Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1900-02-13

man--he is blind. His long failing eye
sight, he told me last fall, had failed him
entirely, and he sat in the blackness of
darkness, All that is bright and beauti-
full in this world is now only as mem
DRY to him. How great that misfortune
is, no one but one who has lost his eye
sight can know; yet he bears it with
cheerfulness, I am sure that in celebrate
ing his birthday we do not forget his mis-
fortune, but most sincerely synpathize
with him in it.
While Mr.. Rouss perhaps regards this
as his greatest misfortune must say
that do not so regard it, and say this
on my own responsibility. Mr.. Rouss is
not and does not pretend to be a believer
in revealed religion-the doctrines of the
future life as Christiens understand it
He does not deny, but says as to these
things-''I do not know"
would not be true to myself. nor true
in friendship for him, if in responding to
this toast on his birthday, 1 should with
hold what 1 believe to be the first and
best-more than long life, health and
prosperity. I wish that his misfortune
of blindness may be turned into bless
ing, and that ray of divine light from
the Father of light may yet penetrate
him, and that he will recognize it, so that
in the future world he may be happy, as
he has been successful and prosperous in
this
Other toasts were elegantly responded
to as follows:
Fire DePartment-Joseph Trapnell.
Hon. Mayor and Council-Jumes NJ Mason.
The Ladiea-Col. Forrest ". Brown
The Clergy--Judge Frank Beckwilb.
Members of Jefferson County Bar-Rev.D DIR.
y. C. Hopkins
Capt. Milton Rouss and Mr.. George
Rouss, brother and nephew of Mr. Charles
Broadway Rouss, were present. and the
former was called upon and made few
appropriate remarks.
Letters were read by Major Mcdonald
as follows:
Charles Town, w. Va, Feb. 5, 1000.
Mr. Thos. r. Moore. Chairman of Com
mittee of Independent Fire Co, No. 1,
and others, Charles Town, w. Va:
Geutlemen;-I thank you very much
for the invitation to the dinner to be Civ
en- on the 10th to Mr. Charles Broadway
Rouss, which l would be glad to accept,
and thus testify by my presence to the
appreciation we all owe and feel in
Charles Town to his generosity. Unfor-
tunatelv l will be away from home, which
regret very much.
Very truly yours,
WM. p CRAGGHILL.
Martinsburg, w. Va, Feb. 5, 1900.
Messrs Thos. r. Moore, chairman, and
others, Charles Town. w. Va:
Gentlemen:-Your kind invitation in
viting me to be present at the compli
mentary banquet to be given by the hide
pendent Steam Fire Company No, I, in
honor of Mr.. Charles Broadway Rouss,
on February 10th, inst, received and it
is with sincere regret must state that my
engagements are such that cannot pos
sibly be with you. l cannot now recall
when 1 first became acquainted with
Charley Rouss. Ii seems to me that I
have known him all my life. although for
many years l have seen but little OF mis-;
but regard him as one of the most re-
marliable men Of this eand generation,
and sincerely hope that time may deal
gently with him, and that his many and
countless friends may have him with them
for many years yet to come.
Very truly yours
E. BOYD FAULKNER.
The pleasures of the evening were
much enhanced by the presence of the
Charles Town Band and the young mems
Glee Club, by whom were rendered some
of the most popular selections of instru-
mental and vocal music.
The banquet was opened and closed
with prayer, Rev. DR. a. c. Hopkins
opening and Rev. Dr. c. N. Campbell
closing,
We cannot close this report without a
word of praise in behalf of Capt. Julius
c. Holmes and Committee Chairman
Thos. r. Moore, to whose untiring eff
forts the success of the celebration and
banquet were largely due They deserve
much commentator, and we heartily
give it.
To sum it up, the Rouss Birthday Gel
ebration in its entirety in Charles Town
was big affair, an interesting and a
most enjoyable one, and the many warm
friends here of the generous-hearted vir-
ginian-New Yorker unreservediy wish
him long lie and much happiness.
The banquet was followed by prolific
display of fireworks-the rockets, roman
candles, mines. etc, being the handsome
contribution of Mr. Rouss.
Mr.. Tustin L. Starry has painted his
dwelling property on South Lawrence
street.