Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-03-20
SPRING In BEDFORD.
BIRDS BREAKING INTO SONG AMI
BUDS BURSTING INTO BLOSSOMS.
The ROADS IN GOOD CONDITION.
business Matters of Interest-Dr
CHS harm DurncJ-Prices for To-
bacco Very Coda Very Romantic
Marriage.

BEDFORD CITY, VA, March 19.-(Spe
cial.)-Rarely, IL ever before, has tn
close of a winter found the roads In a
good condition as at the present time
This stale Of affairs is due partly to tn
unusually dry weather. but more par
ticularly TO the fact that more attention
Isl now paid to the Improvement of tn
highways of the county than at any pre-
vious time. The convict force that 10
several years were employed for tn
purpose of road Improvement, did yer,
effective work, and since they were with
drawn the chain gang have, in a les
degree, continued the work.
AS a result, II has become much less ar
duous to haul tobacco and other products
TO the markets. The breaks at the PEG
pies Warehouse for this week hav,
averaged $1,000 pounds per day, lon,
columns Of the old~-fashioned road" or
covered-wagons standing in line await.
ing an opportunity to unload. The price,
are good and seemingly very satisfactor,
TO the planters.
The mild Weather has been very condu.
Give TO the progress of farming operations
n ~ploushing, following, and sowing the
seeds nave been pushed as far as practi.
cable.
The h is reported as looking quite
green n encouraging. Owing to the in.
creased price of this cereal, a larger
area was planted last autumn than for
some time past.
Fortunately, thus far, the fruit-trees
nave discreetly kept their blossoms
lightly sheathed in their brown cases.
ana there are no sad reports as yet of
the destruction of the crop.
Inc grass is very green, and hyacinths,
Johqulls Violets, and other blossoms of
carry spring are doing their best TO pro-
claim the resurrection Of nature from It's
long slumber, while the birds carol ALI
day long glad odes to spring. Each wear
This awakening of life seems a fresh
miracle OF beauty, that must arouse some
thlhg OF hope and gladness in the heart
OF the most downcast and despairing, so
ihVlgorating and inspiring is its story OF
renewed blessing.
PLAIN, EVERYDAY PRACTICABLE
TIES.
The stock of drugs. fixtures. and other
goods of the drug establishment kept by
MI j. Il. Fuqua have been bought by
MI u. L. w. Kern, Of Vinton, who, after
d process or renovation, will about the LIST
OF April, open the store for business.
Messrs. Kent q Macnaughtan, the re-
cent purchasers of the Woollen-mill. are
DESTROYS of having a side-track con-
structed from the Norfolk and Western
road that runs near by, to the mill. Mr..
w. II. Stanley, the road-master. was
here this week to investigate the matter
OF laying the side-track.
The firm of the Clayton Dry-Goods
Company has been dissolved, by the with
drawal of Mr.. NJ. w. Clayton, who
succeeded 10 the interest Of his brother,
the late Mr.. j.. NJ. Clayton. The remain
ing partners, Messrs. G.. d. Wingdeld
and James e. Blamire, will continue the
business under the same firm name as
formerly.
The Lenten services at st. Johns Pro-
testant Episcopal church, have been at
tended by large congregations. That of
wednesday evening was conducted by
Rev. Mr.. Patton, Of Roanoke, whose ser
mon was much complimented by all who
heard him.
The week has been observed by the
members Of the Baptist church as a
season of prayer and self-denial, in the
interests of State missions.
The topic of deepest interest on all
sides is the prospect of hostilities with
Spain, and those who can recall the
events Of the war of the Confederacy.
and remember all of its train of horror
and sorrow, earnestly hope that the
danger may be averted.
A very bright colored barber has played
upon the patriotism of his race by
declaring himself an appointee Of the
pnVarnmapf with the rapL % a,1pnaI .,
conscript all who had voted for Mckinley
to enter the army. So that of late the
number who would admit having done
so has become extremely small. Last
night he tackled Ike Holt, a we'll
colored man, who styles him
self as the "old settler" and told him
that he had sent in his name as a soldier.
this Ike demurred, saying: you amt
got no business to take SIGH liberties
wild my name" but when some of his
white friends reproached him with en-
listing to fight against the Democrats, his
knew no bounds. and he seized
his doughty axe, which he uses at night
of a walking stick, and proceeded
to attack the barber, whose safety lay
only in rapid flight.
DIR. GILL'S BARN BURNED.
The barn of DR.. S. j. Gill, near Sedalia,
was totally destroyed a few nights since
by fire, supposed to have been of incen-
diary origin. DR.. Gill was aroused by
some of his neighbors coming TO the
house TO wake him. They had seen the
blaze, but the fire had gained such head
that 1t was with extreme personal
on the part OF his friends that the
horses and cattle were rescued.
The loss amounted to about 500, Sl6O
IF which was covered by insurance.
For the first fifteen days of March
here were twelve marriage licenses issued
Nv the County Clerk. The circum-
,tances connected with one of the mar
were quite romantic. The groom
anne from Sacramento Valley, California,
o claim a bride whom he had never be-
,eld. She was Miss Ora Lee Franklin, a
laughter of Mr.. j. H.. Franklin, OF the
leighborhood of Peck's church.
Correspondence began between these
-oung people through the advertising
of a matrimonial journal IN a
pirit of fun. but was continued, gradually
becoming more serious, until the equel
matrimony. They were married last
sunday evening at the home of the bride,
n the presence of a large company OF
riends. Rev. DR.. j. L. Kincannon per-
orming the ceremony.
Monday, Mr.. and Mrs. Armstrong lett
or their distant home, at Alton. Cal.
Mr.. and Mrs. Odell Fizer, who sur
rised their friends by their marriage
I Bristol, on Thursday, have returned
/, the home Of the groom here.
Mrs. NJ. p. Burks. who has spent the
inter at Greensboro, Ala, returned
ONE to-day.
Miss Josie Moseley left Monday for
where she will teach a school
{ a point not far from Washington.
Mr.. F. B. Fitzpatrick left a few days
80 20 attend Macon College,