Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1858-12-07
ALEXANDRIA GAZETTE AND VIRGINIA ADVERTISER DCENBER 1858

John Randolph on Women and Servants.
CHARLOTTE COURT HIUsE, Va, Nov. 1858
Il send you copy OF a peculiar production
of one of the most peculiar of meI--Hon.
John Randolph, of Roanoke. 1t is a faitl-
ful cory cf the original, which was read a,
evidence IN the celebrated legal proceedings
instituted TO set aside tho last Will and Tee
lament of Mr.. Randolph. on the ground of
his being non cOmpos. The incident which
elected this strange medley was as follows:
He had been visiting in this village at the
house Of friend, aud after his return he
missed bis pocket-kplte. A messenger was
at once sent from his plantation at Roanoke,
distant about ten miles; and when the knife
was not found, very free expression of SEN
ment Was INDUCED in, to the effect hat JAS
per, the little yellow boy" had pocketed it.
Messengers were sent twice respecting the
lost article befJre it was found and special
despa o., as below, when it came to light.
1t may add something to the interest OF
this comm unication for me to say that my
residence is now in the same house at which
Mr.. Randolph was guest, aud that | have
many times coupled the bedroom he said be
had lost the knife iu, but in blisstul ignorance
of the celebrity who had preceded me. Jas.
per, the yellow boy" is yet living near here,
faithful old slave, who can tell many things
of interest respecting the eccentric guest of
his old master M.--Cor. Of Newark Duly
AduertiSer.. +.
ROANOKE, Saturday, Dec. 18th, 1881,
Half past II.
DEAR NJ:
Ga taking out my chariot this morning for
the first time since l got hume from your
house, to clta it and the harness, (for this
dreadful spell of weather has frozs Us all
up until today the knife was found in the
bottom Of the carriage, where it must have
dropped from shallow waistcoat pocket, as
got in at your door, for l missed the knife
soon afterward. When l got home, l had
the pocket Of the chariot searched, and every
thing there taken out-and it was not until
John had searched strictly into my portnan-
teau and bag taking out every article there
in, that became perfectly convinced, Of
what | WAS before fully persuaded, that
had left the knife 10 my chamber at your
house on Tuesday, the 9th; and when l
heard it had not been seen. | took II for gran-
ted that your little yellow boy, having found
it," had, according to the negro cude OF mo-
rality, appropriated it to himself. ln this, 1t
seems, was mistaken. and | ask his pardon,
az the best amends | can make him; and at
the same time to relieve you and Mrs. Nj.
from the unpleasant feeling that such q sus-
picion would occasion, dispatch this note
by special messenger, although have a
certain conveyance tomorrow.
make no apology to yourself or Mrs. NJ.
for the frank expression Of my suspicion, be-
cause Truth is the goddess at whose shrine l
worship, AID no Huguenot III France, or
Mort SEQ in Spain, or Judaiziug Christian in
Portugal. ever paid more dearly for bis here
tical schsm, than have done for leaving
the established church o! FalsehoOd and
Grimace. am we'll aware that ladies arc as
delicate. as they are charming creatures, and
that in our intercourse with them we must
strain truth as far as possible. Brought up
from their earliest infancy to disguise their
real sentiments ior woman would be moi
ster who did not practise this disguise it is
their privilege to be insincere, and We should
despse them, and justly too, il they had that
manly frankness which constitutes the orna-
meut of our character as the very reverse
does OF theirs. We must herefcr re keep this
in view in our Intercourse with them, and
recollec, that as our point OF honor is cur
age and frsukness, theirs is chastity and dis.
stimulation; for, as | said before, a woman
who does not dissemble her real feelings is a
monster of impudence. Now, therefore, it
does 80 happen las Mr.. Canning would say
that truth is very offensive to the ears of d
lady, when to those of a gentleman (ber hus-
hnp for III ha at an
To illustrate, Mrs. R, of B, my
brothers widow, was beyond all comparison
the incest and best housewife | ever saw
Not one drop Of water was ever suffered to
stand upon her sideboard, except what was
in the pitcher; the house from cellar to gar
ret, aud in every part, as clean as hands
could make it, and everything as 1t should be
to suit even my fastidiuus taste. | lived
there after my brothers death, from 1875 to
1910 inclusive, oud never did | see or
smell anything to offend my senses or my
imagination, bot once. Except in Autumn,
| would dely to fnd leaf or q lesth-
er in the yard. No poultry were per-
nitted to come into it, and we had no dirty
children, white or uegro, to make litter or
filth. A strong enclosure OF sawn plank,
eight feet high, fenced in the kitchen, smoke
huuse, ice.house, mea;-house, wood-house, IN
which the wood for the use Of the house was
stacked away under lock and key The tur-
key and hen houses were 10 the same encios-
ure which had two doors, one next the dwell
ling-house, for the use OF the mistress and
house servants, and one large enough to ad-
nit q wagon on the back or north side, be-
yond which was q we'll built quarter, with
two brick cbimneys, and two rooms with fire
places, and four rooms without. for servants.
There was also what had forgot spin.
ing and weaving house.
At night the door of this enclosure was
locked up--oot a servant being allowed 10
sleep within il, although every one of them
was within sound Of the lsdy's bell.
On one unhappy day, 10 very hot and
damp spell of weather, Of lorg continuance,
piece Of cold lamb was brought to table
that was spoiled fret end last Instance
iu nearly fifteen years, OF the slightest ne
elect in household economy. | ordered the
servant to take it away, it being spoiied.-
Mrs. X. resented this ard fatty contradicted
me, aud although the lamb absolutely stunk,
she ate part vf it to prove her words true,
and was affrouted with me almost past for
giveness. dare say if | had not noticed
the lamb she might have given hint to the
servant to take it away; but the honest, naked
truth was not to be borne. We had no COM
n fhrnn