Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1875-08-21

and the horses taken back by on,
boy while the other shifted him
self to the stage coach, and wen
on his way rejoicing to Bruce
Academy at Winchester. Their,
/ spent a year under the tutorag,
! of the learned Scotchman, Johr
Bruce, SO well remembered BY
scores of Virginians who were ed
ucated by him--for his academy
was famous, forty or fifty year:
ago, as the scholastic headquarter RI
for all Virginian boys who aspired
to a classic education, or whose
parents or guardians aspired for
them.
The first time / met the old
master after l left school, was not
at the academy, but at the depot
of the Winchester and Harper's
Ferry railroad, he having sold out
his school to accept the fist presi-
dency of that them independent
concern-for not till the old dumpy
and cabbined, cribbed and confined
cars had become utterly dilapidat-
ed and the rails so full of snake
heads, that it was hardly safe any
longer to ride the intervening dis
lance in half a day, lit now takes
one or lcss) not till then did the
Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Com
pany come to the rescue and re-
lieve the necessities Of the people
Il looked so if the old school
master was about to Improve
greatly upon my mode of getting
to Winchester-for after that road
was built ii become customary to
run around via the Ferry. But
when last travelled over the road
before its pu chase, and reform by
the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad
Company, it really seemed doubt
full, as we went humping along
over loose ties and broken rails,
in ricketty cars, whether my sue
cessOrs in the matter of search
for a school had gained much over
my trunk-dragging and horse
back and stage coach ride to Win
chester town, by what promised
wonders to the people of the valley
in the way of travelling facilities,
when ben. It was protested u anecuo.e
which well illustrates the woe-be-
gone condition of the Winchester
and Harper's Ferry road at the
time the able management OF the
B go Company was applied to
it: j. NJ, of Baltimore, of the lum-
Der firm of ct. NJ. & Son. we'll
known as a natural humorist of
the Quaker stock--(yoIr Quaker
humorist is generally all the more
effective in his sallies by reason OF
his quiet mood)-had occasion to
travel thereon. The greater part
of the day having been used up in
getting to Winchester, thus caus-
Ing him, perhaps, to imagine he
had mistaken the lumber train for
the passenger train, when J. nj.
finally arrived there, he quietly
and sOlemnly approached the then
President of the road, William Is.
Clarke, and said:
"Friend Clarke, have called on
thee to pay compliment to thy
road, which / feel to be due to its
management"
II am glad 10 see you, Mr.. M ],
especially if you come to say some
thing encouraging"
Apparently rejoicing in his heart
that somebody was moved to
change the usual strain from
praise to blame, Clarke impatient
| ly awaited the compliment pro
missed.
II have travelled good deal Oh
railroads." said the Quaker, "bu'
never have / been carried at SO
low rate before, all things con
sidered. Why, thy road has car
ried me all day at the trifiinf
charge of one dollar and half.
or course, President Clarke fully
comprehended the situation. Hs
was not anxious, as we may guess
to hear any such left-hand "com
pliments." Having satisfied hi
propensity as jokist, j. M. sait
no more, and the colloquy ended
after affording no little amuse
ment 10 my informant and suci
. others as happened TO listen TO it,.
+ The truth is, my teacher, wh'
, had enjoyed the compliment" Q
. an appointment to the first Presl
+ dency of the road, who certainl.
understood well his former busi
ness, missed his calling when h
accepted it, The same was tru
/, of the Lawyer, who e"joyed
! fair share of practice While prot
, ably this WAS true Of these pionee
railroad presidents of the Old dc
? minion, it certainly did not ind
q cate that either af them acted wise
ly in a pecuBiary point {
! view. The Winchester an
: Potomac road had but littl
!, capital and short run OF abot