Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1879-01-07
Old-Fashioned Virginia Hospitality.
Washington Sunday Herald

1 w dSuiAStOu Suuudy hcIdAuJ
| Col. l.. H. Fitzhugh, ex-doorkseper
of the House, who went with the COM
mittee detailed to bear the remains Of
Hon. B. B. Douglas, late member from
the First Virginia district, to their final
resting place at Aylett's, Virginia, re-
ports an incident of the otherwise
gloomy duties which recalls the days
long gone by-an incident which illus
trates the splendid hospitality which
has given that proud old Commonwealth
name and fame wherever the English
tongue is spoken.
job B. Davis, ESQ.,, brother of Sena-
tor II. G.. Davis, of West Virginia, and
a warm personal friend of the late Mr.
Beverly B. Douglass, Joined the COM
mittee at Richmond, and went with the
escort to Aylett's. taking bis splendid
residence, "Lester Manor" in the way.
Reaching tae manor" in the afternoon,
the doors were thrown opan with an old
Virginia welcome; liquors and cigars
and coffee of the rarest flavor were
served, and the dinner which was spread
before the guests, Hon. Rush Clarke
says, was one of the most sumptuOus
and elegant of which he ever partook.-
He says that the Riggs House (his syn
onym for elegance and refinement Of
'cuissaae) has seldom spread a more ele-
CANT feast. Remaining at "Lestor
Manor" over night, and having to leave
the railroad at this point, and 60 over
the country distance of twenty miles
to the late home of Mr.. Douglas, Mr..
Davis had his elegant carriages and
chariots brought out, in which he and
his guests made the journey. Their sad
mission ended, the gentleman of the
committee eighteen in numberl re-
I'm o1 i~h 70 AHan
or" where they were as handsomely
entertained as before by their large
hearted and manly host, Mr.. John B.
Davis.
On leaving for Washington next
morning, Mr.. Davis was asked by the
Sergeant-at-Arms to make out his bill.
mot a copper, gentlemen" he re-
piled, II shouldn't think of such
thing" .-.'..
But" persisted Mr.. Clarke and 9TH
ers. "the expenses are all provided for,
and it is not the committee you would
charge, but the United States Govern
ment."
"That matters nothing" said Mr..
Davis, Beverly Douglas was a friend
Of mine, and l beg permission to con-
tribute this little in honor of his memo
ry, and as slight expression of my high
IeSHTu IOI ulS lOlty cuaTacteT.
When 1t is considered that if Mr.. Da-
Wis had made charge at all for the enter
tainment of his guests fer two or three
days, the furnishing of transportation,
&C., the sum would have amounted to
about two hundred dollars, we can ap-
preciate the large-hearted generosity of
Mr.. John B. Davis. The committee
say it is the first time they have ever
known q gentleman to refuse nav when
the government had to foot the bill, and
that they will long entertain a most
pleasant and grateful memory of LES
tor Manor" and its accomplished owner.
1t is the first experience that several of
the committee (those from the North)
have ever had of old-fashioned South
ern hospitality, and the reality surpass-
es all they had ever heard of it. We
sincerely wish that social intercourse
between the sections could be of more
frequent occurrence.