Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1879-04-01
THE BURNING OF THE CouRr-HousE.-

We were sitting by our fire last ewes
ming, after hard days work, thinking
OF the pcsplexitiea and worries of an editors
life, when suddenly our reverie was disturbed
by the terrible cry Of fire FIRE ! fire /! We
rushed to the door and could see in the dark
ness shadowy forms hurrying by, and upon
calling to some one we received the startling
answer, 1.-The Court House is on FIRE" at
the same moment tower of fame cast its
lur;d glare even TO our very door step
Hastily DOMINIC our coat and hat, we joined
the throng of men, women aud children,
rushing, pushing, scrambling towards the
centre Of the town. BY dint of hard work
We secured foot>hold on the Jail porch
Flames were issuing from every window in
the doomed building. Tho fire department,
unable to use the Court ouse cistcrn on &C
count of the heat, had formed line to
neighboring cistero, and We noted most OF
our citizens passing the buckets, but the fight
was vain one against tho flames. The law
yers were rushing from the burning building,
their arms filed with books, and our vener-
able County Court Clerk staggered beneath
an immense pile Of documents. Suddenly
all fall back from the building as with crash
the floor of the second story falls in. The
tongues of flame leap up, the oil in the mag
ni6cent chandelier catches, and with the
cracking of glass and twisting of iron the
hugo bunch Of living fire swings to and fro
for moment, then falls like a meteor to the
ground the iron plates in tho Clerks vault
roll up Xix, pieces of pasteboard, and from
the mass of burning books the smoke and
dust arises in a vast cloud Now the flames
reach the cupola-the hands on the clock dials
catch first and whirl around, twisting and
grating like veritablo fiery serpents; the
bell rocks to aud fro, slowly toling, until
faster and faster peal out its last notes, and
with clang it falls into the burning mass
below; the lightning rod twists, bends down
aud falls amidst the crowd, it's point at our
very feet II leugthens-we can press back no
more-its burning, kissing point is on our
breast: With mighty effort we leap up, and
fEd ourself full length on the parlor carpet,
our rocking cLsir upset aud our wife cEclaim
ing:
" Whstcver in the word is the matter ?
You went to sleep in your chair, commenced
shouting aud kicking, upset things generally,
and frightened mo nearly to death"
''Oh, yes certainly" We exclaimed, but
isn', the Court House burned 7"
court, your granny, no; but your supper
is resdy. Tomorrow is the 6rst of April, and
you have had an April fool dream"
CIRCUIT CouRT-The March term Of the
j offerson Circuit Court was began on Tues
day lRst-Judge John Blair Hoee presiding
The folio. ing persons composed tho Grand
Jury:
II. i. Davenport, foreman; John S.
Moore, E-rom Sitter, Warren Ely. Daniel
Coleman, Isssc II Strider, J oseph VI. Stone
b'.kcr, AhrtRn Harris, James W. Glenn,
Robert V. Shirley. ". II T. Lewis, %m
Nilsson.
The Grand Jury, after sitting until late on
Tuesday afternoon aud examining about sixty
xitne.ses, brought in the following indict>
ncnts:
State Us Daniel Young. cnlorcd, grand
larceny John Owens, c"lorcd, rape; Charles
Lowry cu!ored, burglary james Williams,
colotcd, petit larccny; II. r. Speose, selling
and giving away Intoxicating drinks on Sun
dxy; Same, selling and giving away spir-
ituOus liquors tn minors Geo. B. Pensc, sell
ing s,irituous liquors without license Jacob
Il Brown, knowingly selling and giving away
s;irituous liquors to minors
The case of Thos. Lloyd, for attempted
rape, was remsnded to the County Court
The case Of II. r. Speese wss argued Ga a
Demurrer on Thursday.
james Williams was tried on Thursday,
found guilty, aud sentenced 10 six months
imprisonment ct hard labor, in the county
jail.
Benjamin Hunter and Daniel Young were
tried on Friday the former found guilty
aud sentenced to fifteen days imprisonment
at hard labur, in the county Jail and the
latter touad guilty and sentenced to three
years in the pcn,en:iary.
LIST OF ADVERTISED LETTERS remaining
in the Post Office at Char!cstown, Jefferson
county, W. Va, March %, 1879.
Miss Rose Brobhan. MIS-. NJ. A. Kearney. Miss
Sarat TAYLOR, X. c. Dun Co. Samuel Oar
n.!l, G. W iurtweII. George Robson. Rev. &.
G. Steptoc, n. w White, Misc H1rth. Thorpe.
Miss 44nnie Phillips.
The above letters, If not called for within
thirty days, will be sent to the dead letter Of
flee. Persons calling for them will please
say that they are advertised.
BENJ f. LEIsEHRING, 2. N.
Ring the bell softly there's Grape on the door"
Some bad boy, who had not the fear
of man before his eyes, fastened piece of