The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1860-09-29
Rifbnlanh g!spatfh.
SATURDAY MORNING. SEPT. 90 1885,.
Written for The Richmond pispa chi
VI2 GINA CH A h A G 7 ~ II s
BIT joHN ksrKN cooxK.
THE COUNTRY GENTLEMAN.

~ .hs aiS rastme He presents an accurate
type of a generation now about to disappear
aud the hall, like its master. seems TO Belong
lei as leave the dusty streets and visit it,
main Old weatherbSard mansion Of great
extent lost In the foliage OF spring, and smil-
Inc from It's grassy knoll ON the fruitful fields,
there is the hall AS you draw near. We reach
the portal. and mount the broken, moss-ciad
steps The portico rs old aud discoiored-some
piss ter has fallen from above, and the floor Is
somewhat decayed, "A shutter has disappeared
from one OF the windows, snd a pigeon is
pluming his wing on the sill. Let us enter
The door Is always open and the mighiy iock,
of al tedil ovi IN age, is mere ornament. hai-
a-dozen hounds and pointers lie upon 'he
Aoor in the sunshine, and, as you glance AT
them you observe n s-mi-circuiar marx upon
the oak II 10 produeed by the drasgihs OF 'he
great door when it happens TO De- closed at
nisht The hall of the weiiing Is antique and
metropolitan in appearance. The walls are
All wal scotSed with DARK OAK, ana are deco
rnted with eer-horns, fishing rods, guns
came bags, old hats, pictures OF race-horses,
aud ANCIENT portraits IN dark frames
Seigneurs and danes, we'll known In the Co.
ysriey annals, smile sun on the canvas, and
extend 10 you sereus and courteous welcome.
There 10 the handsome and accom- plished Dol.
William Coverley, the star OF wit aud learn
ing in he days Of = ueeu Anne. with his gra-
ci0us smile, aud broad white forehead under
The great CURED psruke. Beside him Is his
daughter Evelyn. the sweet Hover OF Virginia
fields, with rose IN her hair, TWAIN Roses in
her Sneeks, and the fair young bosom budding
from me Glue SIX bodice which defines her
slender and exquisite maiden figure. And
next ID tnese-to The great old Colonel with
his bel air " OF the an tiq ue day, and the gen.
tie giri with her tender aud confiding smile
next zee the Coverleys of all the generations,
from the Captain " no died at Moumout tn for
America 10 the youthful hope of the family
who is now st college. But we must not linger
near the portraits. Let us pass through the
mansion aud look at the Old World objec ts-at
the heavy walnscotting, The tall old audirons
H. X gone out OF fashion, at the venerable tall
backed chairs, the hard round sofas, the side
board of fabulous Antiquity with its bright
array of silver decorated with the mailed hand
- tne Coverieys, ana the family motto In old
N French, which we may translate
open or Saut-as you Will" Ga the paues
OF ne wind VS. are host OF names, scratched
there wi,a diamond rings. Their owners have
long csumoied into oust-gay galianIs aud
fair DANES. they sleep beneath grass and
flowers, and the spring carnations have all
faded from their lips but the diamond and
the panss, aud the good Old hall remains
Do We finger too long in the past-and in
looking at The ancient hall But could not
pass dear old friend with q mere careless
nod. have spent 30 many hours of happi-
ness beneath this roof-tree, that L greet every
object old and beloved com pauion. the
frolics, the laughter, the carnival of youth, all
return / am boy again, and 1--we in the
days bSfore!
