Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1873-10-28
MI.scsEIlAn.EousE.
A STORY oF THE oLDEN TIME.

laying its readers under obligations to him.
for the series of interesting papers he is CON,
tributing to its columns on the ssAnnals of
Winchester" has awakened an interest in re-.
gard to its early history, and that of many
who were prominently identified with it of the
olden' time, which, propose, by your indul-
gence, to take advantage of, SO far as to in-
terpolate an anecdote of those oldes times.
which was communicated to the writer by the
late Henry Sewers, Jr., who was cotempo-
rary OF the subject of it, and received it from
his OVID mouth. -. .,ssE ~, -
When Congfess met in p Philadelphis, this
district was represented by the Hon Robert
Rutherford, a gentleman Of sound Judgment
andaexcellent common sense, many of whose
descendants of the third and fourth genera
ton, are scattered over the corinties of his old
Congressional district; and are amongst their
most respected aud houored citizens Mr.. r.
was always attired in simple garb Of hoiiie-
spun, and gave himself as little concern about
the cut and fashion of his coat as of its texture
On one occasion he was invited with other
members OF Congress, to dine with a wealthy
Philadelphia merchant, who had omitted in
his note OF invitation to name the hour and
IT being the prevailing custom of the people,
IN this part of Virginia, at; that early period !.
to dine at twelve O'Clock, and Mr. r. being
unapprized that later hour was observed in
the more fashionable circles of PHILADELPHIA.
repaired to the house of his host punctualIy
atttwelve; and with theaid of the door. knock.
er summoned a servant of whom he enuured
for the master of the house aud being in.
formed that he would not be in for several
hours, he desired to see the mistress of the
mansion, who being told that very plain
looking old man, dressed in home spun, was
at the door wishing to see her, and concluding
that the visitor had some marketing for sale
which might aid her in her preparation for
the Forthcoming dinner, she made her ap-
pearance, not exactly in The .garb in which
her ladyship would have chosen to receive
member OF Congress, but in one more befit-
ting the duty which then occupied her as
chief of the culinary department.. The vis-
itor having explained that he wished to see
her husband, but had been informed that he
was not at home, and would not be in for somo
time. suggested that as he lived in remote
part of the, city. and the walk was long one.
he would prefer to come in and await his ar
rival. The good lady protested that she could
not consent to that that the house was in
great disorder, and that she and her servants
were oil busily engaged in dusting the furni-
ture, setting things to right generally, aud in
cooking dinner for a largo number of men,
bers OF Congress that her husband had in.
vited to dinner. Her interlocutor not being
satisfied with this view Of the case. a com.
promise was finally agreed on, by which the
visitor was permitted to occupy seat at the
kitchen fire until the good man of the house
should make his appearance The matter
having been duly arranged, and the visiter
duly installed in the chimney corner, while
the mistress and her attendants we're busiIy
engaged in the active duties, demanded OF
them on an occasion of SO much Importance.
he was appealed to. to know whether. as they
were rather short handed. he could not assist
them by bringing them few buckets of water
from the pump hard by, to which he readily
assented, saying that he never liked to be idle
when he could make himself useful. The
good lady, thus encouraged, next invoked his
aid in pairing potatoes and turnips, and in
other culinary Offices of the like kind, all of
which he discharged to her entire satisfaction
At this stage of progress, and the dinner hour
being hear at hand, the hostess retired to make
the needful preparation to be introduced to
her husbands distintuished guests, most of
whom hod already arrived. This ceremony
having been duly attended to, and all the
guests, with the exception of the Hon. Mr.
Rutherford of Virginia being in place. and
the dinner ready to be served, the host ex-
pressed his surprise at the non>appearance of
Mr.. q. who, he said, had promised to be
punctual in his attendance and who, az he
came from one of the rural districts of Vir-
ginia, he had expected would be among the
first to present himself At length the pa
tience of both host and hostess having been
exhausted, and Mr.. RS coming despaired Of.
dinner was ordered to be served without de-
lay, when, for the first time; the hostess be-
thought herself of the patient old man in the
kitchen who had been SO long awaiting the sr-
rival of her husband /; and in gratitude for the
timely aid he had rendered her in the prepa>
ration of che dinner she abesought the master
of the feast to see and dismiss him before sit.
ting down to the table. So reasonable pe~
tition, and one so pressingly urged was of
course granted. But what was the. surprise
and modification of the host to find that "ths
old man in the kitchen" was none other than
bis missing guest, the Hon Mr. r. of Yir-
ginia. .'In the name of. conscience, Mr..
Rutherford" exclaimed the former. awhat
are you doing hear 2'' .sWeil ;" replied Mr..
R., 81 have no. only been comfortable here,
butt think Mrs. will bear me wit
ness that have made, myself somewhat USE
ful and have probably done more than any of
your other guests to earn my share of the
good things which have been provided, )" The
Hon. gentleman was then conducted to the
parlor, where, to her infinite amusement and
concern, he was introduced to the discounted
HOSTESS as. the missing guest who had so long
delayed the dinner, in the preparation of
which he had played such an important part
1t IS needless TO add, that the story being
made known to The other guests, it was re-s