The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1897-12-29
CHRIS TMAS TREE NIGHT
Nearly Every Church In Town Had Some
Kind Of Celebration.
RAT ARD-MATCHES THEORY ABOUTA FIRE
Country Ronds Arc Ju.t Awful
fforse Runs Away with ~ Beer.
Wagon-ssie OF weight Young Man
Ovcr>estimntcs the Strength ut His
Grip-Arsumcnt With knife.

Suffolk, Va. Dec. 2S.-(SpeclaL)-
This was Il night Of Christmas trees
Nearly every church here set 1t aside
TO make the children happy.
The Main street NJ. Il. church had its
tree at 3 o'clock this afternoon. There
were presents for every one Of the in
FAINT class, many members OF which
made speeches and recited very pref
lily. MIR. y. \. Riddicil represented
Santa Claus and handed out The gifts.
The Presbyterian and Buptis: church.
es also had their juvenile festivities to-
night. There were pretty d ecolutions.
scasonable Rotations and apprupr!at e
presents.
There was an entertainment: tonight
at Providence church, in the county.
There were also oysters.
several members OF the Suffolk
churches went out and helped with
the music.
MYSTERIOUS BLAZE.
What might have been a very serious
affair if allowed ITO develop, was to-
day sutfoCated while yet in an en-
hryo state. 1t was a mysterious fire.
discovered at o'clock this morning in
a clothes closet in w. C. Harrels res
idcnce on Sycamore street.
y dense smoke and smell of burning
cloth informed thc residents that some
thing was wrong. The cause was soon
located, and when the closet door was
opened the flames. given new life by
the inrushing air. burst forth viciously.
"A timely aHclication OF water sub
dued them. An overcoat and several
articles of ladies' apparel we've burn
ed, and the building was slightly dam
aged The loss Is covered
No one knows how Tho ,l,,, -.,r,o,1
as the closet had been uno ,upieI Ivy
any person for many hours. The only
theory that Mr.. Harrell can suggest
Is shat Of rats and matches.
HE NEVER SAW WORSE,
y gentleman who has Just Travelled
TWICE the county roads h,:rarI ;suC-
tolk and Smithfield. says the highways
arc worse than he ever saw thcm-ln
fact, he says they are ahnus,, impass
able, and he had serious thoughts OF
abandoning the trip, and what IS the
worst part of it, he says the roads
In Nansemond are worse than those
In Isle Of Wight
~ FIRE CRACKER CAUSED TT.
There was n short but exciting run
away on the fair grounds to-day. 4
horse owned by Charlie Keclcr which
was hitched to a beer wagon. got scared
near w. d. Boyett's store and ran win
furious speed till il was STONED by
II colored man near w. It. Lipscomb's
store The wagon was badly damarcd
there was no driver in it when The
horse started
NOW HE IS SORRY.
~ young man in Isle OF Wight cnun-
" made a Very reckless wager n dav
or TWO ago, while under the influence
OF eSg-nog Fle bet he had a hand grasp
SlrohS enough to prevent seven inch
cannon pepper from exploding. He took
his hold ana some one touched tho
luse When the explosion came The
hahd suddenly opened and several fin
gers took flight
CHARGED WITH DRAWING KNIFE
Marmadnke Jones and Joe blackwell
mad some harsh words to-day and n raw
looked imminent. Now Jones is chars
ed w':h drawing a knife on Rlackwell.
Mayor Brewer will settle it in the Po-
lice Cour: tomorrow.
PERSONAL MENTION.
Miss Rose AIordecui, who had been
me guest OF Capt NJ. NJ. Urquhart's
FAMILY. left tonight for Portsmouth.
MI T.. c. Dean, of Lawrencaville
was IN Suffolk to-day visiting friends.
MISS Elenor Brooks. of Baltimore, is
visiting her brother, Mr.. H. p. brooks,
several Suffolk persons attended the
tournament at Churchland to-day.
Capt. +. Il. Goodwin, of Norfolk, was
IN Suffolk to-day.
There is to he no regular Christmas
german in Suffolk this year. Some of
the dancers will take part IN the Court
land ball Wednesday.
Mrs. NJ. j. Messer lost on the street
q feather boa a few days ago. Read
her special notice and set reward by
returning 1t.
Kenneth b. Mcleod is visiting friends
Oh Eastern Shore.
Simon Il. Golibartwho had been visit
ing Suffolk friends, left to-day for Mem
phis. Tenn.
Miss Bessie Chopper who spent
Christmas with her parents. DR.. and
Mrs. Thomas Il. Cropper. left to-day for
Rocky Mount, y. c., to teach school.
Joseph NJ. Clark, of Norfolk was in
Suffolk to-day on business.
l.. c. Butler. of Berkeley, is visiting
his brother Rev. Fl. H. Butler, North
street.
Carroll Jones had Christmas enter