The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1899-11-18

Correspondence Of The Free Lance.
Lancaster, Nov Is. 1899.
Now chill November's surely blast
sweeps around the caves of our dwell
iugs, and sweeps away many a cher
i.hed plan, many hope from tie
hearts Of disappointed aspirants for
office, and their faithful allies.
Our annual fair is potent factor in
dispelling the differences which are en-
gendered during political campaign,
and il for no other reason, our people
feel encouraged in trying to continue
| it's maintenance. II is said that the
)untenances OF many there. wore
most haggard expression, indicative OF
late hours and undue dissipation. We
are sorry for the wives and daughters
Of such enthusiastic politicians, whose
course is such as TO extinguish respect,
for the men really act like lunatics and
idiots during an exciting canvass.
The colored population. seemingly as
interested as when the old time Repub.
licaus used to run for office, have been
holding their meetings, elbowed by
hite men who once scorned the white
Republic ans as "a parcel Of negro low
ers. " One Cld darkey was heard to
say: We likes fer these votin times
to cum rown, white men spect ar
thinks heap or we an ready to
hope US cherry way then.
Verify we have p)unced upon strange
times. not at all conducive TO elevation
Of character; and while our young
people are now engaged in evoking the
aid Of the spirits, by the table rapp.
ings, we would suggest that some Of
them call up those who :. made
the grievOus mistake OF universal
suffrage" Lincoln. Sumner, Seward
and others. and ask these shades from
Shawdow Land How do you relish
the bitter doses Of your own medi.
cIne?' Several Of our prettiest girls
are mediums. but are not interested
in these sorts Of questions
But a digression from the general
tenor of this letter forces itself upon
the writer's attention. II is, the very
serious query Is it right in the sight
Of One who has veiled all these
secrets from Us, to appeal to our loved
ones who have passed from our ken5
IL is true that much unfolding OF
mystery has been revealed; hand writ
ing recognized, dim outlines Of figures
etc etc. But the inference Is, from
the vague and rapid utterances Of the
spirits, and unsatisfactory views, that
II. is one Of the prescriptions sins" Of
which we are so repeatedly warned.
80 far thou shalt go, seems to be
the warning In which an invincible
Power permits US TO see through q
glass darkly. We may seek to pene
trate the veil which hides our dead
from our sight or to dive into the
future Of this our earthly way, and
fnd no fullness or fruition Of JOY in
such an attempt There il nsught in
the scriptures to warrant such action.
and If the spiritualistic revealings be
true, that they are so vague and unsat-
isfactory, denotes the displeasure Of an
outra ed God.
Some Of the connections Of Mr.. Geo.
Chadwick, in this county and else
where, have lately been shocked and
distressed on hearing news Of his death
which occurred in Havana, Cuba,
Oct 81. to which place he was trans
ferred last winter from the War De-
partment at Washington, under Gen.
eral Brooke. He was married to Miss
Grace Harvey, Of that city, about
eleven months prior to his death, most
of which time she spent in Havana
with him. Left Washington happy
bride, she now returns broken
hearted young widow. MIC was born
in Alabama, where his parents now
reside. He has many prominent rel
atives there, and In Virginia.
The Sunday School at Trinity will
miss the three bright little Burwells,
our rector's children. This school has
been steadily diminishing, some OF its
members having moved away, others
grown up and married, and several
have died. Three Of its original teach
ers, Mr.. and Mrs. Moody and Mr.. Har-
vey Gresham, are still at their post OF
duty
Mrs. Moody has always perferred the
infant class. which in turn has always
been attached TO her. Not long ago
when her class was reading about the
prowess of the Biblical Sampson, and
she told them he was called "the
strongest man who had ever lived :"
the little boy, Edward Burweli, enter
cd a most indignant protest to his
teachers assertion: Indeed he isn't
half SO strong as Schley, and my Pa is
stronger than either Of them" The
dear child had the Bible character and
the commodore of recent fame mixed
up In his little brain. for he has heard
much reading and talking about the
two Sampson and Schley.
We agree with the little darling re-
garding the strength Of his father In