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Transcribed by Norma Knotts Shaffer from microfilm of the Calhoun Chronicle/Other Sources
The Hope Christmas Wagon - "The Depression" 1931
Believing that it is more blessed to give than to receive and thereby showing the true Christmas spirit, employees of the local office of the Hope Natural Gas Company contributed to a fund for taking the darkness out of the Christmas of some of the more unfortunate families in the district.
A big truck drove up Wednesday in front of a Grantsville store and loaded up with flour, groceries and provender of various kinds. The food was taken to the local office of the gas company and made up into bundles and will be distributed to some thirty families in various sections of the district.
What with the five day week, a reduction in salary for some of the white collared boys and worst of all the sale of gas down, the Hope boys are taking it on the chin like a great many other folks, but they will get a lot of kick out of this Christmas from knowledge that they have helped the other fellow.
Shooting Scrape at Mount Zion, Christmas Eve 1914
Visitors in town Monday from Mount Zion brought word of a little shooting scrape which occurred there Christmas eve in which Lawson Little and Jim Boggs are alleged to have been the participants, the former the shooter and the latter the shootee.
From the reports we have of the affair it appears that a "kidding match" was in progress in the general store of Stemple & Gunn at Mount Zion, and Boggs is said to have made some remark to which Little took exception.
After a few words passed, it is alleged that Little went across to the home of Mr. Stemple and secured a revolver, then returned to the store and opened fire on Boggs.
The gun was snapped two or three times and finally one cartridge fired and the bullet passed through Boggs' hat a little ways above his head. What the outcome of the affair will be is hard to determine. The affair was reported to the authorities but we have not heard of any action being taken.
It is reported that Little has departed for parts unknown.
"Death by Unknown Causes" Ruled in 1936 Christmas Death
Cleo Hall, 32-year-old state road worker of Arnoldsburg, whose body was found Christmas eve in his blazing residence near that place, is believed to have been killed by a gun shot wound before the flames that destroyed his home had reached him.
He died of a 12-guage shotgun wound to the head.
The tragic happening brought gloom to the Arnoldsburg community and lessened the joy of Christmas festivities. The young man was a member of one of the most prominent and highly respected families in Calhoun county. A son of Postmaster and Mrs. E.W. Hall, of Arnoldsburg, he was highly regarded on account of his good traits of industry and honesty.
According to evidence produced before a coroner's jury, the young man and his wife and two small children had come into Arnoldsburg in the afternoon. Mrs. Hall and the children remained there with relatives and friends and the husband went back home late in the afternoon to attend to the farm chores.
No motives for suicide could be advanced and the investigating jury brought in a verdict of death by unknown causes. Neither could motives for murder be found, and the death of the popular young man will likely remain a mystery.
Students Home for Holidays 1931
Practically all students from Grantsville and vicinity who are attending universities and colleges in various sections of the state are at home this week spending the holidays with their parents. Quite a number from the county are attending higher schools and their presence in Grantsville has brightened up the town this week and added greatly to the Christmas festivities.
Among those here are:
West Virginia University - Misses Myrtle and Una Jarvis, Alma Ayers, Sue Mathews, Edna Cornell, Mrs. Edith Stepp, Thurl Proudfoot, David Oles, Page and Howard Hamilton.
West Virginia Wesleyan - Miss Grace Hamilton.
Marshall College - Misses Ruth McDonald, Virginia Hathaway and Blendalena Proudfoot.
Broaddus College - Miss Oma Harris and Asa B. Harris, Jr.
Glenville Normal - Misses Ione Cox, Glena Gainer, Eva Law, Messrs. Jack Bland and Henry Kight.
Shepherd College - Robert H. Mollohan and Bernard Hays, of Arnoldsburg.
Nation to Experience "Dry Christmas" in 1919
Washington, Dec. 15 - Wartime prohibition was held constitutional today by the Supreme Court in a unanimous decision . Thus banished the hope of many for a "wet whistle" during the holiday period. The decision added one of the final milestones in the long fight to make this country dry.
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