Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1899-02-14

The Fair of the Independent Fire
Company, Thursday, Friday and Satur-
day. held for the purpose of procuring
uniforms, and for which the Ladies
Charles Broadway Rouss Club of the In
dependent Company had made extensive
preparation, was, owing to the extraordi-
nary inclement weather, not very sue
cessful.
The Charles Broadway Rouss Birthday
Celebration, on Saturday afternoon, was,
however, complete success. The fire
companies, owing to the previous heavy
fall of snow, were compelled to abandon
the contemplated parade with their ele-
giant apparatus, but the Independent and
Citizen companies, with the Charles Town
Band. marched i'll body to the court
house, where interesting exercises were
held.
Cleon Moore, Esq, presided over the
meeting with ability and dignity, and the
exercises were opened with prayer by
Rev. DR.. A. C. Hopkins. after which mu-
sic was rendered by the Band. The ora
tor of the day, our eloquent townsman
Hon. w. H. Travers, was then intro
duced.
Mr.. Travers said, in substance:
Although the programme of the ex-
ercises of this occasion has assigned me
an o-ation on the life of Charles Broad
way Rouss, feel that such aperformance
would be work of supererogation in the
presence of this audience, and 1 would
labor under some embarrassment should
attempt it. But such an effort is un-
necessary, for 1 am conscious that YOU
know that life better than can rehearse
it.
How, born amid the surroundings of
a seeluded country home in a neighbor-
ing state, his early experience was with
the life and the patient, unexciting and
unremunerative labors of the farm: How
when older the studies of the schoolroom
were assigned him, which, though pur-
sued with diligence and fidelity, and re-
sulting in close acquaintance with the
elements of a solid education that ri
Pened, by further prosecution in his future
life. into liberal. scholarly attachments,
were yet in their beginning irksome and
burdensome.
How. seeking, in more active life,
more congenial occupations, he soon
manifested an indommitable energy
which he readily applied to whatever
pursuit he adopted; meeting. as he often
did, defeat, only to catch inspiration
from it for more courageous endeavor.-
How he wrought his way, step by step,
from employment by the good Mr.. Sense
ney. in WinchesteT, at a do1lor per week,
to the proprietorship of an unpretending,
but well-regulated establishment in the
same city, and from which, when civil
war surged by its door, he distributed,
with benefcent hand. from its shelves,
much needed and attractive bounties to
his comrades in arms, with whose for
tunes he became identified in the early
struggles of that great conflict.
How, with marked courage, patient
endurance and hopeful spirit he met the
hardships and dangers of that mighty
contest. How. at its close, Impoverished.
but not discouraged. he wendell his
weary way to the great commercial me-
troPolis of the country.
How, although moneyless and friend
less, yet with heart full breast high, he
entered into its struggles for supremacy,
fighting the battles which brought won
drous success, placing his name high on
the roll of those merchant princes whose
names and fame have reached the fur
thest bounds of our republic.
All this story is familiar to you, vet
l am sure but give voice to your
own judgment when say however much
the narrative. thus recited, might arouse
your admiration, had these bean alone the
achievements of Charles Broadway Rouss
had his life no other claims to the re-
spect and reverence which you, with 9TH
ers attracted by like motives. are TODAY
in public assemblies bestowing upon him.
you would not have come from YOUR
quiet, comfortable homes to this hall, nor
would 1, your humble organ in part, be
giving expression to sentiments of sincere
and offering tributes of praise
which his career in other and more ele-
waited phases of it so eminently deserves.
This benefactor of his fellow men has
himself formed a higher conception of
the duties of life than furnishing a mere
example of transcendent success in the
of wealth and the acquisi-
ton of the prodigious power accompany
ing it.
Nor has he, like others, gathered to-
gether riches with the honest purpose,
when done with their use in bringing So
cial distinction. public Difference, politi-
cal preferment and other achievements
dear to the human heart, to dedicate them
at the close of life to the great charities
ana oenevolences with which so many
names are associated.