Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1873-10-23
A STORY OF THE HON. aoBg. RUTHERFORD

TO PIN tor the series of interesting
papers he is contributing to its columns
on the annals of Winchester, has
awakened an interest in regard to its
early history, and that of many who
were prominently identified with it Of
the olden time, which, / propose, BY
your indulgence, to take advantage of.
so far as to interpolate an anecdote of
these olden times, which was communi-
Gated to the writer by the late Henry
Sewers, Jr,, who was contemporary of
the subject of it, and received if
from bis own mouth.
When Congress met in Philadelphia.
this district was represented by the
Hon. Robert Rutherford, gentleman
ofseund Judgment and excellent com
mon sense, many of whose descendants
OF the third and fourth generation are
scattered over the counties of his old
Congressional district, and are amongst
their most respected and honored
citizens. Mr.. r. was always attired in
simple garb of homespun, and gave
hims elf as little concern about the cut
and fashion Of his coat as of its text ure.
On one occasion he was invited with
other members Of Congress, to dine
With wealthy Philadelphia merchant,
who had omitted in his note of inyi
tation 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.. K, being unapprized that a later
hour was observed in the more fashion.
able circles of Philadelphia, repaired to
the house of his host punetually at
twelve and with the aid of the door
knocker summoned servant of whom
he enquired for the master of the house
and being informed that he would not
be In for several hours, he desired to
see the mistress Of the mansion. who
being told thata very plain looking old
man, dressed i'll home spun, was at the
door wishing to see her, and concluding
that Che. vlsiter had some marketing for
sale which might aid her in preparations
for the forthcoming dinner, she made
her appearance, not exactly in the garb
IN which her ladyship would have
chosen to receive member of Con.
gress, but III one more BETTING the
duty which then occupied her as chief
OF the culinary departments. The visiter
having explained that ne wished to see
her husband, but had been Informed
that he was not a home, and would not
De In for some 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 arrival
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 all busily engaged in
busting the furniture, setting things to
rights generally, and in cooking dinner
for a large number of members of Con-
gress that her husband had invited to
dinner. Her interlocutor not being
satisfied with this view of the case, q
compromise was finally agreed on, by
which the visiter was permitted to
occupy seat st 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 were
busily engaged in active duties deman
ded OF them on an occasion Of SO much
Importance, be 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 bciug near at hand
the hostess retired to make The needful
preparation to be introduced to her
husbands distinguished guests, most
of whom had already arrived. This
ceremony having been duly attended
to, and all the guests, with the excep-
ton of the Hon. Mr.. Rutherford of
Virginia, being in place, and the dinner
ready to be served, the host. expressed
his surprise at the non appearance of
Mr.. r. who, he said, had promised to be
punctual in his attendance, and who, as
he came from one of the rural districts
of Virginia, he had expected would
be among the first to present himself.
/ a Al