Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1894-11-13
a Beautiful Tribute.

a Beautiful Tribute.
We take the following from the
Rouss Auction Trade journal:
In the report of the speech of
Erastus Wiman at Winchester,
printed in our last paper, there was,
inadvertently, omitted a paragraph
which was in itself a gem. Tits here
reproduced and will greatly please
our many readers.
Spirits TWAIN.
"The good Governor Holiday, in
the splendid Grafton with which he
inaugurated these proceedings, re-
ferred to the uses which the honored
guest of the day is making of his
wealth. He referred to the fact that
there were many men of continental
reputation for enormous wealth, who
were not performing a service for
their fellow men TO compare with that
which Mr.. Rouss, in the event OF
this day, conveys to this people in
water-works which are here presen-
ted. 1t is thus the spirit of the man,
rather than his wealth, which calls
for our admiration and regard. 1t is
the spirit that animates him TO good
deeds, much more than the spirit OF
sordidness and selfishness that would
beget Accommodations of wealth and
the piling up of gold. Yes, my
friends. the spirit that animates
Charles Broadway Rouss finds its
sweetest expression on yonder gentle
slope, in the silent city of your dead ;
in the beautiful cemetery where so
many of your hopes lie buried where
sleep so many venerated forms. The
loving care of this son of Winchester
has made this place beautiful, and,
as it were, enclosed within his love.
In the monuments of almost classic
form which he has raised to his own
loved ones, is found still closer ex-
preston of the spirit that animates
him-the dear mother whom almost
for an entire year he Travelled be-
tween Saturday and Sunday of every
week distance of nearly one thous-
and miles to visit, lies here; her vir-
tues and her love commemorated
while under the same sod lies the
form of his eldest boy, named after
him, whose memory permeates every
act of his life to this day; to whom
reference never ceases TO be made ia
all his friends. These, with others
fifty entombed, are borne in constant
thought of the past, and with the
hourly discharge of the duties OF
every day life is mingled his love for
those that are gone. SO that these
words seem completely to permeate
his actions:
"Thc stately ships go on, to their haven un-
But oh for the touch of vanished hand,
and tile sound of a voice that is still -
GAS 1 went this morning, with nv
friend, to this beautiful cemetery.
and mingled my tears with his, at
the evidences of affection from nu-
merous unnamed friends, who had
strewn these graves with flowers, /
could not but realize the difference
in the spirit which pervades the or
binary moneY-getter or the average
millionaire with whom it has been my
fate to associate. And when stand
to-day before this vast audience, and
recall the occasion which brings us
together, in a munificent gift that is
made to the city of Winchester, in
the waters works, 1 see still another
spirit that projects into the future-a
beneticence and a bencdiction for the
living as in the cemetery, there is a
gracious remembrance of the dead.
$50, my friends, there is n double
meaning in the life of this man. The
life on Broadway, in the husine SIS of
ten millions n year; the life that he
lives in the memory of the past and
in the future in your pleasant town
three distinctive spirits, that remind
enc of the beautiful German ballad,
you will recall. Having returned from
foreign lands, the German youth
crosses the river to his home and Wis
its the graveyard to fiud the
-omb of his mother and the freshly
made grave of his sweetheart. As
he returns over the ferry, saddened,
yet soothcd, with the recolIections of
the past, he says to the boatman:-
Take oh boatman. thrice thy fee;
Take, give it willingly,
For, invisibly to thee,
Spirits twain have crossed with met"
'Thus it is with our friend, Spirits
twain go in and out with him, and
illustrate that there is something no.
bier to live for than the mere grub
bfng for moneys sake, except for
the nobler purposes of good to our
fellow men, of which to-day we see
such a roble illustration. /"
When Mr.. Erastus Wiman visited
our city as guest of Mr.. Rouss and
while standing beside the empty
grave that once held the remains of
Mr.. RS. son Charles, with tears
streaming down his cheeks. he ut
tered these words: In that grave
there was buried many a fond
hope. Since that time have found
out that he was very fond of poor
Charles.
The Democrats of Charles Town
district did noble work last Tues
day, making a gain of a over the
majority of 1892.