Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1893-08-08
Letter From FaIrIax.
FlIRFAx. JIuY %. 1888.

ton TO lower tauQucr To be the
guest of the Rev. j. o. Tackett. a
friend and brother, who, many of
your readers will remember, married
Miss Bette Moore, jefferson lady.
She has proved herself to be help
mate indeed to her husband, pre-em-
inentIy at home, as well as in the
Sunday School, also in visiting
with him his parishioners. have
always thought and still hold the
opinion that lady who would con-
sent to become a Methodist Minis
ter's wife is true heroine, associa-
ting and submitting to inconven-
fences incident to the itinerancy.-
Being subject of remark by the
members of the church. Her pri-
vate life, as the more public one
closely scrutinized, 1 think Mr.
Tackett has scored a point in the
choice of a wife who presides with
grace and dignity at the parsonage.
Mr.. Tackett has circuit of APP
pointments, at each of which he
breaches every two weeks. On last
Sunday L rode with him 10 miles,
preached and returned to the parson-
age the same evening. Twenty miles
of travel and a sermon delivered is
pretty well for an old fellow who is
laid aside. The parsonage. which is
just across from the church, is a
frame structure, neat and comforta-
BILE, in the small hamlet of Morris
vile, situated on one of the public
roads connected by telephone with
the outside world. In the immediate
neighborhood a gold mine is being
worked with the most approved ma
chinery, yet not enough of the yell
low ore got to pay.
On Tuesday MIR. T. very kindly
took me to HARDWOOD, which was once
the seat of very large boarding
scool located in the upper edge of
Stafford county, Is and % miles
away from any country town, it was
carried on in that day by Mr.. Charles
Tackett, grandfather of my friend
was 4 or 3 years at that school, be-
ing only years old when rode on
horseback, behind a Mr.. Ashby, 25
miles. went then, after an absence
of nearly GO years. to look around
and view the spot where my earliest
schooI-boy days were spent away
from my kith and kin. 1t was a mel
anchoIy sight to see the rayages of
time. The old school house where
we studied and recited was in ruins.
The adjacent hills and meadows
oVergroWn with stunted bushes. The
old mansion house where the family
lived, so changed that it was unrec-
equitable by me. drank cop:ous
draughts from the springs where
when boy slaked my burning
thirst in the days of long ago. Our
esteemed fellow citizen DIR. Mason
was student there also, yet several
years my senior. The doctor was
pretty we'll grown, neat dressy fell
low. L remember his personal ap-
pearance, so clean and gentlemanly
1t was delightful pleasure to look
again upon the hill and dales over
which we rOmped and played. But
where are the boys and youths who
were the actors in plays and gainbols
of that far back time? The large
majority have gone to that bourne
from whence no traveller returns.
The other few and far between, If liv-
ing, have grown old. What COM
ment on mans mortality, and the
changeful condition of al earthly
things.
The county of Fauquer is singular
in its formation. 1t is so miles long,
narrow in the middle, but bulges at
each end. In its shape it is not I'M
like pair of saddle pockets. The
farmers at the extreme end have
from 20 to % miles to ride. Efforts
have been made to divide the county,
but not successfully. The land in
the upper end is strong and fertile,
but in this part, to a great extent is
very thin, with the exception that
now and then a very good farmer has
his land in great productiVeness
The land in this section is very level,
4 good many farms unproductiYe and
fenceless. 1 can but think that q
free use of lime on this wornout
soil would act like a charm, give
it body and eventually give it pro-
ductiveness. What a difference be-
tween old Jefferson, with its compact
shape, its seat of justice almost, if
not quite, in the centre, from which
to either extremity of the county
10 or II miles need be traveIed-itS
magnificent domain, so well watered,
two trunk lines passing through the
county north, south, east and west,
good roads, &c. All of the above
and more should be thought of by
residents and strangers within our
gates, so that Horace GreeIy's adj
vice, ''go west young man." need
not be needed.
1 go next to Fairfax county for a
few days, tarrYing at the Court House
a little, to see old friends, etc. L
was once the pastor, but my coy
little brick manse and the church
close at hand were destroyed by van
dial soldiers. Phoenix like, a new
parsonage and church have sprung
up for the comfort of the preachers
and the qualification of the people.
Yours, &c.
]. W. TONGUE.