Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1872-04-09
tFor the esprit Of Jefferson. .,
Letter from Shepherdstown.

f Il 81 l.
Mr.. Dalgorn FL am spending few days
in this ancient borough. How far back the
data is to its Origin I can't say, not being
posted up in its early history; but / judge
far beyond the memory of its Oldest inhabi>
tant. My knowledge of the town in the way
of intimate acquaintance dates back 81 years
this spring. when / became resident of the
place and spent two very pleasant years as one
of its denizens. Some very dear friendships
then formed make it pleasurable ever and
anon to visit the old town. A score of years
How. many aud great the changes2 The old
men of that period and many of the young
men are not to be seen now /; they have gone
hence. Whole families with whom 1 was
then brought in contact have been broken up
by deaths relentless power or have gone to
other parts to live. The children of that day
are the men and women of the present And
contrasting the past with the present I il>
stinctively repeat the plaintive stanza
..I feel like who trcads alone
=. Some banquet ha II deserted;
Whose lights are fled. whose garland's dead,
And ali but he departed"
As to material signs the town has put on
an improved appearance, and in the stile and
architecture of many of its buildings this is
far in advance of what it was twenty years
ago. This is especially true of its public
structures, among which its churches afford a
striking example of advancement in taste and
architectural beauty. The Episcopaliaps,
Methodists and Lutherans, have made these
great improvements in the erection of new and
modernized houses of worship. Ifone Judges
from the number of churches, whites and
colored, with their stated ministry, the con-
cusion would be that the population of the
town, some 1000, were thoroughly gospelized
or preached to and exalted to Heaven in point
OF privilege. With such show for good, of
course it is reasonable to suppose that they
are very pious people aud not much in
Gomorrah. But this is their lookout.
The town Hall in its original intent but
used as Court House whilst the court sat
here, and made more ample by the addition of
the wings to the main edifice during the reign
OF tine Caesars is gem of a building, unsur>
passed in beauty and symmetry out side of the
city, and converted as it will be into seat of
learning may be pronounced the towns
Jeweied crown, whose citizens may well point
to it as their glory and rejoicing The i'm
preston was made upon my mind in looking
at the two structures, the Court House and
Jail, that it was the intention of the persons
then in power, to make this place the per-
manent seat Of justice, beyond the possibility
of a change, but the tbest laid schemes of
men and mice aft gang agile" What is to
become Of the little bas,ie when it is no more
required as county prison>house it is diff
cult to determine. | hardly think it can be
put to as good purpose as the Court House
The business Of the town at this writing,
seems to be at stand still, very little is doing.
OF course to certain degree that is true of
most towns like this at this particular season
of the year, just before the merchants 90 for
their goods aud the farmers put back in their
work by the lateness of the winter, are so in
tent to press their labors, but hope, the never
failing friend of man cheers the good people
of the place-they sec the good time coming
on apaee-they cling fondly and tenaciously
to the Shenandoah Valley Railroad as the
panacea for all their physical ills, loss of
Court House, etc. They have faith to see the
road constructed by their town, and the iron
horse laundering along-and the workshops
all sglow with life aud skill-and population
OF several hundred, maybe thousand added to
them and the home of their forefathers re-
newed with the vieor Of youth and striding
forward in everything that makes commu.
nity thrifty and prosperous.
Upon enquiring [ learn there are but three
places where Intoxicating liquors are sold, the
two Hotels and one private establishment IF
the extent of the traffic is to be judged by the
number of those who prosecute it, the BUSH
ness of liquor selling and drinking is not as
thriving and we'll pstrouized here as some
places | wot of. But possibly the three en-
gs"ed may so concentrate the custom, that
they may sell as much as ten others who follow
it elsewhere. If they do, think they will
soon retire from the trade, having amassed a
prineely fortune, for it pays we'll 1 don't
know that the moral pulse of the people here
Is more sensitive on this point than other peo-
pie. Be that as it may, the temperance tribe
here is large, and they are wide awake set
OF MEN and keep the ball moving. l have
more to write, but enough for the present
TIMOTHY.
Shepherds'own, April 5th, 1872.
RELIGIOUS NoTlCEs.-The First Quarterly
Meeting for Jefferson Circnit NJ T. IGhnreb.