The Nevada journal., 1861-04-12
A COUNTRY GENTLEMAN.
BY J. p. KENNEDY.

ioi taoic iuh hbuic, "nu ene i"seoi WV" "in
easy, contemplative habits, that incline him
to be lazy and philosophical. He has the
substantial planter look that belongs to a
gentleman who lives on his estate, and is
not much vexed with the crosses of life.
think he prides himself on his personal
appearance for he has a handsome face,
with dark blue eye, and high forehead
that is scantily embellshed with some sill
ver-tipped locks that, observe, he cher
ishes for their rarity; besides, he is grow
ing manifestly attentive to dress, and carries
himself erect, with some secret conscious
ness that his person is not bad. lis pleas
ant to see him when he has ordered his
horse for ride into the neighborhood, or
across to the courthouse. On such occa-
sions, he is apt to make his appearance in a
coat of blue broadcloth, astouishingly new
and glossy, and with redundant supply of
plated ruffie strutting through the folds of
Marseilles waistcoat a worshipful finish
is given to this costume by large straw
hat, lined with green silk. There is mag
sterial fulness in his garments that beto-
kens condition in the world, and heavy
bunch Of seals, suspended by a chain of
gold, jingles as he moves, pronouncing him
a man Of superhuities.
1t is considered rather extraordinary that
he has never set up for Congress but the
| truth is, he is an unambitious man, and has
calls it. And, besides, he is thoroughly
convinced that there will always be men
enough in Virginia willing to serve the
people, and therefore does not see why he
should trouble his head about it. Some
years ago, however, there was really an I'M
preston that he meant to come out. By
some sudden whim, he took it into his head
to visit Washington during the session of
| Congress, and returned, after fortnight,
very seriously distempered with politics.
He told curicus anecdotes of certain secret
intrigues which had been discovered in the
affairs of the capital, gave a pretty clear
insight into the views of some deep-laid
combinations. and became all at once pain
fully fl0rid in his discourse, and dogmatical
to degree that made his wife stare. For
tunately, this orgasm soon subsidized, and
Frank relapsed into an iEdolent gentleman
of the opposition but it had the effect to
give much more decided cas-. to his stud
les, for he forthwith discarded the Wing
and took to the Enquirer, like man who
was not to be disturbed by doubts and as
it was morally impossible to believe what
was written on both sides, to prevent mis-
mind from being abused he, from this time
forward, gave an implicit assent to all The
sequence of this straightforward and conf.
ding department was an unsolicited anC
complimentary notice of him by the execu
tive of the State. He was put INTO tn,
commission o: the peace, and having thu
become public man against his will, hi
opinions were observed to undergo som,
essential changes: He now thinks that {
good citizen ought neither to solicit or de
cline office; that the magistracy of Virginii
is the sturdiest pillar that supports the fab
ric of the Constitution and that the peo
pie, though in their opinions they may b,
mistaken, in their sentiments they are nevel
wrong with some other such dogma.
that, few years ago he did not hold il
very good repute. In this temper, he ha:
of late embarked upon the millpond o
county affairs, and, notwithstanding hi:
amiable and respectful republicanism, an
told he keeps the peace as if he commanded
a garrison, and administers justice like &
cadi.
He has some claim of supremacy in thi:
last department; for during three years O
his life he smoked cigars in lawyers office
at Richmond sometimes looked into Black.
stone and the Revised Code; lie was a mem.
Der of debating society that ate oyster;
once a week during the winter; and wore
six cravats and a pair of yellow-topped
boots as blood of the metropolis. Hav-
ing in this way qualified himself for the
pursuits of agriculture, he came to his es-
tate very model of landed gentlemen
Since that time, his avocations have had a
certain literary tincture; for having settled
himself down as a married man, and got
rid of his superfluous foppery, he rambled
through the wilderness of romances, poems
and dissertations, which are now collected
in his library, and, with their battered blue
covers, present a lively type of an army OF
continentals at the close of the war, or an
hospital of veteran invalids. These have
all, at last, given way to the newspapers
miscellaneous study very enticing to gen.
tlemen in the country-that have rendered
Meriwether most discomfting antagonist
in the way of dates and names.
He has great sauvity of manners, and a
genuine beneyolence of disposition that
makes him fond of having his friends about
him; and it is particularly gratifying to
hin to pick up any genteel stranger within
the purlieus of Swallow Barn and put him
to the proof of weeks hospitality, if it be
only for the pleasure of exercising his rhet-
oric upon him. He is kind master, and
considerate toward his dependents, for which
reason, although he owns many slaves, they