Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1893-11-14
down town and bis daY's work has

paroles.
-
down town and his days work has
begun.
Mr. Rouss lives st No. 632 Fifth
avenue, in magnificent mansion,
but it is chiefly for his children that
he bought it, Two years ago Mr..
Rouss bought this lmnse and the
day after a real estate broker offered
him $40, 900 for his bargain. ''Who
in the world is fool enough to want
10 give $4,000 more for this house
than paid yesterday?" The broker
told him il was ex-Ju6ge Hilton,
successor to A. r. Stewart.
81 don't want his Sl0,000,' said
MIR. Rouss. at Wouldn't buy me
single more meal day than 1 get
now. can't eat more than three.
bought this property for homel
never had one before, / am going
to keep it, too. Tell Judge Hilton
he hasn't got enough money to take
it away from me. "
Mr.. Rouss has two living children.
One, the daughter, named for the
State of Virginia her father loves so
we'll, is a pale, slender girl, with
sweet, honest eyes, but lots of her
fathers good, hard sense, The
other, Peter Winchester Rouss, is
his fathers assistant in the store.
He is very young-barely seventeen
/ should say-bnt he already shows
the breadth, the balance, the applica-
tion and the loyal devotion to his
friends which have made his sire so
famous.
In April. 1891, there passed away
the mainstay of the iron old man, as
his familiars call him, when his elder
son, Chas. ii. B. Rouss, died of tho
terrible influenza then prevalent. He
was just thirty-one, and one of the
ablest young men in the business life
of the metropolis. He was full of a
gentle unassuming courtesy and had
the high sense of honor that somehow
seems TO be part of the inheritance
of the true Yirginian.
Since his sons death, Mr.. Rouss
has been saddened aud softened
man, hut no wit less resolute or va
liant in his battle for his principles
OF "Undcrhy, Undersell, Cash before
Delivery, Ask only an Honest Profit
and Sell for That" These principles
are set forth monthly in his Trade
,JouTndl, a magazine with a circula-
tion of nearly 1000, 600 month, 1t
contains six pages, and after three or
four columns of editorial matter, is
dedicated TO price list of his wares
than which a more miscellaneous coll
lection cannot he found in any store
in the world. The saying that you
find in the place everything from n
needle to an anchor is literally true,
with the exception of the anchor. It
is magazine of the United States,
aud as matter of fact, there is not
q city, town or village in this big
country that does not draw upon it
for supplies.
In personal appearance AIR. Rouss
reminds me of Dumas description of
the famous French guardsman4 the
Chepalier De African. He is of me-
dium height, of middle age, has grey
hair and mustache, aud carries him
self with quiet dignity. Nevertheless,
though so long in business and though
almost new generation has sprung
up since he laid down his mnsket,
something of the air militaire is
bound to stick to him to the end. In
fact, you strike one of the tenderest
cords in his nature when you mention
anything about the war.
When his brilliant son, that he
loved more than he loved business and
better than lie loved life it
self was torn from his grasp by the
hand of death, the New York million-
aire, though PROSTATE with grief, did
not forget his brave comrades in
arms, and it is on record that after
returning from his sons funeral he
sat down and wrote a check for 81,
500, which he sent to Winchester ito
build an iren fence about my neigh-
bois' graves" as he put in his own
quiet way.
Mr.. Rouss' charities are too nu-
merous TO mention here. This simple
creed, "the world is my country, TO
do good my religion" is being con-
stantly carried into effect, and in
many a home there are those who
rise and call him blessed. The les
son of his life, if put into words,
would be: rely always on yourself,
ask no favors. give generously, love
warmly, hate earnestly, but above
all else be true to yourself and then
thou can'st indeed be false TO no
man" The lesson is well worth the
learning. p. ". A.
"All human history attesis
That happiness for man,-the hungry sinner
Since Eve ate apples. much depends on dinner.