The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-02-24

marks OF m00c1n eFcnItectufe 1ney otra.
kingly resemble the structures Of fantediluviaa
times. Their position indicates, also, that
they were left IN their pressnf places ey 4
force which had not reason 70 guide it. Au-
man taste was never fantastic enough 70 pat
houses into such attitudes a. these occupy.
There is degree Of oddity and ifregulATfty
about them which has attracted the notice Of
iearnedsantiquarian, and hear that ne y
writing book 70 show that these houses were
the Gaze unusually strong. Let us see. Here
Is residence with It's end to the street;
there Us Q -storied building with two flights
OF steps from the ground TO the door just
beyond Is another with its back coldly turned
on Main street; out there In the lot are those
celebrated brick rows, whose dingy walls
and blackened roofs bring 70 memory the " De-
wick did not visit Manchester. Hecould have
gathered material for q dozen pamphlets.
There Is another fact which goes to confirm
the negro story. The Manchester houses are
most blissfully ignorant OF the benefits Of
paint It is remarkable tLat tho present
owners Of these Asiatic establishments will
not modernize and beautfy them With paint.
Happening TO know Why such b the case,
will proclaim It TO malkind: ..,.,.,. s,..a !,
paint. It is said to produce fever Of an incu-
rable type They have proverb that paint.
ers are partners with unde-takers. The people
religiSusiy believe .o that s, painted house never
sons are desirous OF painting their residences,
but are deferred by this superstitious preju-
An old man told yno:her last Sunday that
many Of the houses In Manchester had not
been painted since the war of'76. This, / sup
pose, is true.
There is tree on the hill near the reservoir
ring the Revolution for the purpose Of watch
ing the British. If that patriotic Frenchman,
instead Of dying, had waited patiently till
now, and would come back and climb that
same tree, he would see matters In pretty
much the same condition he saw them nearly
q century ago. Free from the superstition OF
which have spoken, am anxious to see these
venerable piles taken through the regenera.
absurd prejudice will be soon exploded. Seve-
raj circumstances encourage me-, A number OF
painters, said to be experts in their business
have settled here, and offer their services TO
cant, fills me with hope. A very respectable
physician has lately had his office elegantly
painted. Possibly he may have had no other
motive to actuate him except taste for ele-
gance. My opinion Is, that he had another,
and yet q more commendable design in view.
believe that he intended to cast contempt on
the superstition so prevalent here, that paint
is unhealthy. In my heart I honor him for
this timely and manly rebuke of q feeling too
ridiculous to be tolerated longer. Some will
ignorantly suspect that 1t Is a shrewd device
for enlarging his practice by misleading the
people.
subject externally, let me now invite you to
an inside view. Just walk in and look for
yourself. As we enter, you need not notice
that the gate, Ii the hinges were not broken,
would open outside, and that 1t Is neuer shut.
This Is as 1t should be. The design Is to pro-
duce equality among the races by fiattenins
the noses of the white folks.
It has not been my privilege to examine the
interior of many houses in Manchester. This
matters little. I never saw General Lee, but
know as much Of him as many who have
seen him. So OF these houses. know enough
to Justify me In making the following state
ments in regard to the interior Of the Man
chester houses Those that have cellars are
generally damp. Hard rains invariably over
flow them. We haze an association here,
known as the "Water Scoopers," J" whose mem.
bers make fortunes in the wet seasons by re-
moving water from oveTfown cellars. 1t 10
said that the town is well ditched, but the
bitches, like their distinguished "authors,"
are invisible.
The Manchester houses have also pleasant
way of leaking In bad weather. This II
| thought to be great advantage, inasmuch a.
| 1t furnishes new method of securing besides,
| it serves to show the various uses &c which
buckets and pans can, be applied Also, Rives
exercise to people In rainy seasons by requiring
them to move their beds about forty times q
day. These houses, also, are happily free from
closets, wardrobes, and other such imaginary
conveniences. They have doors, windows,
and chimneys, together with steep and wind.
But am growing facetious-a humor that
little BELTS the state OF one whose griefs are
such as mine. SrRuadLR.
p. s. For several days the factories have
Ibeen closed by the rise In the river. Sweet
release from the whirl and noise to which !
am accustomed. My JOY would be bourdiess
me in doors, and the saddening reflection that
with my work also stops the slender means Of
bur support.