Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-12-22
THE NORTHERN NECK
The Pretty" New Jail Has Winter
BodrdePS
WANTS TO REMAIN.
Has Faith in the Gypsy Fortune
Tellers Wild Geese Personal
story-MiIIions of the Birds.

sombre cells. and picturesque halls, is
no longer without occupants. and our
jailer no longer lacks "boarders." Three
law-breakers were assigned TO winter
quarters in the pretty prison this week.
in addition TO a fellow-offender who pre-
ceeded them. and several pairs OF official
eyes are on others suspected OF sgnih-
cant violations OF the law. Some days
ago coiored boy relieved Mrs. James
IL. Peyton's bureau-drawer of s. in cash;
and he was promptly lodged in jail
Three OF the participants in largely
attended coiored festival imbibed too
freely Of a Eight drink" known as
angel food" and, becoming hilarious and
then ferocious. pitched into the "dea-
cons and brethren" and done them
up in manner which required imme-
date judicial Intervention. They were
arrested, tried before Justice Il. b. Purks.
and two Of them found guilty and sent
TO jail for thirty days. y negro who
was some time ago lodged In Jail here.
and whose term OF Imprisonment has
nearly expired. appealed TO n county
official the other day to continue him
In prison through the winter. He claims
TO be very comfortable In his cell, 10 be
and "all other necessaries Of life" and
says he prefers this sort OF life. with
the ease and comforts OF iail. 20 freedom
and the privilege of working for a liveli-
hood. This is one of many cases which
show that imprisonment has no terror
for a certain class Of people Many a
worthless wretch boasts that IL Is better
to commit some trivial offence and be
incarcerated in the county iail. fed and
provided for during the winter, than TO
have TO earn a support out OF prison.
and that going TO jail a few months is
no disgrace"
HE HAS FAITH.
The gypsy fortune-tellers. who have
done such a thriving business In King
George this fall, told one Of our citizens
a bachelor-that by going TO Washing
ton. d. c.. he would meet very wealthy
woman who would marry him at first
sight. SO great is the young mans faith
in the fortune-telers that he is now try
ing TO sell his home. farm. horses. cattle,
etc. In order to start In quest OF the
''rlch woman Immediately
Among the ex-Confederate soldiers in
this county ia a gray-haired veteran who
bears upon his body the marks OF seven
ugly wounds. all Of which were inflicted
at Sharpsburg in less than one minute"
Two bullets entered his breast. passed
through his lungs, and came out on his
back near the shoulder blades. Not
withstanding these severe wounds and
his narrow escape from death. this old
wet" is a hard laborer and supports a
large family by his daily tolls on a rented
farm.
WILD GEESE.
For nearly two weeks past wild geese
have been passing over this section in
large quantities, and II is reported that
these and other wild water-fowls are
quite abundant in the marshes and low
lands OF the Rappahannock.
II seems that in some parts OF this
county Wild turkeys have taken the
place Of partridges. Some OF our farmers
have already killed a number OF the
former. among which were several COB
blers OF immense size and weight.
Mrs. Dr. Rice. OF this place. left on
Wednesday the 18th. for Fredericksburg.
where she will spend the winter.
Rev. Thomas p Baker and bride. who
spent a week with relatives here, left
some days ago for washington and Alex
andria After spending a few days with
relatives in those cities they will go TO
/ Cheraw. S. c.. where Mr.. Baker has
accepted a call to the rectorship Of some
| Episcopal churches.
| Senator John +. Mason. Of this county,
will spend the winter in Fredericksburg
The condition Of CAPTAIN William r
/ Baker OF Shiloh. who was stricken with
infammatory rheumatism some time ago
IL entirely unimproved. and he is a help
less invalid
Mr.. J. w. McNiel and Mr.. Mondes
Students at Richmond College. are ex-
pected TO arrive here to-day 10 spend the
holidays. Appointments have been made
FOR them, and It is understood that they
will do ministerial work while In the
CANNOT LOAD.
Several san vessels and a barge or two
were caught by ice on the King George
shore of the Potomac river two weeks
ago. and since the ice broke up and
! foated away the tide has been so low
that the craft have been unable either
70 take on their freight-railroad-ti ties and
cord-wood-Or to move to other points.
The weather has been very unfavoraole
for the last month for loading vessels
and barges with ties and timber on the
Potomac. so that the shippers have been
| subjected TO a great deal OF lnconVe-
nience and considerable loss.
A wonderful hawk story is going the
rounds here now. \ short time ago a
King George fisherman and trapper who
| lives In the creeks and marshes OF the
| Potomac-his house being a covered
foot-boat-repOrted that enormous num-
bers of hawks were crossing the Poto-
mac river. travelling from the North 10
| the South In describing this ''iIrm gra-
ton movement" he stated that thou
sands and. tens OF thousands Of hawks
nassed over in a single flock" This part
| of the report was looked upon as Mum
chausen story, and the crowds that daily
gathered about the store and steam
boat landing. where the old trapper Is
the central figure. loved TO demonstrate
their lack Of faith in the hawk story
their constant ridicule OF the statement
Incoming intolersble and unbearable 70
The modern Nimrod. Meanwhile IL leak
/ 81 out" that some other persons had also
seen the thousands and thousands or
hawks" going southwark. and when the
incredulous crowd again began 10 rldl-
Guile and poke fun az the trapper about
the "monstrous yarn" II was promptly
nroved that the vast multitude OF hawks
which crossed the Potomac in flock was
so great that no man could number IL.
n Is now said in good faith that the
number OF these birds passing over this
section this fsll. In their southwark
fight approximates millions.
Rev. Dr. John McKnabb will conduct
religious services at ST. Johns Episcopal
church. King George Courthouse, on
Christmas-Day.