The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-02-08
letter from Prince Edward County.
Correspondence of the Richmond Dispatch.

Correspondence of the Richmond Dispatch.
FaRMvILLE, VA, February 6, 1872.
The late severe spell Of weather has ena-
bled the people to fill their ice-houses with
ice Of unusual thickness. Skating upon the
.Appomattox river has been fine.
The tobacco market is beginning to he
more animated as the season advances. The
quantity of loose tobacco sold here is i'm
mensc. If the Government would remove
the tax OIL manufactured tobacco new i'm
petus would be given to the manufacture Of
it in our town, and more attention paid to
the cultivation of this DIR peculiar staple.
We complain that our labor has been confis-
Gated, and now our lands are going through
4 slow but sure process Of confiscation by
having the main money-crop Of our lands
taxed so heavily that the cost of production
is greater than its market value. We live in
hope that this grinding process Of the Gov
eminent will not continue long. and are en-
dcavorins to bear up manfully to keep from
going down before it ends. Many have
already died in despair, but we still hope OH
hoping, rs many say, against hope.
Our new courthouse, when completed,
will be a handsome edilice. Court day has
been changed in this county from the third
Monday to the next Tuesday after the third
Monday. Persons in the extreme portions
of the county who have been opposed to the
removal Of the courthouse on account of the
distance they will have to travel to get to
court, can now have the satisfaction of know
ing that they can get here in time on Tues
days and not start on Sunday, and will gene
rally be able to get back home before the next
Sunday, and have time before going to work
on Monday morning to tell their friends what
fine times they had in Farmyille, and receive
their congratulations for having dispatched
their business in so short time.
The dramatic readings of Miss JEANNE Pat
tcrson, here and upon College Hill, have eli
cited considerable applause. Some forty
years or more ago it was customary to have
dramatic exhibitions among the students at
college. These entertainments were attend
ed by large crowds Of people, much larger
than now attend our commencements. 1t is
to be regretted that the drama has been per-
mittcd to 60 down. In its purity it draws
out the finer feelings Of our nature, as it re-
commends everything that is laudable and
brands everything that is vicious. 1t would
add to the prosperity of the college to revive
these pleasing and instructive dramatic per-
iormanccs. The best Of students become at
times weary of the monotony of Rotations
in occult sciences and in the dead languages,
and desire occasionally something eNhilara-
ting and adapted to the buoyancy Of their
natures. ~
1t can certainly do the boys no harm to
have plays such az the scrutinizing eye of the
Faculty may approve. Every inducemcnt
within the reach of reason should be made
to stimulate boys to apply themselves for col
lego, and also to interest them after they get
there. Let them have the drama. BY its
introduction they will be better actors in
life, even if educated for the pulpit. The
beauty and grace Of many well-written dis
course has been lost by not learning lesson
from the stage. HHt*"a.
1--WE once were present at an "Exhibi.
ton" at Hampden Sidney; but it wasn't
forty years ago.]