The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-07-30
POWHATAN COUNTY.

PoWHATAN, July "a, 1879.
The all-absorbing topic in the county is
now the drought. On last Wednesday night
there was q local rain which lasted only
about fifteen minutes, which was the hard
est rain we have had in the county since the
last Of May. Our coolest inhabitant re-
collects many spells in past years Of longer
cessation from rain; but this is the worse
drought ever known, as there has been no
time since the 1st of January when the
ground was too wet to plough on ordinary
high land. The spring oats, except on low
grounds, are failure, the winter oats having
been killed, which was occaSioned by the
dry spring succeeding the cold, which loos-
ened their hold upon the ground. The to-
bacco crop has not been planted entirely.
Only about third was set out, and that Is
now barely prolonging sickly exist
ence; and unless it rains now In very
short time the corn, which is now shooting
and tasselliDg, will be complete failure.
Streams which have never been known W
cease to run and springs neyer-falhns arr
now dry. We have the best promises anu
indications for rain, but with no succ19s.
The rainbow in the morning, "Whfcl -
the shepherds warming" lightning at nisns
under the north star, the sun settlns III q
cloud and rising clear and then enteiius .
cloud, the changes Of the moon, Tue nans
ING Of the moon when new, the nuIlcllns
Of tbe reese and ducks, and all tue oIuoi
infajrbje signs OF rain have occurred, anu
onr we,therWjse man has explained an oy
ths oracillar dictuin that call signs !aii III
Nv weather. The weather-cock Is I'M
uy variable, the wind blowing IN a
hort time from every point OF the compass.
!. - now very cloudy and has been all day,
and vet there is no RAIN.
AZ the clerk of the weather has not ex-
,Ia;ned TO US the difference between the
pe,;ddIe States and the Atlantic States, and
o 90 o,1r papers reach us always after the Pc
Rod OF his prophesies has elapsed, we have
long since failed to read his Vaccinations,
exeept when we have been unusually hard
I'D for newspaper reading, aud only then
after we have read all the advertising col
umns, the rates OF advertising, and the price.
current, which tell us nothing, as they state
the wholesale prices, which are not applica-
BILE to your country readers. 4,
There is no news In our county now.
Having survived the turbulence OF the
county. elections, and the fre-fend having
induced all OF our people to insure their
houses and stables, we are in state OF con-
siderable quiet.
a large lawn.party was gotten up by the
ladies' for the benefit OF Emmanuel church
(EpiscopaD at Belle Meade, the residence Of
Mr.. John Cooke. Upwards OF a hundred
Japanese lanterns lighted up the beautiful
grounds, rendering more imposing the tow
ers OF the semi Gothic mansion. The tab
ledaI Uiuans were well executed, although
the scene Of the {. Old Bachelor . was not Q
scrlptural scene, according TO their adver.
tisement; and the ladies, with their small
their ice-cream and lunc illu.
minated tents, and the grab-bag, and the
little boy peddiers OF cigarettes, made about
S10O. "A similar party will be soon held la
the grove near eWhatan Courthouse Tor
the benefit OF the Presbyt &
The enrrbund d1and -sec0nd meeting OF
the Middle District Baptist Association will
be held at Peteryilie church In q short time,