The Local news. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1861-1862, 1862-02-01

as constant and regular IN ms attehu"n0' ha
non visitors One Of his peculiarities was til
Is untiring attention to the changes OF the on
eather. and his labors in that respect were 7, y,
aluable Many of the older citizens OF the
own will remember his monthly table OF Of
meteorological Observations published Tor 50 v
nany years in the Alexandria Gazette-in
which he daily noted the state OF the Their
nometer at different hours-the mean heat
md cold-the quantity of rain which fell
and any remarkable phenomenon, 'ceiestlal
or terrestrial:" which occurred. He had :
learned this, when he was the Secretary OF
Col. Tobias Lear, formerly the U. 5. Consul
at Algiers at which city Mr.. M. resided tor
several years, and of which place ne had
much to tell. Before good fire, with
glass of toddy, and discreet listeners, ne
would smack his lips, with drawing cork
like noise, and give US the 'rain story
and various "reminiscences of Alglers LIE,
greatly to our amusement if not edihcat'on.
| liked the old man because he was, al
thoupb not native of the place, a true Al
exandrian-zealou for the honor and inter.
.sfs of the town-anxious to see 1t excel
every other city in everything-and willing to
do his full share in whatever was proposed
! to that end. His happiest and busiest days
were about the time of the reception OF La
fayette here, when he was employed at the
arch on Washington street, for which be pro-
cured the olive eagle" which afterwards
gave him 80 much trouble, but which ne
would never give up or suffer to go into other
hands, but kept it +" hourishing" as long as
he lived. l must mention, too, that he was
a charitable man. His own means were Inn
tied, but he freely gave his time and labor
a. the almoner of the bounty of his fellow
ctizens-as witness his superntendsnce OF
the soup .house every year, without compeh'
sation.
take shame that some of US formerly, in
thooghtless days, would have our tun with
this worthy man, and tease him with ou'
Jokes at his expense. AT these times ne
would swear vengeance against US, and De
;, nounce us roundly But presently we wouie
! send a flag of truce-then an armis'lce wouid
= be agreed on-tben preliminarles for al al
: ;ustment of difficulties entered upon-an'
8 finally "a treaty of peace and amlty would D
concluded, and "old things would pass away
and all things become new y
Not to lose sight of the :" farrage ibeli'
and the miscellaneous character of this pa
per:-As l came down the steps from tn
> Museum. and went into the Market House
| remembered distinctly the time when tn
tails in what we then called the New MAJ
ket House, ON Royal street, were offered IL
:, rent to the butchers, and how few OF them
:, at first. were willing to leave their we
known stands, or change their locations.
was a long time before more than one or tw
. ventured to quit their old quarters-and' II
=, deed. I believe to this day, most of the oil
> time Alexandria butchers retain the plac'
: thew occupied thirty or forty years ago IN Il
M old market.
:, Ivent out of the Market House, on Il
~ Cameron street side, and looked at row
y new brick houses recently built on the opp
~, site side Of the way, where formerly IN
-. Younger days, stood a number OF wood
~ tenements. Does anybody live in Alexa
" drin now, who remembers "Dominie Ba
croft pr He lived in one of those old tin
~ half tumble down, London-alley looking te
" ementa, and was in his day. and in his line
sn- bnsiness, known to fame" at least as lar
to the towns people were concerned. lie wa
d a large, magsterial looking negro man, par
be. disabled by the gout-a native OF one OF
lower counties of Virginia-very digniti
leu hat very respectfully his place and
IN vocation, and never went beyond either
ing Hia prooer name was ''Dominick Bearcrot
We changed by use into the first mentioned
- s;pnntion. His speciality was crdos!
kept a licensed public house, visited only
ana respectable persons-for be would allow
ned intrusion of no disorderly, lounglng Or
oar proper characters. He esehewed, II
en- member rightly, any particular desire for
NJ = lebrity in any other than the crat lne-a
IS with regard to these shell fish, he had 50
ave a taste, and SO good Judgment, that dur
the season, no where else could you proc
them half so good as they were to be TOT
Mt Dominick's. lie came from " crab CO
- I'D kna,v when thew Were fat