Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1873-01-03

last w cullCSuay III lIeitt'iptS1 ~
withstandng the river was still blockaded by
ice. She was one hour getting from the wharf
to the bend in the river below, distance
Of one mile
John Gaines, probably one Of the oldest men
in Fredericksburg, either white or coIored,
died 10 that place last Monday. The Ledger
says It is not known exactly how old he was,
but it is thought he was but little less than one
hundred years old if he was not quiet one hun
dred
The Richmond correspondent Of the Peters
burg Index says Judge W. W. Crump has al
ready been, and it is stated that MeSsrs Ould
and Darlington will be, employed as attorneys
by Mr.. Reuben Rapland, to present his rail-
Mr. Jas p. Tustin, after brief career, has
retired from the edtorship of the CharIOttcs-
Vile Intclligencer, having sold the establish
ment to Messrs Ncvin d Fitzhuyh, who arc
endorsed as competent gentlemen.
The Richmond and Danville railroad depot,
at Meherrin Va, was destroyed by fire Tues.
day night together with all lis contents and
the telegraph office.
Three strangers we're committed to jail IN
Stafford last week by Justice Lowery, for tres
passing on the premises OF Capt 5. 5. Brooke,
at Brooke's Station.
The colored people of Fredericksburg cclc-
brated the anniversary Of the Emancipation
Proclamation of President Lincoln, on We'd
ne>day last by a procession, addresses, nc.
Vast masses of ice rushing down from James
river on Tuesday caused all the vessels anchor
ed in Hampton Roads to drag beyond the
RipRaps.
The Harrisonburg Old Commonwealth no.
tees the severe illness OF Hon. John +. llar
ris, member of Congress.
Too MUcH CREDIT MIR. Keeue, shrewd
and thrifty farmer OF Marlborough, owned q
large flock Of sheep and one autumn, when II
came housing. time, he was greatly annoyed
among them three or four wethcrs Which he
had raised and tattcncd for his own table tic
was sure it was not the work Of dogs, and the
most he could do was to await further develop.
| mcnts.
+ On the following spring, when his sheep
we're turned out to pasture. he instituted a
careful watch, and ere long he detected Tom
Stickney, u neighbour in the act Of differing 4
sheep; but he made no noise about it at the
time. Stickney was a man we'll to do, and
Kcene did not care to expose him.
Autumn came again, and upon counting VI
his flock Mr. Kccne found eight sh""r ,,,;-''ne.
| lie made out bill IN due form to Thomas
Stickney for the eight sheep and presented it,
Stickney chokcd and stammcred, but did not
back down. Like prudent man he paid the
bill and pockctcd the receipt
Another sprngtime came, and Mr.. Kcene's
| IL,
came. and the farmer again took au account OF
missing As before he made out the bill 10
Tom Stickney for the whole number missing
but this time Tom objected
1T is too much of a good thing said he.
Fifteen sheep! Why, bless your soul,
hadn't fifth part of EN-
Mr.. Keene was memorable
There is the bill, said he, "and | have
made it out in good faith. | have made no
fuss when my sheep have been missing, be-
cause | deemed your credit good and sulfi
cieut."
"Wel" groaned Tom, with big gup, 81
suppose [ must obey; but, she added, emphati
cally, well close that account from this time.
Your have given me too much credit altogether
some other rascal has been stealing on the
strength of it. '-IHtsbuy Chronicle.
| EXCITING SCENE IN A RAILWAY CAR
When the six O. clock express On the Hudson
River Railroad left New York on Christmas
Eve, Mayor Eastman was one of the passen-
gers on the first car ahead of the first sleeper.
Two or three seats from him sat fnely-dress-
ed and noble looking man, who sudden gave
frightful shrek, and snapped and barkcd
like dog. The passengers in the car rose to
their feet, some Of them making for the door
panic stricken. The stranger seized hold OF
the back Of the seat in front Of him, and, bark
ing again, grated his teeth in fearful man.
ner, and closed his mouth on the top Of the
seat back, tearing out strips of wood with his
| teeth, and splitting them out on the floor.
Mayor Eastman and one or two others rushed
forward to him, and cndeavorad to hold him
but we're unsuccessful. His strength seemed
superhuman. His eyes rolled wildly, and he
seemed to be in the greatest agony. 4 cup Of
water was brought him, upon seeing which he
seized the edge of the metallic cup between
his teeth and bit piece out Of it as clean al
most as if it had been cut with knife. a
brakeman now arrived and aided the passcrl-
gers, when finally, by ovcrpowcring numbers,
the unfortunate man was compelled to lie
| down in the seat. BY the time the train reach
~ SSh"nhi ihiS'EI uu"u (.
All efforts to ascertain who he was proved un-
availiug. The mark ON the inside of his hat
shows that it was made in Utica. lie had
several boxes with him filled with Christmas
gifts Some Of the passengers thought he had
the dclirlum tremens while others felt cou-
WINGED that it was case Of hydrophobia Scy-
eral times it was feared he would bite or other
wise infict injury upon those who were endeav-
orng to hold him. When the train lett this
city he was sleeping, but he was closely watch
ed. He was evidently a gentleman of consider
able means. Mayor Eastman and Mr. Chas
Chichester both say it was the most fearful
scene they ever witnessed. PmghhrYsic Ea-
gle 27M ut.
INDIA RUBBER The belt of land around
the globe, 500 miles north and 500 south Of the
equator, abounds in inlia-rubbcr trees. They
can be tapped, 1T is stated, twenty successive sea
sons, without injury, and the trees stand so
close that one man can gather the sap of eighty
in , dow zach trnn vi .liip0 On n ,o -,,.