Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1893-10-18

though he did not succumb beneath it,
though his iron will kept him outwardly
calm and seemingly impeuetrable to grief,
his nearest friends noticed what change
the bereavement had wrought when all was
over. For young Mr.. Rouss was no ordinary
man. He was his frstborn. He was thirty
one years of age, highly educated, Literally
gifted by nature, and, as regards business
was after his fathers own heart. He was,
as he SAYS himself in his quaint phonetic
phraseology, his "rite hand man."
Nor was Mr. Rouss's grief always poured
out for his own flesh and blood. He mourn
ed almost as keenly for departed faithful
employee. Witness, for instance, this extract
from placard placed in prominent place
in his store, which is really poetic monu-
ment to dear friend:
"The fearless, tireless little veteran Hen
nv Opie), of 2Sl and S5l and 81 and 46S,
dating away back, No 1913, in 1870, passed
from time to eternity last night at half past
ten. All me How bitter those terrible tri-
ais that tear friendship and affection TO atoms
with unsparing aud merciless severity
Poor, dear Opie He stood at his post as
long as he was able to stand, with courage
and fidelity that would command alteration
from ingratitude itself Farewell, my brave,
true Opie Often have said, Come, OPie ;
no rest for the weary But it is all over
now. aud that impatient, persistent, loyal
bundle of devotion, fidelity and toll sleeps
| in perfect rest. If that deathless spark that
works the mind survives dissolution, then
he has greeted the deathless, chivalrous vet
Grams that have dropped from the ranks IN
our march from 140 to 46S-Bob, Clint, Pc
ter, Ono, Frank, Lee. Yes, Opie, with
thousand unavailing regrets. with unspoken
prayers and hopeless hopes, | bid you an
afectionate farewell forever.-C. B. r."
THE above numbers refer to the various
locations of Mr.. Rousss store at different
timesl. Doubtless, after tour of his NAM
moth store nothing would give better idea
of Mr. Rouss's business than his Monthl
Auction Journal 1t contains sixty pages
and after three or four columns of editorial
matter, is dedicated to a price list OF hi;
wares, than which a more miscellaneou:
collection cannot be found in any store in
the world. The saying that you can find
in the place everything from needle to an
anchor is literally true, with the exception
of the anchor. 1t is magazine of the
United States, and as a matter of fact, there
is not a city, town or village i'll this big
country that does not draw upon it for sup
plies. To return once more to his beloved
Winchester, we copy resolutions passed by
the board of managers of Mount Hebron
Cemetery Company, dated May 90, 1891, al
a close to this too brief sketch Laid be-
| fore the board communication we have re-
ceived from Charles B. Rouss, Esq, making
a donation to the Mount Hebron Cemetery
Company of seven thousand, five hundred
dollars for the purpose of enclosing tht
grounds. 1t is unimously ordered that the
cordial thanks of the company be extended
to Mr.. Rouss for his magnificent gift. 1t il
further ordered unanimously that the com
pany do present to Mr.. Rouss lot in The
cemetery, not occupied or hitherto assigned
of such area and site as he may desire. y
Mr.. Rouss is not accustomed TO publish his
donations, but friend who knows him wei
declares that he has, within the past twenty
years, donated upwards Of quarter of q
million dollars to purposes in which the
veterans of the South as well as very many
of the institutions of the North are inter
ested.