Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-01-22
Affairs at Falls Church, Va.

TIE WEATHER AND THE TCRNIP CROP-A CHILD
BURNED TO DEATH-PERSONAL MENTION.
Correspondence OF The EVENING STAR.
FALLS CHURCH, VA, January 81, 1885.
The winter months are more than half gone and
the earth, while swinging away from the sum- is
steadily turning US more directly to Its warm rays
and gives US day Twenty-Five minutes longer
than the shortest in December. Glad to realize
1t. The winter thus far has not been cold one,
nor one OF the pleaSantest. We have had tenn
perature one morning down to four degrees above
zero. l presume that in some localities more ex-
posed than mine the mercury touched zero. To re-
move the effect OF the almost unprecedentedly
severe drought there have been many days which
are clasSed under the head OF rainy Ones and yet
Consequently the earth and the small streams have
f1lled up slowly. The freezes did not stop the
following the sleighins snow: II my observation
be reliable. turnps grew while that snow covered
the ground as blanket and extracted the frost
still grew.
The house In which William Freeman, colored
man lived. was burned here recently and with it
the youngest or his two children-a creeping babe.
The Oldest Is four. Freeman, report says, lett the
house to loiter about the village and his wife to do
the same at 4 neighbours leaving these two chill
dren alone. The Oldest Child played with the fire
and so set the house on fire. The eldest left the
house. leaving the youngest and dog or two to be
Mr.. ". W. Kingsley has sold his pleasant resi-
dence to Major Porter.
Miss Emma Berry, the esti.nable daughter Of Mi.
d. Berry here, Is visiting her brother in your city
few weeks.
Report currently circulated states that the
pennsylvania railroad has purchased privately the
w, o. & ". railroad. L. s. A.
Mrs. Gaines Two Wills.
SENSATIONAL DEVELOPMENTS AND MORE PROMISED.
The probate OF the Will OF Myra Clark Gaines
came up In New Orleans yesterday before Judge
Houston. The court room was crowded, so intense
was the interest in the litigation over the two
alleged last Wills OF the wonderful litlgant. The
Rev. DR.. Palmer, DR.. W. II. Hoicombe, DR.. w. c.
Harrison and others, who witnessed the cross mark
or Mrs Gaines to her Will OF January 5ti., called
"the Christmas WILL" were put On the stand. IL
was shown that the provisions CT the will had beel
dictated TO clerk by her attorney, Wilder written
down, read TO the dying woman. and in each case
Sue gave her spoken assent. She was lifted up By
Dr. HOlc0Iaoe, who guided her hand to sign cross.
IL was then shown that the will dated January 8tb
the day before her death, written all in her
handwriting, including date line and signature,
but the date appeared to be written at another
time than the body ot the document, different
kind OF ink being used. The testimony Of Notary
Hero and Attorneys Fellows. Mills and others was
conclusive on this point. Mrs. Evans. the beneti-
cfary by this last VIII, said the document was
brought TO her wrapped up in handkerchief by a
lady whom she did not know, but who said she
was performing sacred trust reposed in her by
Mrs. Gaines. The case went over until today,
when, according TO dispatch from New Orleans
"further sensational developments are promised"