Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1893-12-16
Lctlcr irnm Norlnll,.
rrcspondeucc Alexandria Gazette.

NORFOLK, Va, Dec. 18Th, lS9&.-A
Virginia poet wrote that Norfolk pos
sessed sea shell that held the echo of
the lost song of Sappho, which shows
how much information there is in an
oyster that can evolve such beautiful
thought from the chestnut story of the
girl whose fellow went back on her.
The custodian of the shell is Jim
Jones" the restaurant. keeper, and
when you don't find Il man at his home
or his Office you are told that he is at
Jim Jones
During the recent religious confer
ence six country deacons went to call
on visiting parsOn, who was out, and
the hosts servant not knowing the
character of his guest or the callers,
replied that he ''reckoned he mout be
at Jim Jones's." Then the keeper of
Jims fountain of mirth and comfort
was surprised to see six clcrical-looking
persons range up in front of the bar and
ask for the Reverend --, but busi-
ness was business and be answered that
the gentleman was regular customer
and would be in about treat time. So
the thirsty sinners as they came and
went for an hour were struck with the
horrible idea that 4 temperance crusade
had lighted down on the town and ii
was some time before the lost song of
Sappho was played on the half shell and
Jim Jones caught on to the joke and
made il little act
The United States Court is in session
trying pension cases and it makes Nor
folk point attractive for reform TO
gaze at from atar, and all these will be
u judicial precedent against allowing
pensions for bogus veterans and the
uncles, cousins and aunts Of suffers.
There are about seventy cases of va
rious grades and it is expected that tho
court will adjourn over 10 the 9th of
January after the present weeks
work. At the opening the counsel for
the defense argued TO Quash certain
indictments on technica!ities but the
objections were oyerruled.
When You get to the dock on one Of
the Norfolk and Washington steamers
on stormy morning after being quiet
" rocked in the cradle of the deep like
a babe in the ideal tree top you may
lacerate the clerk of the weather for
not adding to the pleasure Of such a
luxuriant trip by a clear view of the
harbor, but it is a pretty sight TO see
the gallant captain spin lovely women
down the slippery gang plank at an
angle of fortyiive degrees. Seven lit
lie maidens lust from school for the
Nmas holidays came up and the hand
some captain sings out zone at time
ladies' and slides them down with the
tenderness of a grandmother. When
thew give bird-lilie ilutter and ex-
claim in chorus Isn't that nice, it's
lust like Pinafore, the way Il e amat,ur
opera company does it at Richmond
There are hundreds OF sporJsmen who
come down this line to hunt in the wa
ters Of Virginia and North Carolina, for
the water fowl seem to have left their
P)tomac points and sought wider rin5e
where the pot hunter has not such
dead shot. At present there are doZ-
en- hunting clubs that have elegant
lodges along the waters OF the "Jeems'
and the inets from Cape Henry down
through the DlSlna! swamp anu Sullf
tuck Sound.
Norfolk has been noted for its enter
Prise in rcdeeming this entire section
from republitanism and in the recent
election distinguished itselffor phenom-
email majorities.
So the people were wild over the Lee
Martin contest in which the younger
and newer element of the Virginia de-
mocracy cleared the field and succeed
ed in getting the influence of two SEN
atorshipS! The boys have waited
long time for their turn TO come and
they think they have got there" The
bitterness ofihe fight has suhsidcd but
the result remains and the policy OF the
new regime will be seen in the autumn
elections. In the meantime there is an
indication of a strong fight against the
Anderson-McCormick election law.