Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1888-06-19

Memorial Day in Chdrlestotcn General w.
H. F. Lees Address-The Countrywide
Crops, dc.
DEAR M1RRoR:-Last Saturday was Confed-
crate Memorial Day in Charlestown, w. Va,
and your correspondent, having tender feel
| ing for the old town, and ALI tEat belongs TO
| her-a feeling engendered in days lang sy'le,
when in childhood he roamed' over her fertile
hills slaked his thirst in her crystal streams.
and Toasted his eyes upon the loneliness OF her
landscape aud q feeling intensified, as his
| own shadow falls westward by the fact that
| she to-day holds in her generous bosom the re-
mains of those dear to him in life, and whose
memory he yet holds in sacred remembrance.
For these reasons, and his reverence for the
memories of those, the decoration of whose
| graves was the special object of these memo
| rial ceremonies-many of whom were the COM
panons of his youth,-he determined to
''cross over the river" and join in the sad GER
eInonies of the day.
Accordingly. in company with Senator
Heaton, on Friday we boarded the evening
train to Round Hill. and proceeded to Wood.
grove. where the Senator owns a fine estate OF
| several hundred acres, the well improved con-
dition of which tells what he knows about
| farming.
After refreshing nights rest. and an early
we started on our ride across the mountain
Once over the mountain and across the pla-
| cid waters of the Shenandoah, we at 10 O'Clock
| found ourselves in Charlestowu, the objective
point of our journey. The streets were
| thronged with people. and gay with uniformed
soldiers and 1owcr-laden maidcns. While the
air was Us full of music rs three brass bands
could make it.
After giving handsome dcscrip-
ton Of our memorial services, the
editor continues:
Thus ended the annual r~crrises Of the Lee
| Memorial Association. This strcwihg of flow
ers over the graves OF the dead is = beautiful
| custom. 1t inav sonrtilncs recall cad and bit
| ter memories. and stir to its deepest depths,
| the heart OF some lonely mother who even yet,
Ruchel-lilc, weeps. and refuses to be comfort
! ed because her child is nnt--hut as loving
hearts prompt. and willing hnudS gather the
| floral offerings, and $ymrsth;zin- women lay
| them as fragrant mcmcutoPS on the last rest
| ing place of many whom they never knew eX-
ccpt as the occupant of 4 soldiers grave. 1t can
| but soothc the SORROWS of the bereaved ones
| TO ne thus assured. that though deud, their
loved ones vet live in the hearts of their conn
| trYElcn. And il something more sacred
| than a mere sentiment that drew together such
a crowd and prompted such n demonstration
as witnessed in Edge Hill Cemetery. n
quarter Of century after the event it COM
| memoratCd TRANSFERRED.
| At night Col. II. Kvd Douglas delivered in
the Court-Housc, 10 quite large audience. his
lecture. The Southern Volunteer" The
lecture was a happily conceived and well rem
dercd production. We may add that our OBJ
!
| bovish faith as to tie grace and beauty of the
| :. weaker vessels" of the old town.
| The press of the county was. as it always
should be. on such OCCASION well repre-
rented. For the first time it was our pleasure
to meet with the genial editor of the Shep-
| herdstowu Register. Mr.. fl. l.. Snyder; and
also. our old friends. W. b. Gallaher, of the
Free Press, and Geo. w. Haines. of the Spirit
| of Jefferson. to both of whom return thanks
| for cOurtcsics extended.
| Charlestown is quite pretty place. She has
grown wonderfully in the last few years. and
now has a population of about $500. and is
still growing. She has, VIC understand. nine
churches. of which the - colorcd brethren own
| five.
The Garter House." one of the leading ho-
| tells of'the town. is admirably kept by a Lou
| DOM man, Mr.. T. Z. Baker, formerly of Mid
dleburg.
Leaving Charlestown about 10 o'clock the
next day. we reversed orr route home, and
crossed the river ut Castlcman's Ferry Be-
tween the two points named. we had one con-
tinuous panorama of beauty IND fertility: and
| rs we looked upon the green hills and ri"h val
levs and magnificent lovcln"a~ OF that portion
of jefferson. could bit think hos shame
fully cruel that fair child should have
been so ruthlcssly torn from the bleeding
womb of its then PROSTATE mother.
We saw much fine stock, but in the matter
of horses cattle. COWS. etc. we think we have
the advantage of them here i'll Loudoun. In
corn and grass. honors. this season. arc about
easy-ncither. am sorry to say. having much
to boast of. Jefferson's wheat crop is better
than ours ':by a large majority" I don't
think hat i, alSnseason or on any soil ! ever
saw a finer prospecf for Il good Weld. " =
We rested and dincd with Logan Osburn,
Esq. former Loudouner. but for years past
ono OF jefferson county's most prosperous
farmers. and of her best known and most high
IL h0norcd citizens. He still retains n lively
interest in the people and affairs of his native
country.
4 little farther on we reached the hosptable
home of the late Henry W. Castlcman. We
drove in and spent an hour in the presence
we can hardly say the company-of our old
friend Mr.. Jas. F.. Sinclair. at one time Clerk
of the Circuit Court of Loudoun The old gen
tlcnIan is in the 93d year of his age. and mp to
within Il few weeks ago. his general health
was good and his mental faculties unimpaired.