The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-05-23

of whitening dcsolation, arc all that remain
to remind MS of the days when the words
" Around Richmond breathcd the very
breath of battle and made men trembie at
the vibrations of the scale, "big with the
fate of Cato and Of Rome" that hung upon
this beam. Here and there, rs we wander
around the lines," we find few deserted
cabins. At distance we for a moment
fancy we see the grey -jacketed heroes
moving about them, orderlics passing ana
repassing, the smoke of the camp-fires as
ccnding-the motives of the Confederacy,
are reproduced, and the days that are past
forever are returned-but it was only
dream. That distant sound was not gun
at Drewry's-all is peace and silence.
Grim-visaged war hath smoothed DIS
wrinkled front, albeit he has left many
deep furrow and ineffaceablc scar upon
those who survive the carnage and the woe
of the terrible strife.
But we took up our pen towrite OF green
fields and quiet homes. The country around
Richmond is not what it was before the
war, nor is il what it was during that day
of trial. Just now, he who travels out on
any of the roads leading from the city VIII
find much to gladden. his eye and cheer his
heart. Gardens, wheat fields, and orchards
smile with promises of a gathering Dy-and-
nv which must considerably increase the
wealth and comfort of the people. The
observer will discover more good horses
than he expected to find, and more mllch
COWS quietly grazing about, whose dis
tended bags awaken pleasing emotions in
every one that has the milk OF human kind
ness in his heart.
If he has the good fortune to be visitor
among the people in these handsome
houscs-Of which so many are visible far
and near-he will find hospitality, intelli
gencc, and refinement in many OF them,
which will remind him Of the best days
and best style of old Virginia life.
On Sabbath many of the people come in
to the city to church, and their modes OF
transportation Indicate Improvement. Not
Il few go to the places Of worship near the
city, of which there are some where regu-
lar services are held. On some OF the
roads, we are sorry to say, there are for
miles no mceting-houSeS. Several were
DESTROYED during the war; and the conSe-
qucmcc is that there are great number oil
persons i'm the ncighborhood of the city
who do not attend church on Sunday, ana
have no place to which they can sehd
their children to Sabbath school. III IS 10
be hoped that some of the plans Wiicn
have been talked Of to meet this want VIII
he nut in execution. There are number
of ministers in Richmond-at least one
dozcn-who, being employed as editors,
&C., during the week, and having no rcSu-
lar charge, would gladly 60 out and preach
in the ncighhOrhood on Sunday il there
were churches built for them, or even
arborS erected, or private houses opened,
in the porchcS and yards of which the pco-
pie might be gathered. 1t is apity that IN
sight of SO many Stccples there should be
such an amount of religious dcStitutlon as
is well known to exist around Richmond.
The court Of Hcnrico affords good op-
portunity to see many of the gentlemen OF
the neighboring parts of the county. AS
soon as one enters the gate of the yard -
very substantial new one, by the way, far
in advance Of the new court-house-he
sees the traces of country life and man
ncrs, the knot and groups talking, the
sheriff, with his saddle bags, ETC., as he re-
poses under the shadow of the trees that
have held their ground there these many
years. and takes hold of the hand OF Il
country gentleman with the peculiar cor
dial shake that does not belong to the
town, he almost torgctS that he IS III the
heart of a great city, and begins to feel like
he does in Louisa, Orange, or at the county
seat of Fluvanna, on a -day-when the
horses are ncighing the jackasseS are
Drawing, the SheritiS are shouting, the poll
ticians are talking, the old women are sell
ing gingcr-cakcs, and wagons, carts, mules,
saddles, brides, trace-chains, harness,
ploughs, wheat-fans, bro0ms, shuckS, mats,
and furniture, old and new, are going,
going, going, gone, if you are done, once,
twice. Uree!!! timeS-where men are col
lccted for every conceivable purpose, and
things 90 on in multitudinous variety,
Which can only be described under the
general and comprehensive clause, court
day.
Hcnrico, alas is too near the city TO
produce the primitive institution Ill It's
freshness, but there is far more OF the
rustic odor about it than one would expect
to find on Main street, between twenty
first and Twcnty-sccOnd streets, where,
lust outside those walls, the flavor OF the
city is strong and hot on the dusty pave
mentS.
A VENERABLE PIECE OF FURNITURE
Messrs. Styll 4 Davis, of this city, have
received an antique chair, accompanied by
the following letter:
''Messrs. Styll S Davis,-I shipped this day
the above chair. lit was described at top
of the letter. You will oblige me to for
ward it to the White House, on the Pa
munkey river, to General r. f. Lee, or to
some of his family there.
"Respectfully yours,
"JoHN Z. WATKINS,
"No. Al South street.
"BALrIMoRE, May 10, 1866"
The chair, as we gather from the letter,
belonged to George Washington Parkc
Gusts. 1t fell to him among the heirlooms
of this family. He was the grandson oi
Mrs. General Washington, and the adopted
son of the General. lie was the father OF
Mrs. General Lee, and the proprietor of the
famous Arlington estate. This char was
rescued from the flames when the White
House was burned by the Federal army
during the war. 1t was bought from a
sutler of the United States army, from
whom the mountebank Barnum tried in
vain to purchase it. Is was exhibited at
the Baltimore Southern Fair, and ten cents
was the charge for sitting in it. In this
way large sum was received. 1t is one
hundred and four years old, and IS sup
posed to have been General Washington's
office chair.
The White House, for which it is des-
70, nu