But here IS the good master Of the mansion
Coiouei Coveriey, of Coyeriey Hall. He is
feet high ana very thin. His HAIR is grey, and
falls on his shou lders In divided elf locks
A tranquil kind y smrie liguts mp the face
and tue Coiouel's greeting is n model Of courte-
Gus welcome But do not, from Thu, imagine
that he Is destitute OF stronk character. Look
for instant into the penetrating eyes be-
meath their bushy brows. They possess
world OF resJIdte Independence. of non reSo-
luIou. indomitaole nerre. Beneath this CAIN
exterior q strength OF VIII and prize lies hid
den, which you would never Tor a moment
Tfsa ~ Il nat nab
Tea liJI t. his dress. He wears an old shabby
dress-oost, with huge iappels, Il long waist
coat drab pan falcons and an old siouch hat,
thrust down the forehead, from penea h
which the penetrating eyes survey you with
guiieless good humCr. HIS CHECKS anu
hands are embrowRed with sun and wind,
and the gaunt muscles indicate that the
Colonel is still vigorous. He is sixty-five
years DID, but ten years since there was no
youth in the county who displayed greater
activity ard ardor in hunting the fox
On the coolest mornings of winter the mas
ter Of Ooveriey Hall was in the saddle by day
break. and his great dappled hunter, who re-
Quireo IN his rider knees aud wrists OF iron, led
the sport straight across every impairment,
in Ii. Wake OF the hounds. The Colonel has
been Iorced TO give up his favorte sport; but
he still keeps his dogs, and they may be heard
at any time bayipg noar.eiy as they drag their
blocks, and make the hall aud grounds ciamo-
rous with deep. mouthed thunder Wnen they
assemble in the morning to snatch the coru-
bread from their masters hands. At such
tiRles 1t is pleasant ~ see the Colonel pat the
head OF soG1e grey old veteran like himself,
who has killed many fox in other times but
isnowsu t,erannua' ed. To these lingering REM
nauts of the old guard " The largest IN ,rsels
are THROWN before me rest are helped. Auo-
Their diversion Of mis- youth, which the Colouel
has abandoned, is cock fighting. Once he took
pride in his spaugies, and boosted that his
breed WAS the puTesL In the country. Now, he
has ceased u attend to them but occasionally
he disappears in a myst FERROUS uer; is alb
seat all day, and, on his return, gives no ''ac-
count of himself" Che fac is, that he Colonel
does not like TO inform his family that he has
ridden ten miles 10 see a main OF cocks, and
has witnessed the CONF bat with all the ardor OF
youth.
He is a strong Southerner and great Demo-
crat. He reveres the memory of Jefferson, and
swears by Calhoun. He firmly believes that
the rtford Convention was reasonable in
its designs, and doubts If any of the Federal
party, out Gen. Washington. We're honest
From his ooyhood he has perused the Rich
nond Enquirer with unf1agglng Interest, and
regards the late Mr.. Richie as the greatest
journalist that the world has yet prod uced.-
i Is refreshing TO hear the Colonel talk poll
tics with his neig h Dor, old Tom Lakeland, who
is an ardent Wing. Mr.. Lackiaud lives in
torn do IN castie-rack-reut sort OF Il place
across the river but, like fighting cock"
nevertheless. All that the SOIL the water aud
the air can afford is daily on his table in huge
quantities. He has not dollar in CON- but
ais house is full of company from years end
- years end. He rides q raw boned horse
with bride mauded with Irvine; but the
horse Ia a racer, worth a thousand pounds
HIS rider resem oies a scare-crow in his Co.'S
tune but IL You saw that outrs figure bow,
you would fancy him some elegan. courier
OF the Grand M onarch, dressed for the part of
q beggar. When the Colonel and cid Tom
Lakeland talk politics they pass, by slow de-
grees, from the courteous and friendly 10 the
Indignant aud from the indignant TO the O uar-
reisome. The resol buttons OF 9S form the sla-
pie OF the contest, and Adams Clay, Cath GUN
aad ackson walk forth once more from their
ha Snr
two hours with Indignant wrath, they Quietly
begin 10 laugh, and Change the subject. A
small African appears with pitcher of iced
totdy, aud The worthless noo-nob peacefully.
The Colonel IS attached 10 old customs and
observahces. He spells honor with u, poti-
ties with K, aud says thar for there, and for
of-ydraace for fo,tedranee. He likes The hall TO
be crammed with guests, especially young
people, aud looks on with pleased smiles while
they play " fox and goose,'' or hunt the Slip
per-" In the long evenings he will take the
fiddle and play reels by the hour-the "Snow
Bird on the Ash Bank being his fayorite At
such times II is pleasant 10 see his kindly
smile as he looks at the ooys and girls whirl-
ing through the merry dance and to observe
the ardor with which the old gentleman pats
hrs foot, SAWS away at his Instrument aud
sways his head from side TO side, in unison
with the melody. With the Young peoDle he |
liz prize favcrite. The little maidens have
their arms around his neck half the time or |
sltuLg upon bis knee, listen earnestly 10 mis- |
oid World stories lie urges The boys, with |
ms sly smile, 10 make yIgor Jus love TO Them
zee of lis cardinal max.ms is that a young
Maa should never loose an opportunity 10
squeeze his sweetheart's hasd and ne makes
tar ~ %nl ,aueLs pout then burst to laugh
vel, Wy oeoi@fihk Thai their Sc is never ynIxa
70 THESE display Of gailantry The ho,s san
Tue OLD CoIonel, smIling-aIe no, o. ossys
ny Wit IA H's TIM. aud the old ideas Of
Saliantry nave passed away. When h. 80
young he would swim torrents and 80. 80
MOUNTAINS 10 see his swee theart and To dane