Virginia free press & farmers' repository. [volume] (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1827-1832, 1832-02-16


at every planters house; though 10 the
German districts he would not grow
fat upon hospitality. nsr would be be
pressed TO pro!ong his residence at
iaverns, after he had expended the last
Of his coin.
The lowest class in Virginia 10 that
of the poor white man, or as the ne.
gro calls him, the "poor buekra." He
10 an object Of pity and dcfision even
to the negro himself. These men are
gipseys in all but q wandering life,
having not only no possessions, but no
very distinct notions Of property.
scarcely making any distinction be-
tween nieum and f,nm-Brought up
in ignorance, they live in idleness, and
their lives are practical homilies on the
importance Of common schools, and
laws TO compel attendance thereon.
The "old field Schools" il eplen.
didly endowed, are we'll conduc ted
They will make few Patrick Hcnrics.
The planters have private tutors, and
sometimes several unite TO bear the
expense Of . private school. The
schoolhouse is log cabin. TO which
the elements have entrance. The girls
come on horseback or in carriages, at
tended by all the dogs of the plania-
tons, so that the ours are to the bows
about as seven to one, and at night
there is a joyous bark and shout when
the school is dismissed, and the dogs
and boys return together
Many Of the plantations are Of five
thousand acres, and Jefferson, though
not a very Large planter, had about
three hundred and fifty acres of corn,
as many OF clover, and the same mum.
Dor OF potatoes, beans and peas. This
Is on larger scale than the agriculture
ut Cineinnatus.
Now would that I could paint the
cheerful, undescribed. and indescriba-
Bile negro, whose laugh is so ready
and is such an explosion of joy, that it
is pity, when il is SO easy TO make
him laugh, that he should ever cry
In still evening, you may hear, more
than two miles, his long and loud
"guffaw." But you allow me no space
Tor sketches. you tie me to two i'm
possibilities:
at shall be witty, and il sban't be long"
Now fancy yourself riding "along
and along" through the green wood.
till you would like to live like Jaques
under the shade Of melanc holy bouphs.'
afar from the habitations Of men YOU
come at once upon a multitude Of rich
cquIpages. with beautiful horses ur
harnessed and tied TO the trees. Ad-
vancing. you hear shouts. merriment,
anil "tweedle dunn and tweedle dee. /"
Music and dancing are near. and If
there are no nywphs and dryads. pass
on, aud you see, CHANGING around,
groups OF consultations of ladies, 90 CHI
as you see only IA Virginia or Spain.
fhese are attended by the satellites
that usually follow ia the train OF beau.
ty. You discover large circular
space, covered with canvass or boughs,
where the light Of heart and foot are
dancing to the violin aud fife, while,
under trees at distance are the more
sedate and grave in years, sitting at
tables by foufs, and looking intently
on little paraIIelograms Of pastebesrd,
which, ever and anon. they lay down
vita force upon the board.
You will not fail to see a range of
tables that would feast regiment. and
camp fires at which ell flesh and fowl
10 roasting. including "whoIe hog"
that constitutes the 6aybecue which
gives name Ia the feast.
When the banquet is ready You de.
vote yourself to the considerations, as
the fTst course il for the ladies', upon
whom the gentlemen attend, as the
genius waited upon Aladdin. The
second course - fer the lords, upon
" BON the managers and slaves attend.
Alter all, the managers dine also, and
they have servants 40 less exalted than
the ladies.
\ barbecue has from three hundred
10 eight hundred people, aud il is only
where a very social life - led that this
feast could be so we'll filed. IIut
sometimes = candidate or an officer in.
sites the whole county, and the mum
Der ~ then greater. The master Of
the feast, on this occasion. aseends
the rostrum made by the sOodman.
and which is that part Of a tree. that
~ Immediately above the roots. FROM
this elevation he harangues the people
IN good Virginia style. which Is gener-
ally choice English, always excepting
foftng,whieh End IN no classic author.
Bat mus, quit the subject Of this
great and venerable commonwealth,
whieh - known 10 the rcmotesi essners
% Tie earth; foe i,s pTodsots are chewed
alike
W iaiai, ~ sas.ge, as.d b. ssgc."
should old Virginia be sank by On
earthquake, or swallowed up AZ a meal
by he geological demon called a great
CONFUSION of natarc," IL would be
caiimi'y 20 tie world; u woBId e1iin-
gu'sh millions Of pipes, and 'colipse
'hc g'iciy q nations. 3 81