Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1871-10-14

Ola virginia Ddys.
Lomax Smith, barber in the Ex-
change, Richmond, is relic Of 1.-The
palmy days of Virginia. A writer on
the Pittsburg Progress recently sat in
the old gentleman's chair, to whom old
Smith gossipped about old times: "A
nice collection of gentlemen, sir, said
Lomax, "this Convention at Assembly
Hall many very genteel and able per-
sons there sir. 1t does me good TO see
again in Virginia the best people COM
ing forward to take part in politics.
And, yes sir, there are some great men
here. too, scattered about among the
hundreds | don't know; but-excuse
me, sir. turn your face little to the left
you can't remember the Convention
of 29, can you ! Too young! Yes, yes!
Well, there was Mr. .eems Madison,
and that other gentleman, very smart
but mighty Eighty, Mr.. Randolph, of
Roanoke, and more than can tell now.
You have got big men here to day, but
bless my soul, sir, they was all giants
then there wasn't an humble individual
here. Giants, sir, giants, every one.
And Lomax restrapped his razor,
turned our head gently and began a
gain: And how did they come here,
sir! Ommbusscs-hacks Not they !
Private carriages, private servants; and
every one had square mahogany box,
with silver mountings in this were ionr
square bottles, trimmed with vines and
leaves in gold one held old pineapple
rum, one brandy and honey-peach and
honey, sir-one sherry and one Madeira
No whiskey and no drinking at bars
The ease was in every delegates room,
with the key put away, but--and here
Lomax thoughttully and suggestively
drew his razor through she palm of IN
honest hand-their constituents knew
where the KEY was, sir. Yes, sir! and
shaving then was fifty cents. No
change Those were days, Why
nothing now is as good as it was, and
can ;ell the reason.
Ever since 1850, sir when they got
up this universal suffrage, things have
been going down, down, down. |
never uStu W sHiNc any p'iN 'h'u 'ii'S
was nobody and now hardly ever
shave anybody that is anybody. Yes,
sir that 1850 suffrage commenced the
whole thing, aud now nothing is like
it used to be. Why sausage, sir, sau-
sage The old Virginia luxury! What
is il now! 1t used 10 be made out of
the choicest parts of the hog and now
you're lucky if its hog at all, and when
in it there's nothing but gristlc aud
lean Lomax drew a long sigh; we
gently rose and declining the change,
lett the premises with conviction that
Lomax was more than half right.
TERRIBLE BALLOON AcCIpENr.--At
Paoli, Orange county, Indiana, last Sat
urday, Prof. Wilbur, made arrange
ments for balloon ascension. He was
TO be accompanied 10y Mr.. George II.
Knapp As they were getting into tho
balloon the cords gave way, and they
made a spring for the car, but only sue
ceeded in graSping the ropes.
As the balloon rose Mr.. Knapp let 60
and fell thirty feet without serious in
jury. Prof Wilbur held out and at
tempted 10 climb into the basket but
was unable TO do so, and the balloon
shot upwards rapidly, with the nronant
hanging below. The spectators were
thrilled with horr r at the terrible sceno
which ended in n dreadful manner At
the height OF about one mile the doomed
man let 90 his hold, and came wbirling
TO the earth. AS he approached tho
earth he was feet foremost, then spread
out horizontally, then doubled up,
turned over, and then staightened out
with his head downward.
As he struck the earth he fell upon
his head and back. Ills head was
mashed into an undistinguishable mass,
and his body was bruised and crushed
horribly The body made an indenta-
ton in the ground eight inches deep,
and il rebounded four feet from where
il struck. Professor Young, wife and
little daughter were on the ground at
the time, and witnessed the terrible af-
fair The remains of the unfortunate
man were properly cared for, and bur
ried at Paoli yesterday artcrnoon.---
LouisuiHe JomnnL