The Big Stone post. (Big Stone Gap, Va.) 1890-1892, 1891-04-03
ARK TONGUE rs.

The readers of Airy Tongues are already
familiar with many of the personal character
istics of NJ. II. Smith, president of the l.. q \.
railroad, which gave some time since; but
there is one feature of his disposition did not
mention-that is his fondness for good COM
panv. Often when he takes "trip on the most
engrossing business, he invites friend or two
to accompany him. The company do not IN
terfere with his study of the matter in hand, as
he puts his mind on the work and keeps it there
until his conclusions are formed. Then he Is
ready to hear talk but not to do much OF 1t.
being one of Carlyle's "great silent men
that is "silent' in comparison to the men he has
with him; fer on occasion he talks quite freely
as we'll as forcibly.
When Mr.. Smith came here last week he
brought with him two celebrities. One was
DR.. David W. Yandell whose name is familiar
in the scientific circles of Europe as we'll as
of this country. DR.. Yandell would have be-
come famous for his skill as a surgeon had he
never administered single dose of medicine,
and he would have been famous as Il man o!
medicine had he never performed an operation
with knife. His love and genius for his sci
encc have won for him the admiration and high
personal regard of the most celebrated surgeons
of the world. When lie goes to Paris. or to
London, or to Berlin, he is toasted as few men
have been, even by profession whose brilliant
history is so often marred by personal jealous
les and animositics. In this country, | need
only add that the intimates Of the learned
Gross were in doubt whether that great man
loved or admired Yandell most: and the works
of the Philadelphia Surgeon bear ample test-
mony of his exalted respect for and confidence
in Yandcll's abilities. He is full Of interesting
and instructive "reminiscences, and it was but
the other night that he paid generous and
enthusiastic tribute to three great surgeons
who lived in Kentucky during the carly part
of the century, and who were the first of their
profession in this or any other country to per-
form certain operations that are regarded
among the most delicate and important in
surgery. One was Dr.. McCrecry, another was
Dr. Mcdowell, and the name of the third can
not recall His tribute to them was spontaneous
and unstinted, and showed that though lie has
been so often the victim and sufferer from the
mean envy and rancor of some OF his profess
sonal brethren, he could be just and even gen
erous to the genius and memory Of others.
In physical make up DR.. iandel is large,
broad shouldcred and commanding. His pres
encc though imposing, is genial, and his inu-
cncc magnetic. His appearance in sick room
is always brightning, carrying confidence and
an assurance of comfort and restoration. Like
Dr. Forbes Winslow, he has made a study Of
those masked and mental maladies that so fire.
quently form the basis Of physical disease, and
his psychological diagnoses have often proved
effective where drugs had failed. Had lie lived
in the time of Macbeth, the royal Thanc would
not have sought in vain for one to minister to
| Il mind diseased"
W.
l RMajor II. C. Mcdowell was also one Of the
l9arty, man who has perhaps entertained more
presidents and potcntates than any citizen in
| kentucky, public or private. Major Mcdowell
comes of Scotch-Irish strain-famous stock.
Of moderate height but full figure, round head,
horid complexion, dark hair with grey silky
threads here and there, and increasing in NUM-
Der, and "sablc silvcred beard" have never
met one whose social impulses were more hap
PLY blended with easy dignity and grace of
manner, one in whom there was more agree
able union of affability and manliness. Equally
removed from austcrity and licencc, he seems
to have occupied the ideal middle ground by
some process of natural selection. have
known Major Mcdowell for many years Gas he
has reached that age which develops some
aversion to figures, will not say how MANY,
and have seen him amid conviyialities to the
spirit of which most men would yield too much;
but have never seen him take one step too
far from the middle of the road, or heard him
utter one word beyond conservative though!
somewhat expansive propriety. He loves good
company and is 10th to leave it. The social
instinct is deeply fixed in his nature unqacs-
tionably coming from the Irish side, while his
Scotch conservatism tempers and dignfes ii,
bringing it under just the proper restraint, but
no more. If any of the coarser Saxon elements
were ever present, they have been eliminated
by careful training and culture. His manner
is unaffected and easy, and he has an eye so
full of mcrriment that it would soften and
Tighten up the face of browning Mars" He
is prince of good fellows and captain in
good company, lavish in his hospitality and
reasonably free with his money which, God
grant, may some day run into the millions.
No man has more thorough perception of the
proprieties of both money getting and pleasure
seeking, and no one observes the proper limi
tations in the methods of each with less pre-
tense and prudery. Could his characteristics
be combined in marble, we might have the
statue of gentleman worthy of niche in the
Ethenian Acropolis.
Mr.. and Mrs. ]. X. Taggart gave an elegant
dinner Saturday evening. Those present were
Mr.. and Mrs. w. E. Addison; Mr.. and Mrs. S.
c.. Bergman; Mr.. and Mrs. John Hardin; sIr.
and Mrs. E. NJ. Hardin; DIR. and Mrs. Marston;
Dir. and Mrs. Kunkel; Mr.. Irvine and Miss Fox.
X
Easter Sunday was an ideal day. The air
was bracing yet softened by the sun, andwhcn
the church bells sounded numbers of graceful
figures and pretty faces, crowned with Easter
bonnets, emerged alike from castle and cottage