Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1893-08-08
Letter 10 c. 3. Rouss.

BLoUET SPRINGS, ALA, May 23, '93.
Charles BROADWAY RoUss:
Esteemed Friend: Yesterdays mail
brought me, first, package of pa.
pers 1 value beyond the power OF
words to convey.
Mr. Ronss, / wish could look you
squarely in the face and tell you how
grateful I am. The printed matter
is so very interesting to me that ]
wish, with your permission, to keep
it. The building is simply magnif-
icent, and we'll worthy of you. Your
portrait reveals clear index to your
character and life. The face is in
tensely sad, but its stern lines are
softened by a pathos that can be
seen and felt, hut cannot be described.
The eyes have that steady light
and far-awaY expression found in such
men as Napoleon, Grant, Bismark
aud very few born leaders. The
brow is tremendousl 1 note that
you wear your hair in the Andrew
jackson style. Did it ever occur
to you that you are just exactly like
him in vim, honesty of purpose, en-
ergy, daring, push, conquest of all
obstacles in your path, firmness,
concentration, will-power, success
and observation-disclosures? Well, l tell
you plainly that you are. This will
be the verdict of history.
The more know of and about you,
the more I am astonished. You over
whelm my capacity to estimate you,
and shadow others as peak in the
Rocky Mountains would tower above
the bills around my home. The
nearer one, gets to you the bigger you
seeml What glory and honor you
are to your native Southland.
And the bright. handsome, manly
young man, the pillar on whose stall
wart strength the coming years of
your life should nave leaned the
brave young oak on whose limbs the
old might have bent, but never fall
len, in the cyclone of business life,
the face that should have bent over
yours when all was white and still;
the eyes that should have flashed the
fires of commercial genius over all
the commercial marts of the world /;
the sweet and noble ways that glad
den and bless business and domestic
life no more; the hopes, aspirations
and ambitions that have gone into
eclipse, the young eagle that has
plumed for the last flight upward
and across the space of time.
''There are some things hard to
understand.
With everything on earth to live
and hope for, your SON Charley has
gone where not even graiu of saud
on the seashore is needed; the sum
mer roses aud the wintry snow are
alike unheeded; and still, in his un-
broken dream, it is we who miss him /;
he misses US not. Obi the human
heart cries out along the highway of
the centuries, why is the wall so high,
and the midnight so black, and the
silence so deep that we cannot climb
over and awaken them by our means
and see them2 Surely the
parting is not finaII Surely yo and
that splendid boy must meet again.
Now, consulting the honor of my
own heart, 1 wish to weave garland
of verses from the flowers of song,
and offer you as tender and true
''Ira 1femoridRe" for that quiet form
who, under the skies of Virginia,
sleeps the years away, awaiting the
joyful resurrection
'.Far away What docs 1t mean.
Are hearts the slaves of lords of space
CRn time part constant souls Ween
1t Snnnot since the silen teart
Says far-away means far-more-near.
take the liberty of offering you
several written copies of my poems,
being ali 1 am able TO offer. In 1858
my mother and SELF formed part
paDy," and after years of torture
from their agents and tenants, they
have failed, owing us over s., 900,
not one cent of which ne can get;
but the sad part is, we had to file a
bill in equity TO get possession of our
land.
Every dime that maintains us
comes through my pen at my desk at
night, and managing our farm in the
daytime.
want to show you some tributes
from friends who know me we'll.
They viii prove my spotless good
name. / have received more public
honors than any woman in this State.
do not dance, touch wine in any
shape, play cards CT deviate in the
most minute detail from a modest
and humble sense of my own talents.
/ would rather be called industrious
and pure and good than a famous
genius.
If you would furnish me several
hundred copies of the May number
of your Monthly Auction Trade Jour
nal, each copy wrapped and stamped,
will be pleased to address and
mail them for your benefit and for
the benefit of my friends all over the
South and Mexico. 1 don't see how
l could render any greater favor to
them, than by calling their personal
attention to an honest man and his
line of business. The sensible adj
vice you give in each number is worth
hundreds of dollars to them, whether
they trade with you or not, while the
chances are ten to one in your favor,
that they are sure to deal with you'll
would thank you if you will
promptly forward one copy each to
the names furnished on the enclosed
list.
Repeating the assurance of my