. Janes to come and join the chase.
Pretty soon Mr. Janes was heard coming
with an empty gun in one hand and his hat in the other, saying
“Here Ring” “Here Ring” When he reached
the spot his dog began trailing something and Mr. Janes exclaimed. “Boys,
watch my dog: he smells a strange trail.” He also remarked “Now boys lets
watch and not let it get hold
of us and tear us up. It is a Otter.”
“No” said Grant Collins, “it’s a Bear. Listen it walks as heavy as a cow.”
“Yes” said Tilden Wheeler “It just makes my hair stand right up.” Mr. John
Preston had rode up to Mr. Janes’ and he too, heard the strange noise and
said, “Yes it’s a Bear, and I left my wife at home by her lone self.” He
went in
a lone gallop back to his dear companion.
Mr. Morrison came quietly back and placed
himself behind W. L. Gadberry’s store house, close to where
the boys had congregated to talk the chase
over. He found the boys so well excited he thought he would try them another
hitch, so he went out into the Columbia and Burksville road above Mr. Wheelers
barn and
started toward the Antioch church, making
the same queer noise with the tin cup. Again the boys started
after him whooping and yelling. Tilden
Wheeler voice was herd above the rest, saying, “It's an Otter and I'm going
to have its hide.”
The family of J. F. Gilpin was alarmed
by the noise and Mrs. Gilpin told Jim to go and see what it meant.
“Yes wife,” said Jim, “I will go if you
will go in from and carry the lantern and a club.” So in this way they
started
to investigate the matter, joined by Mr.
Frank Curry. Mr. John M. Rowe a well known citizen of Rowetown, was visiting
his son-in-law, L. Akin, and they heard the boys yelling and hissing the
dogs. Thinking probably they were after a mad dog, they too started “sniping”
but they did not get far, because Mr. Morrison had almost run himself down
by this time and had put the tin cup in his pocket and was walking back
down the road whistling the good old tune, “Am I a Soldier of the Cross?”
A. T. Coomer is reported to have sat out on top of a high gate post almost
all night with a shot gun in his hand. Some of the boys got a little mad
at Mr. Morrison at first, but they are all in good humor now and they have
a good time joking each other about the Bear hunt.
Note:
This clipping was sent to me by Mrs. Margie
Coffey, with note: 1905 Spectator Newspaper