Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1873-09-01
uEis GAZETTE L VIRGINIA ADVERTISER.
Old Times In Virginia.

Old Times I'm Virginia.
\ letter from Prince George, Va, in the
Petersburg Appeal and Index says: Time
changes all things | at first intended to have
rjyen YOU, as the heading of this communion
tion Latin quotation, but as we are in a land
where the beautiful English dialect alone is
used, | think it best to employ that which is
better known to niuety-nine one-hundredths OF
your readers Some short time passed IN a
ride took, | passed by the old New Market
Race Course, few miles below your city, hav-
Ing for many years, say some sixty and up
wards, been 10 the habit of passing this place );
now exhibits, be assured my reflections were
anything but pleasant. Go back for but few
years. say ten or twelve, and what is the COM
parison Then on the bill which has uow but
the dilapidated remains of Fort Stedman,
where the bloody battle took place between our
noble and dear friends who fought so bravely,
but so unfortunately 10 their great endeavor to
drive from US savage and british enemy,
stood the beautiful residence Of our much
esteemed friend, Mr. 0. ?. Hare of your
city, where hospitality was often enjoyed by
his many friends Here was the famous old
New Market Race Course, where in long passed
days, the lovers OF fine horses met in May and
October, OF each year, to contest in speed and
was not for the love Of betting and gambling,
las am sorry to say was the case some ten
or twelve years before the war, for we'll do re-
member many of those noble and high mind
ed gentlemen in those days, who appeared there
with their fine horses. [ will name some of
them: The Hon John Randolph, VIM Wynn,
OF Sussex; Col. Wynn, of Diuwiddie; Irby, of
Nottaway, Minge OF Charles City; I. Field, Of
Brunswick; and Col. VIM. K. johnson, the
father Of Wm. JohDson, esq, Of your city LIZ
those days the hill west Of the house was occu-
pied by some fifty or sixty carriages, containing
the ladies from all of the adjoining counties,
both Of wealth and beauty, who took this op
portunity to do their shopping for the summer
aud winter Many a happy hour has the
writer of this communication spent with the
beautiful and lovely who were present on this
Hill. aud often has he seen the snow. white
haulkerchiefs waved by the lily white hands
aud arms Of the bewitching damsels at the close
Of the race, and claimiug of their beaux the
dozeu oranges or gloves which they had won on
the race The riders of the different horses
being dressed with caps and jackets either OF
red, green, yellow or blue, these innocent bets
were made either on the red vs. the green. or
on the yellow or on the blue VS.. the field. We
lad not in those days that Purltanlc squeamlSh-
ness that would strain at a gnas or swallow
came Your city at that time was well filled
with the gentility of the adjoining counties, with
their pockets we'll filled with cash enough to
purchase what they wanted The credit sys-
TEN was then but little practisad. What we
had not the cash to pay for we did without.
Comfort and genteel appearance was all that
was required; not gaudlness and extravaganza
Of dress as in the present day. Our young
nrn when travelling or visiting had behind
their saddles or on them the old valise or sad
die bags; the fine equpage OF the present day
was not known.
A SMART WESTERN THIEF. Everybody
around Detroit, says the Free Press has heard
or seen the notorious "Moe Matches" a
young fellow of thirty or thereabouts, who had
lifted more feathers than any pick pocket OF
his age in the country. A day or TWO since
Matches turned up missing, and his pals ID
Windsor announced that he had gone to Sa-
vanuah, Georgia. to see his dying mother. 1t
seems that the thief wanted to go to Chicago,
and fearing arrest on this side, he disguised
himself as clergyman, having on the standing
collar. white choker, and double breasted black
coat of regular man of the cloth. A wig and
apalr Ot spectacles SO changed his appearance
that he was SAFE and for effect he carried along
Bible. The fellow asserts that thus disguised
he talked with the officials of the ferry boat
aud with policeman on this side, and his
questions were promptly answered and his dis
guisc unsupported. He was in Chicago three
days, going about in the role of minister, and
Is believed that he lifted greenbaGks
enough to make the excursion profitable. lie
started fer home Tuesday evening, and while
waiting in the depot for the train to leave he
A9eed portly good-tempered man, evidently,
Iehad just had drink of something cheer
utp or
aud read him lecture on the sin Of swal-
loving mint t.juleps and swectened brandy
he man, who is reported to be a Bostonlan,
Interested in the sugar-stave business, pleaded
10 have weakness which should have been
suppressed long ago but for family trouble, and
the two soon became we'll acquainted When
the train started both occupied the same seats,
ana their conversation for the next three hours
Was on such topics as to make man feel near
er ear,to to that good place beyond the Clouds
,A;a'ehes' finally introduced the subject of
Uoera morbus, in order to get back to the
Practical world, and he showed the stranger
bottle OF stuff which he said had been put up
NJ nm In Buffalo, The Boston man tasted,
and the taste was SO good that he wished he
Ia Taa the 'morbus'' little 10 order to cure it.
'i"Was prssed to take hold, as the liquid was
preventive rather than a cure, and up weut the
TJuic again and again. About midnight the
'to n>ton man was picture of happiness. He
w}' without break until he reached Detroit,
.r' was then so stupid that if it hadn' been
ISF thc preacher he might have walked out
VI w, 'he wrong end of the depot. His intention
rI, rIs 10 90 East with the other passengers, and
WY he dldut is more than he can tell He
b, br,He up at o'clock in the afternoon, to find
".." "usell In bed at small hotel on Woodbridge
@ 'es' West. 1t is needless to say that he had
u,a ,,,a- robbed of his gold watch and wallet, the
:4''cF contalng several hundred dollars.
II
A FLOAT AND TO ARRIVE IN A FEW
gays a cargo of BROKEN and F URNAOE
Sn1o T. j. MEHAFFEY s. CO.,
,"1s ~ Wharf and Yards foot Of Queen st.
REPINED STcApc - ,---.i- posnoa