Jasper County Democrat, Volume 4, Number 29, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 October 1901 — DUNNVILLE. [ARTICLE]

DUNNVILLE.

Hurrah for Kankakee tp.! C. C. Jones lost a fine cow the other day. John Blocher was at Rensselaer last Saturday. Trustee Maloney is putting in sewer pipes by the farm of Harris Turner. We attended the Dunkard meeting at Blackford last Friday and Stturday. Walter Smith was at Chicago last Sunday. He went up to find the Masonic Temple. We wish to say good bye to the readers of the Dunnville news for a few weeks. But anybody having any items lor this department can put same to address Box 92, Tefft P. O. LIFE OF MR. VIKGIE. For the benefit of the readers of The Jasper County Democrat, 1 will write the biography of my venerable friend of Virgie. Mr. Virgie was born in Jericho, August 16, 1812. His boyhood days were passed in the somhre silence of an ancient building on Jerusalem street, absorbing knowledge peculiar to the dispenser of pills and rough on rats. His devotion to Dusiness soon aitracted the attention of his employer and as a reward for his industry he was admitted as a member of the firm. During the life of the firm they kept their laboratory red hot; experimented on the lower creation by giving them some of the most wonderlul compounds of drugs ever administered to anything. Their experiments were carried on on such a grand scale that a special edict against their practice was issued, to prevent the various animals from becoming

extinct. Alter their overthrow the members of the firm entered < ther avocations, the subject of my sketch entering the profession of theology. His first work of literary merit was a portrayal of the life of Baalam’s mule, which attracted universal attention. The book became a standard work and its unp. ecedented sales was a testimony of his pooularity as an author. He came 0 America in 1842 and founded a city of brotherly love, in the interior of Jasper county, which he honored by giving it his name. He made a speech at the christening of the corner stone of the first house. This corner stone was an ant hill and my friend Virgie drawed some beautiful lessons 'rom the habits of the ants. In 1846 he built a drug store in the city of his choice and for ten years he prescribed medicine and their antecedents to 'he people of that section. In 1856 he retired from business, full of honors and wisdom and ever since, has led a retired life. He is devoting h.s declining years to literary pursuits, being a cor respondent of The lasper County Democrat. We understand that Yale College is going to confer the degree of L.L. D. upon him and Biesident Roosevelt m the neaV future.