Star of the Kanawha Valley. [volume] (Buffalo, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1856, 1855-11-14
Fhe Last Of the RandOlphs a Nephew
J. II Of John Randolph.

4 southern. correspondent of the
Home Journal sends it the following
interesting sketch: n
'Dmingthe summer Of 1854, 1llaa
some, business transactions which cal
led me TO the county Of Charlotte, in
lower Virginia. A mild and lovely
Sabbath morning found me seated in
one of the comfortably cushioned pews
Of the village church, at the Court
House. AS it wanted a few minuets
TO the hour of service, my eye wan
dered over the large and respectful
looking audience assembled, and was
finally attracted by a very eccentric
individual, who was Just entering-a
rather aged man, tall, Of dark com
plexion, long white hair waving plen-
tifully over his shoulders, and an
equally venerable beard flowing on
his breast. His step " as active and
graceful, his form erect and manly.
But his peculiar actions were in strik-
ing contrast to his dignifcd appear
ance. At first | thought only eccell-
trio, but fewmoments of further OBJ
servation proved to me that, he was
insane. ..',.: .= .H....
"Immediately on entering the pew
he knelt down toward the wall, eros
scd himself, and, apparently, repeated
a prayer. He then sat down, drew
out white cambria, delicately per-
fumed, wiped his brow, removed his
gloves, stroked his hair and beard,
took up his Bible, kissed it and read,
examined his cane. used his handker-
chief again-and all the time keeping
himself in constant motion. Isay al
the time, but, occasionally, he was pas
sive for few minutes his attention,
apparently, aroused by some truths
from the ministcr-but these times
were rare. Till countenance assumed
all kinds of expressions Contempt,
alarm, pleasure, earnes tness, sorrow
and anger, fitted across it in rapid
succession. II reminde ID me more of
what children GALL liking faces than
anything else. tl.-*
"Afterthe services were over, I as
certained that this gentleman was no
other than the nephew of John Ran
Edolph, of Roanoke. . He calls himself
Sir John St. George Randolph, and is
sole heir to his celebrated uncle. Ran
dolph, himself, remark ed with bitter
ness, during his last days, that their
blood flowed in the veins Of but one
single scion, and he VI as deaf, dumb
and insane. 80 much for human
greatness. The subject Of this sketch
although physically, and now men
tally, cctive-had a mind cultivated
in the highest degree In his youth he
was sent to Paris, where, under the
protection ofa celebrated able. he re-
ceived athorough education. Having
the capacity to receive and the. wealth
to command, no pains were spared in
the improvement of his intellectual
faculties. But it was labor lost; for,
on returning TO his home in Virginia,
he met with and loved q young lady,
whom he addressed, but was refused on
account Of his physical defects. On
becoming aware of the truth, he was
plunged in the most profound grief,
from which he was at list aroused, but
insane. + r.. r.. r. I. t..
''He has considerable wealth, which
lis managed by his fri ends; and, be-
ing harmless, he comes and goes as he
pleases, and is gratitied in all his
whims. Wrecked as his mind is, he
still commands respect; and his pc
culiar manners do not attract the at
tention of his acquaintances, or excite
lnerriment, as one would suppose"
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