Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1867-06-04
[For the Spectator.
RICHMOND, May

hlCHMOND, udy 20, 1901.
Mr.. EDIToR.-The Jree-raders of the Cen
tral Railroad are very numerous here to-day
They are holding protracted meeting in the
Capitol The Capitol is on the same lot with
Mister Pearpint's house, likewise Mister Pear
pints COW is, also, on the same lot, eating the
grass. She is good looking red COW. L saw
her, but did not see him. |, also, did not see
Hunnycutt, or Judge Underwood, nor Minor
Bolts; but L saw great many other colOred
persons, among them, was about two hundred
of the Free sons of Loue, marching in pairs
through the streets, with music and flowers,
and a banner. They were all dressed In fine
black frock coats and pants buckskln belts and
colored bands round their hats. The red COW
frequently feeds near the Washington monu-
ment. She switches her long tail very grace
fully, and chews her cud with great apparent
calmness and quietness; yet, L am told she
sometimes gets boisterous and unruly, and tries
to horn the unconstructed. / never saw her
look up at General Washington, or them other
old fellows on the monument. He [ mean
Washington is mounted on a fiery looking
stallion horse; the others have no horses, but
stand on big blocks of stone, with something
like blankets thrown loosely round them-
They all look like black men, except one, called
him, as he is about the color Of pale Gordons-
viHe sndck-horse ginger cake, especially such as
used to be sold to Confederate soldiers.
Mr. Branch & Sons, brokers, made slight
speech or two in the Railroad meeting against
the road carrying too many dead heads. He is
nice looking old gentleman, and wears a high
standing shirt collar and a very large white era
vat, so, also, does Mr.. G. of your county. My
father and several other old gentlemen wore
the same kind of cravats when | was a boy and
they looked very nice when clean, The railroad
men passed over that branch of their business
for the present,
The black crook is here at this time have
not seen it, except that part of it pasted on the
fences and walls In various parts Of the city !;
judging from what | saw of it, I should think
many of the females in it are q leetle too scanti
ly and thinly clad for this cool damp weather.
Why, their clothing, seems to me, is not much
more than Georgia uniform, which | have
been told is only shirt collar, and pair of
spurs; but the times are very tight in this city,
and, it may possibly be, that the poor things
can't afford any better covering. By the way,
speaking of dressing, reminds me again OF those
big white cravated gentlemen. Wonder if
that old fashioned class of our citizens won t
have to be entirely reconstructed before they
can vote in District, No. l. 1t would not sur
prise me if they should be required to put on
colored cravats and swear that they would never
say anything disrespectful to the reputation of
Thad. Stevens Ben Butler or Bill Brownlow,
or ever again be caught wearing white cravat.
The delegation of free riders from your coun-
ty is large. Capt. Polmer and very many 9TH
ers, names too numerous to mention), are
here Albemarle is, also, strongly represented.
The weather is too cool for the season; and
tavern rates rather too heavy for the times
Hoops are going out Of fashion.