The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1856-12-19
LOCAL MATTERS.

4. "s.e C"on6ed.-lf the generation Of ladiei
mat existed In Virginia some seventy or eieht,
years .go. could make their appearance on Hais
ssreet In Richmend. some fine day and behold fh1
oelicate fguret thereon, enveloped in siIks snd
sstIns ma encased in - many hoops - are neces
s..y 20 prevent the bursting Of cider tierce they
Wou'o no doubt raise their hands In holy horror
ana exclaim: What an amount Of Anerv thes.
Isiry creatures require to give them even the
appearance Of women The idea of caInv thon,
"Nes ana mothers-such a. carded, spun and
S Mose toe faorics In which they dressed in their
oay-would never enter the minds of the eood ola
Danes, whose well developed ferns, rosv eheaEs
ana ouoyanf spirits, made them women for the
umee, and imbued them with strength OF mind and
oooy 10 undergo fatigue and privations, that would
al .hy oary iesion OF the hot house plants that
nh tneir places. Want Of exercise and LEADING
lsnionable lives have been the bane of women of
tne present generation and will be of their dauob
ters unless greater care is taken to deveope their
bodies as well Is minds
-. oor ooleet, however. In commencing this arti
cie was not to write lecture, but to notice relie
OF revolutionary times, which cannot fail TO prove
attractive to others as well a. ourselves we
nave been furnished, for the Mechanics Institute
a piece OF calico, manufactured between seventy
ana eighty years ago, by Mrs John Austin of
hanover county. which has been preserved bv her
descendants and is now q pretty piece Of goods
notwitnstanding the improvements that have
oeen made In preparing that article for wear
~ COTTON OF which this cloth is made was grown
iarmer,) picked spun and wove in q hand loom
oy her, and then sent to England and printed at
cost OF ntty eents per yard. When brought back
MRS A. made dress of portion of it, and as she
was PROBABLY one OF the leaders of fashion in those
days wore i'll on such occasions only as REQUIRED
the nnest dressing it being considered the richest
and most magnificent dress in the GOOD Old countv
OF Hanover. What sort Of an appearance would
tne bellies Of the present day make, if, like Mrs
Aostn'tthe had to card, spin and weave their
own apparelt
mrs Austin was the grand mother of our towns.
man, Mr. George Watt, by whom this calico is
presented to the Institute, he having received IL
from nis mother now living in Hanover, who had
nad II In possession for more than fifty years she
being now more than seventy years Of age. The
Institute will no doubt preserve it with great care
as memento of the skill and industry of = Vir.
ginia lady of the olden time.
Grand JoHifcation Among the attractions Of
Christmas week, will be the grand exhibition of
hre works by the Democratic party, on Monday
evening, in honor Of the election of James Blu.
chanan. We learn that the most extensive pre-.
parations are being made, and that ON Monday
evening one hundred and seventy-four guns will
be tired, and the same number Of large rockets and
other fireworks innumerabe Get off on the Capitol
Square We also learn that the exhibition of flre.
works, &c, will be followed by q torchlight pro.
cession, and that more than FIVE hundred transpa
rencies, great and small with paintings, banners
mottoes, six hundred torches, and 7ennins lips
buck will form portion of the pageant. Withou,
reference to its political bearing, this extensive
and free exhibition will Prove attractive to the
citizens generally well to our country friends
who may be In the city At that time.
Midlothian Pits-We understand from Mr.. jon
ATKINS, to whose kindness we are mainly indebted
for all the reliable Information we have had from
the Midlothian Pits that the miners are exertine
themselves to ascertain the fate Of their fellow
laborers, but have not succeeded in discovering
adayy han ,ao;H ~
occurred there were fifteen persons In the pit five
of whom-four white men and one cOlored-have
been rescued. No one can form any idea as to the
fate OF the other ten three Of whom are whites
and seven blacks, and they may not be recovered
till the water is drawn of, which will take some
time.
Burned to DeaM-A few evenings since, a small
colored girl, about four years DID, was so badly
burned, that she has since died from her Injuries
Her parents live hear the corner of st. James and
Charity streets, where the accident occurred. The
girl was playing in the fire, and her clothes being
cotton, readily caught, soon enveloping her in q
light blaze. Efforts were made to extiDguisb the
flames at once, but were unsuccessful until she had
inhaled enough CT the scorching heat to produce
her death.
Waraing to Parents. this season Of the year
small children should be dressed in woollen goods
which do not take fire and burn so rapidly as cot
ton. Within the past few days, we have published
clothes taking fire. Unless closely watched little
children will either play in the fire or get too close
to 1t for safety and if their clothes once get in
blaze there are five chances to one that they will
be burned to death.
The City is unusually quiet at this time, leaving
the police little else to do than make their regular
rounds by night and by day. An increase of the
watchmen will probably prevent future depreda.
tions upon hen roosts, and as the suburbans are
sending out strong patrol forces the best order will
be pursued during the holidays.
The Result of Mtem,perancs On Wednesday
night last an old gray haired man called Christie.
pher Hudson, entered the station house and begged
permission to remain till morning, remarking At
the same time that he was entirely destitute of
means to procure lodgings The officers very
gave him berth, and yesterday morn.
ing he was brought before the Mayor for . hear
ing. Until within short period Hudson has been
. son of temperance, for several years, as we
learn from of the officers and during that time
succe e1ed in supporting himself comfortably. A few
weeks ago he returned to his cups gave up bis
business and is now helpless and pennyless. The
Mayor gave the old man some good advice and
then permitted him to go at large.
Disordrly-Tipsy men will find 1t hard travel
ling Just now If they attempt to give vent to their
excited feelings by screaming and yelling In the
streets at night. Yesterday morning John Parker
made his appearance before the Mayor to answer
for dsorderly conduct and but for the fact that he
was not in the habit of such capers, would have
bean held to bail for the future As it was, the
Mayor let him slide with . reprimand. y
Unkind Daniel Haley got boozy last Wednes
day, and whilst in that condition, attempted to beat
his better half but fortunately for her, an officer
of the law interfered and marched Dan of. Yes
terday morning the wife failed to appear and testify
before the Mayor, and Dan was therefore released
Noiad Queen The rush to see this wondrous
spectacle continues unabated, Notwithstanding the
fact that it has been steadily before the public for
ten days. Hundreds visit it nightly, who cannot
be induced to attend the theatre ordinary occa-
sions, and all who see it speak of 1t as far surpas
sing their most sanguine expectations. Reader, if
YOU have not been one of the fortunate visitors,
60 to night by all means.
Starting Ckristmas-Virginia Gray, despite the
cold weather, got on bender last Wednesday
night and continued to swig egg-nogg IN ntl her
knees gave way and she came to the ground.
where the watchmen found her and took her TO
the cage. A nights repose in warm blankets re.
stored Virginia the use of her locomotives, and
yesterday morning the Mayor released her from
further confinement
Bad Run.-Mat, slave to Messrs. Royster, ct.
tempted to run from the watchmaa last Wednes.
day. but was speedily caught and Gagged till yester.
day morning, when the Mayor ordered him to be
lashed
Pigs and Poultry attract the eyes Of thieves in
every quarter Of the city, and NO coop or pen 10
% secure that they cannot be entered aud reliev
ed of their live freight An old man on 5th street,
beyond Clay, had his pigs taken off last Wed