Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1886-01-07
LETTER FROM RAPPAHANHOCX.

Correspondence OF the Alexandria Gazette.
WooDvILLE, Rapp. Co., Va, Jan. 1.-The
holidays have passed and the new year begins
quietly with US, and so far rs known there
were no accidents and no breaches of the
peace. The usual movings at the BEGINNING
of the year, the hiring of farm hands, and
other Of the yearly customs peculiar to the
season have all been gone through with, and
everything has settled down for another
twelve month of hard work and bread win
ming. The holiday in the country is
quiet and tame season to what it was in the
days of slavery, and there is now none of
that Joyous demonstration and hearty out
flowing of feeling which then made the
negro peculiar institution, indeed, at Christ
mas The truth is, what with caring for
themselves and families the negro who has
worked hard all the year on the farm has
but little if anything left with which to
treat himself to the luxuries Of Christmas
He has no old master nor mistress nor
young ones, either from whom he was once
sure to receive gifts at this season of sub
s!antial character. We miss, too, the hap
py negro boys in brand-new homespun, once
so familiar at the close of the year, and to
see now SO many Of them enjoying their
holidays in their last years clothes, and that
without money, speaks telling contrast to
tho old times. But great changes take time
in which to right and adjust themselves,
and time may yet work wonders for the ne
gro in his new role as an American citizen.
We regret to announce the serious illness
of one OF ppahannock's well-known citi-
zcns, p. N. Finks, Of F. T., who was pros.
Il CT I,,, ctro1-a re l.
ysis He has somewhat improved since
Mr.. Finks has acquired n good fortune by
his close attention to business, and there
are few merchants in the Piedmont country
better or moro favorably known in the
cities than Pax Finks. Year after year,
regularly and without fail, he has gone to
Baltimore to buy goods OH certain day in
April AID in September, and when those
days come he is already to the minute. We
trust he may be spared to make his biennals
for many years TO come.
Our representative in the Legislature has
been spending his holidays at his pleasant
home in Sperryvlle, where be has firmly
established himself in q well-maraged and
extensive mercantile business. He will be
of to Richmond now in few days TO see
after the interests Of his countymen, which
wo venture he Will guard and represent in
as satisfactory manner as the best can do.
Mr.. O'Bannon is young man of good quail
lilies, both az politician as we'll as man of
business, and the fact that he had no oppo-
sition in the late election speaks as to his
character ard popularity.
We hardly know here what to make Of
the fine, sunny, warm weather in the middle
OF winter. 1t is certainly very unusual in its
continuance, though we have the old men
with Us who distinctly remember just such
a winter somewhere away back in the days
of their early manhood, and deny that this
weather is without precedent.
The wheat looks we'll, and the farmers arc
plGwing for spring crops. This is fine time in
which to turn sod as the freezing which is sure to
follow will give it.a lino preparation for spring
crops
There many applicants for tho county SUI
pcrntendcncy of schools in this county, and petit.
lions are circulating all around for sgners. Tho
office in some States is an elective one but is not
in Virginia. "B."