Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1873-02-04

ST.. VALENTINES DAY.-St Valentines
Day occurs next Friday week, the 14th..
Very little indications Of its nearress is ans
parentin he display of Valentines in the book
stores, aud it seems the observation of the day
Is gradually dying our. Time was when the
postotfices were flooded with the sentimental
and comic missives, but the custom il depeu>
Grating into downright righteousness, with
very few exceptions. The mails are taken
advantage fby persons to wreak little chea
revenge upon an enemy, and many sensitive
heart, innocent Of guile, is made to mourn in
silence by the stab of some spiteful or enyious
wretch who is afraid to attack openly.
1t is curious to note how one of the customs
of St. Valentines Day has come down to the
present generation. almost unchanged, from
the days of Pagan Rome. Before Christianity
was recognized in that ancient city it was
customary for youths to draw names in honor
of the goddess Februata Juno on the 18th of
February, and wbeE pa.anism was abolished
the honor was conferred upon St. Valentine.
10 th'r day it is customary in some portions
OF Virginia on the evening of ST. Valentines
DAY tor the youth of both sexes to assemble
at some designated house and have what is
termed ''ticket drawings" The name of each
one OF the company present is written upon
sup OF cardboard or ral er. and those con.
tanning the male names placed in one hat and
those OF the females in another. After shak
ing the tickets" up each one present draws
from the hat containing tie names of those of
the opposite sex to the one drawing, uutil the
entire number ls exhausted. after which each
one announces the name they have received.
which Is considered their "Va'entine," that
is, sweetheart" The operation causes con.
siderable amusement and sometimes res,r+s
IN genuine engagements.
PROBABLY FATAL Yesterday
morning locomotive ran off the track near
Stewarton, station on the Pittsburgh and
C"nneisvile railroad, twelve miles east of
F"nnelsvile. A wrecking train was sent t.,
the spot to pull the engine on the track. This
work was done by attaching one end Of
heavy chain to the wreckiny engine and the
other to the locomotive off the track. or
course when the wrecking engine started the
chain was drawn out, and it is supposed one
of tho links had flaw in it, as it broke. and
the chain flew to one side, knocking down
two or three men who were standing beside
the track. One of them, named Daniel
Dougherty' a division foremsn" of the track
was struck on the forehead, lust above the
left eye, and had his skull broken and the
bones driven into the brain in a horrible
msnner. The other men we're but slightly
bruised, Mr.. Douyhcrty was taken to Falls
City. three miles from the scene of the acci
dent. and was properly cared for At6 o'clncL
yesterday esenng he was still alive, though
It is Thought that he cannot possible recover
Mr. 'ugherty resides at Harper's Ferry.
west Virginia. where he has wife and
family Cumberh,nd :N,cs. ,L,uu,rv 20
ASuINGrOH CINCINNATI g. ST.. LnU,s
K. R-"e are happy to learn from direct
and reliable source, says the Rockingham
HeT's'"". that the prospects of this important
railroad enterprise are very fl,ttering. Col
Richard Osbcrne, the able Chief Enrinec-
"t the company, with his principal assistants,
are now busi!y employed in effice work. making
their maps and pr"fles of the road. and nre
rarng their specifications Of the let,;no If
the work to contract. Thomas NJ. Almond,
Esq OF Luray. the agent of the comranv to
procure the right of way and suhscrint;ons
h'onG the line of the road from Monterey to
ii7rr's"nhnrg, is now actively engaged in
Highland county. where he has already So
cured large subscriptions in money. lands and
mines, with encouraging prospects of large
increase In them, as we'll Us liberal right OF
way through the county
The energetic president Of tho company,
Major p. ID. Bo,st, of Lnray, is actively =,
work 10 the imterin, Of the Temporary susnen.
sion OF work IN the 6|d, necessarily made by
the severe winter in the Mountains. making
his preparations for vigorous work at an early
date. lie is particularly anxious t, have the
subscriptions and right of way along the line
closed up aud perfected by the 1T of March,
that the work NAV be put nn}er contrac,
BALTIMORE CONFERENCE. NJ. i. CnuRcu
SoUTH.-The annual session of the Bal,imor.
Conference ofthe Ne thodst Episcopal Church
South will begin in Baltimore On Wednesday,
March 5th. The charges against Rev. Dr.
huston. which created such stir last spring,
will he investigated by special committee Of
nine presiding elders. 1t will be remembered
that the committee which sat in that city.
over which Rev. Mr.. Rogers, presiding elder.
presided, says the San, was not for the ,.ur-
pose OF determining the guilt or innocence ,5
DIR. Huston, but to ascertain if the evidence
was OF such character as to warrant the sns.
pension of his ministerial relations with u,a
Conference. The committee came t. the