The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1851-02-13
Life In Virginia.

We can vouch for the fidelity OF the
following picture of life in Virginia. 1t
is an ungracious piece of work to paint
the peculiarities and folblea OF any oil
our own people, and we would not an
dertake to write such description
But finding il done TO our hands, aud
with striking accuracy, we cannot resist
the temptation to lay il betare car read-
ers. Il is contained in letter from
Richmond, published in the Boston
ChronotyPe:
"when we're rich, ride IN cha'ses,
When we're poor, By !asus We walk
The "oldest and first families" here
practically transpose the spirit of those
lines. The rich here arc not the old
families, and being fearful of becoming
like the old families-poor, hang to
their pennies like death to dark gen
tleman. They do up their "chiyalry"
in tall walking, whilst the poor--who
are "some Of the oldest and first taml-
hes--ride in "chaises" and nothing can
be mere ludicrous than The dccayed APP
pearance of most OF the "turn outs. -
The pencil of Hogarth could alone con-
vey truthful picture of their ''rich-
ness"
Imagine horse jockey to purchase at
the renowned Bulls Head horse market,
ut New York, two horses for about three
dollars apiece, "a high price there; and
an old cast Off carriage, Of steamboat
hackman, that has been exposed for sew
eral months in an open lot in that defect
able atmosphere. He mikes tratfic-
ing tour to Richmond to make sale. A
stakeholder is at hand with a greasy
God forsaken looking negro man, named
Tom, an emblem Of darkness, and legit-
innate heir to the estate of Lazarus
bought in n neighboring state at mere
nominal price frem the owner who was
too poor to keep him. The horses for
the first time in twelve months have had
a smell of prosperity by snufiing a few
oats, and the slave man and boy intro
duced to scrubbing brush. and a new
suit of negro cloth to prepare them for
the auction block They are put up to
the highest bidder as the remaining
household appurtenances to General
George Washington Humdrammery,
Esq Of Furquier County, as the last
relics of his departed greatness. "The
old family coach and trusty servants -
!. A maiden lady Of suspicious age. with
long curls and languishing eyes; who
+: In the parlor with n novel, is always at
home, but has an 'orid aversion" to the
kitchen, becomes the purchaser Of the
establishment, horses, carriage, coach
man and Tiger That lady there are
no women here) owning three slaves
two OF whom are hired out--can afford
to live. The wages oitwo buy the corn
cake, homminy and fuel. That's enough
no matter how ''hopdaDce cries ia poor
Toms stomach for two white herring, "
the carriage must be kept up. The old
homestead wants few clapboards; the
chimney is csumbling away; the gate
posts are leaning; the shrubbery like
the hair under the magnificent wig and
long curls is turning grey; the watch
dog IS too poor to bark. All is quiet!-
And what matters it? What matters i. !?
says Aunty, while she Eliminates over sad
realities. The coach, horses, dog and
and fences decay; and if the old house
that came to us from a decayed mortal
decays too, why that's harmony-that's
consistency; the laws of nature must be
obeyed, and why should we abandon the
old house-so long as we can keep up
the carriage we're "some." Now if
that's not poverty, may God help me for
telling the truth Cleveland True
Dem.