Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1878-01-15

to remember, aud with q chuckling laugh
peculiar to himself, replied that he didn't
care anything about the removal of his dis
abilities, but he would feel obliged to them
if they could suggest some plan by which
his Labiiities might be removed.
v -s WAR EPISODE.
Iremember one little incident illustrating
she conviSial disposition Of the great lawyer,
and how he could unbend from the dignity
which sal so naturally upon him, and play
the boy again, although at the time he was
approaching his three score and ten. 1t
was in june, 1862. when he was serving
temporarily on the staff of Gen. Elzey-
Jackssn's corps was making It's famous march
from the Valley of Virginia on its way to
strike MeClellan's rear in front of Richmond,
a movement which took Little Mac" wholly
by surprise The division stopped to rest
for the night near "Anderson's Turnout"
just above Hanover Junction, and the staff
rode off to hunt around in the neighborhood
for quarters at farm house. Col. Terrill
remed up at the mansion of old gentle>
man of vast estate but who lived alone, ex-
cept the large number of negroes who in
habited his plantation. The wife was dead
and the old gentleman had ne children to
brighten his home and inherit his fortune.
But he was a gentleman of the olden school
and gave royal welcome to the venerable
aud dignifed looking officer who had called
to crave his hospitality for the night.
magnificent supper, too tempting for SOL
dier, was spread, and cooked in a style as
only the old Virginia negroes could cook it.
After supper the cloth was removed and
"L6ne Jack" tobacco and real PoWhatan
pipes set out. The cellar, too, was invaded
and bottles of Madeira brought out, and the
cobwebs being brushed off, were opened and
the sparkling contents pledged to the health
of host and guest. As their blood grew
with the wine, their hearts grew young, and
to the minds of each with joyous freshness
came the gay scenes and happy pastimes of
youth. Tom, the old plantation fiddler, was
called in. After being furnished with 4
couple of glasses of the cob webbed Madeira,
the frosty headed darkey announced that he
too felt forty years younger, and was willing
.'to declare aforc God dat he believed dat
de same wine dat the ole boss of all,
Mars Williams father, had put in dat dar
cellar when he was a chile, aud wiping his
his mouth with the back of his hand, began
to tune up his violin, which, too, seemed to
grow younger under the modifying influence
of the occasion. In few moments Tom
had succeeded in satisfactorily establishing
the telephone between the bow and his foot,
and by the time he had fairly launched into
that ocean of music, which flows from 4 vio-
lin an Money- Musk" the two old gentlemen
were on the floor, aud tho dance went on.
Here was picture that Hogarth could not
paint, aud a dance that the author of Tam
O'Shanter" could not describe. On one side
of the grand old hall built in real English
style, was the massiye Colonel, with body
erect head slightly thrown back and with
I.I-- L
tion the double>shuffis, while on the other
side of the room his uis Uis was the ven-
erabIe host rivaling in ability the solitaire f.
gure danced by his guest Then they 'cress
over" and each changing position in the
room and Again facing, simultaneously they
cut tho ''pigeon wing" So the night was
spent, aud as the Colonel rode away in tho
morning in company with his younger COM
rades, and turned at the top of the hill to
take parting look at the hospitable man.
sion, the proprietor with his white locks
cleaning in the morning sun, was seen stand
ing at the gateway and waving his hand,
while at tLat distance could be distinctly
heard the oft repeated farewell, gentlemen,
farewell"
PEACE EPISODE.
Irecollect another little incident illustrating
the opposite side of his nature. Il was
scene full OF psthos and manly dignity. At
the time no located in Bath county, he cons
mcnced the practice of his profession in
Pocshontas, the adjoining county, and contn-
ued his practice In the courts of that county
until he was excluded by the attorneys
test oath" in 1862. He was always favor.
ite with the people of PocahoDtas county, and
as he commanded their confidence, he also
commanded q most lucrative practice in their
courts and the people felt the harshness of
the proscriptive policy Of. West Virginia as
severely in being deprived of the legal seryi>
ces of Col, Terrill as perhaps in any
other particular. In 1869 the test oath was
repealed, and at the April term Of the Cir
cult Court the prescribed lawyers were ad-
mitted to the bar. Judge McWhorter, who
had succeeded the Notorious Nat. Harrison,
was on the bench. AS soon as the Judge
had disposed OF the grand jury, the imposing
form OF Col. Terrill was seen to rise from the
bar. in voice tremulous with emotion, he
announced that, as the records of the court
would show, just forty years ago from that
day he was admitted TO the bar of Pocohon-
tas county; that for forty years he had gone
in and out among the people, blameiess that
he had seen new generation grow up around
him, yet he felt that he possessed their con-
fdence- as fully as he had done that Of their
fathers he pointed with pride to profess
sional life of forty years as the best vindica>
tion of the purity of his life and conduct; and
yet for the sole crime OF being true TO his Sec
tion and true to the honest convictions of his
heart, he had been prescribed and denied the
right to earn living By the practice of his
profession, and he felt deeply the humilistion
of being compelled to ask for readmi..snce to
bar of which he felt that he was the father"
The scene. the eloquence of the old man, the