The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-03-23
what a Stranger Says About the Vir-
ginta Girls.
Washington letter IN Chicago Times.l


A young society swell who was Invited
not long ago to go down and visit family
In the interior OF Virginia gives very in-
terestng picture OF the pleasant customs
that are still in vogue III that State.
When one gets away from the railroads
and towns he 6aGs things In about the same
condition that they were about one hundred
wears ago. There are men In some of the
back counties OF Virginia who never yet
heard OF Jackson's death, and who would
| be very much startled IL the news was
sprung upon them suddenly. This young
society man was a great horseman. He took
bis horse with him, highs spirited, dark
chestnut gcldina. lie found upon bis ar
rival that his ability TO ride at once made
him popular with everybody. He was
surprised To find that almost everybody
rode horseback. Wagons and carriages
were almost unknown. Young gentle
linen going cut TO give their sweet
heats a treat, simply swung blanket
on their horses, behind their sadd'e,
where the young lady rides plllion-fasnion.
| He SAYS it was not an uncommon slght 10
see four persons on one horse. lie proves
this TO be the case by describing an actual
scene that came under his notice, where an
old gentleman and his wife were riding
I
old man and the boy in front, and the old
lady. with boy in her lap, behind. ms
sy stem OF riding Is very popular among
Young ladies' and gentlemen in virginia.
| The Young VirginiaD mounts his morse,
dasbes up TO the saddle block, catches bis
sweetheart by the hand, and she bounds,
like an agile gaZele. to the blanket BEHIND
him, and then she adds interest to the occa-
sion by winding her arms around bim, ana
his good horse starts of at jolly pace. -.
Now, this young swell got along very well
in his visit until one day he was at church
at one Of the country churches. and young
Illdy who owned very comfortable place
near there invited him TO go home and take
dinner with her. There were three or four
very interesting young ladies' stopping al
her house, and of course he accepted her
invitation with great pleasure; but his bar
fairly stood on end when she said to him
Il guess YOU will have 10 take one
OF the girls on your horse; IN di
yidng up our party one at leaS
comes to YOU" The young man II
, question is not heavy weight physl
cally. He dots not weigh over ninc'y
mounds. The young woman who fell to hi
, lot was a bouncing Virginia lass, p!umI
and pretty, who weighed q; least one hun
dred and forty pounds. He was in NJ
:, haste to get into the saddle. He watched
very carefully how the rest OF the fellow
Z got their fair companions upon the uppe
! deck. He was the last man TO swing hi
horse into line. He had little dou0i, 100
: about his horse The horse was very hl9b
spirited, and had never been ridden doc
!; bic. He darted up 10 the horse.block ant
= the youpg woman was ready. The o'anKe
. was arranged behind after the most az
:, proved fashion. He edged bis chest
mt up TO the side OF the' morse
> block. She gave him one hand. an
in second she bouu ded firmly u
her place behind him, and wound her arm
:. around him in as firm hold as The pre-
II nrietie, of the occasion demanded. She wa
not the only one that had bounded. I'D
- horse bolted about ten feet In the air an
), came down OH his fore-feet, and, as III
= Young fellow said, suddenly became yer
- light behind. The young man, altnough
~ very good rider, said he would nave son
~ over the horses ear seyerai tunes IL IL I'd
a not been for the young lady. She heiu OF
and he felt perfectly convinced that II U
IS went off she wouldn't, and so she stucl
10 His horse fought, SHE'D, Jumped. an
v baked, greatly to the amusement Vi -
!! vounc LADY, who very near cracked sever
ie Of his ribs in holding on to him when d
-. =, horse bolted to the right and l6it. IL WI
u five miles to his destination. When he e
J; off his horse finally, and walked into u
+ farm. house. three great streams OF perspir
- ton slowly trickled down the sides Oh Il
~ face. He was weak and trembling.
~ ~ The lady of the house asked him now
a. a. liked his trip.
., lie said that under less exciting circur
" " stances he might have relished the huggll
~ mart of it, but beyond that he was vel
80 80 willing to confess that it was one OF u
u, greatest tests he had ever undergone IN
ne life.