National Republican., 1880-07-20

ward the famous war.ship gpcd the young
ladies singing for the entertainment Of the
officers, the grave secretary of state amusing
them with his witty stories, and the man In
the chains calling the soundings in monoto-
nous tones. 1t was just o'clock p. m. when
| the ship became hard aground ON q mud bank,
off what Is known as Pope's Landing, and a
mile or more from shore. Here was a nauti-
cal dilemma which puzzled even so ex-
pericncod mariner as the gallant
Captain Jones. Bearing west sou'west half
west a mile and half distant was the wreck
Of what had many years ago been wharf.
Exactly west nor'wcst of them, distant two
miles or more, was the spot where the i'll
| fated Wawasset was burned, aud nearly 100
lives sacrificed to fear and stupidity.
How to get the distinguished party ashore
was now the great question. Tho famous
| war-ship which had dOue so much good SER
vice in making the Cattel family happy, was
now hard and fast on q mud-bank moro than
n mile from shore. Tho quartor-boats were low.
! cred aud manned aud the gallant Captain Jones
and his distinguished party gotten into QUO o
them. Again the water gave out, for when
they were about 100 yards from shore the boats
grounded, and they were rs bad OF as before.
The sight Of so famous war.ship hard
aground, within a gun.shot Of the Westmore-
land shore, had attracted TO the beach quite
number of courageous aud woll-disposed per-
sous of African descent. Seeing the danger
| Gus position our voyagers were placed in, these
persons rolled up their trousers and came
| bravely to the rescue. Indeed, they marched
out into the water undauntcd and ready to
do noble service in u good cause. One
| took my illustrious friend-1 mean the
brains of tho administration-on his
back, others in turn shouldcred the
FIVE pretty young ladies' the gallant Cap
tain Jones got himself astrido the
shoulders Of a stalwart gentleman of color
Il 4 "A 10
handsome marine officer l am right in saying
were similarly mounted. Thus strongly
mounted the distinguished party in single file
proceeded for the beach, the secretary of state
in the advance and the officers, according to
their rank, bringing up in the rear. The doctor,
q man of mischievous proclivties offered to
pay the person the gallant Captain Jones rode
ashore $40 if he would let that brave OIL.
Ger drop into the water. He refused the bribo
like an honest man.
They were now safely landed, and the noxt
most important thing was to find guido aud
| the means of conveyance to the place where
George Washington was born. Ono colored
gentleman, who claimed to have more informa.
tion on tho subject than all the rest, assured
the bewildered secretary that Washington's
birthplace was three miles down tho road after
you got upon the hill. Another was equally
positive that it was in an entirely different
direction, and he knew it sure because he had
heard his old master say so. Whio this dis
pute was going on two farmer-looking men
appeared, dressed III rusty garments and with
whips in their hands. One had a mule-team
and tho other an ox.team. They would like
to charter to take the party wherever they
wanted to go. Both assured the grave secretary
they had seen better days, and before the war
were Virginia gentlemen, living rs Virginia
gentlemen ought to live. Now "the niggers
wouldn't work--wouldn'tw work add Bit" aud
N pn iiga nf nj hpi ri
This they repeated a number OF times while
Oh the road to Poverty Corners, never forget
ting to add that before the war they were gen.
tlemen and could live like gentlemen. Strange
as it may seem, neither Of these men could
tell where Washington was born. They knew
the great Colonel Merriwether, formerly of
Culpeper courthouse, MS fine an old Virginia
gentleman rs was to DO found in all West
moreland Anything he didn't know about
George Washington aud where George WASH
ington was born was not worth knowing. Tho
great Colonel Merrwether, they said, was al
most certain to be found at Poverty Corners of
an afternoon, although his plantation was more
than two miles away.
/. Both teams wcre chartered by the .witty
secretary, he and the five pretty young ladies
in the mule-team and the officers III their orli'
liant uniforms occupying tho ox-cart in A. nc
rear. In that grotesquc way the proces VA
took up its line of march for tho Corners,
which they reached In the course OF an hour,
being followed all the way by forty or more
darkies all curious to know the object OF the
distinguished party in visiting that part of
Westmoreland.
The Corners consisted of grocery, with the
} usual low verauda in front, long horse'shed,
, u magistrates Office, smIthy and two old
tumbe-down wooden houses. When the party
reached the grocery the great Colonel
Q Mlerriwethor, in Sunday raiment and
+ u white slouch hat much soiled anc
IL 81 ~ tal1
, tho yeranda, smoking n long black pipt
+ and entertaining several congenial companion
0 at game OF old sledge. There were also som'
Q half empty glasses in suspicious proximity t
n the players, who were taken by surprise
!. Colonel Merriweather at once extended him
# self to the extent of six feet two inches
f raised his hat and bowed as n fine old Vir
+, gnia gentleman can bow. Indeed, he at one
d saw that tho party was made up of persons o
K great distinction. i must pause here to 81,
;. that my friend, Mr.. William NJ. Eyarts, wor
Q his best black frock coat aud n new white hat
o which gave him tho appearance of well-to
/, do man of tho world, which ho really is.
J. 1t is also important to say here that tn
s, secretary alighted without assistance, ant
h that, with the aid of the gallant Captain Jone
o and the handsome marine officer, tho nv
% young girls got upon terra Jfrma without seri
', Gus accident. Captain Jones approached Rn'
If was formally, of course) introduced to tn
j. great COIOnel McrrlWealnSIi uuu INC NoiouV
10 In turn was presented to the great secretary O
d state, William NJ. Evarts. Before the last
l. named gentleman had time to announce tn
n object of his mission the great colonel elou
1t gated himself and began speech, claiming
0. us an extreme honor to welcome such dis
d tinguished visitors to the "hospitable soil c
+. old Wosmoreland county, once the pride {
1t Virginia." but now in n somewhat dosOlat
% condition. The colonel proceeded in his orig
II nal way now eulogizing the secretary, no.
s. using language more emphatic tina
N polite, now giving rambling account
his own ancestors, what stock they cam
70 from in England, and what high offices IL e.
Is had held in the councils of state, for moro tha
rs twenty minutes Then ho would branch IN
10 coherently into the cause of Westmoreand
O. present desolaton invariably winding up b
l. cursing the negro, aud declaring that h
" wouldn't work, couldn't be made TO worl
Of except in condition OF slavery, and ever
a. time he said this his drowsy companion
10 would chime in "rhaps So" The coon
n, was becoming tedious and tho visitors rostles
III To tell tho honest truth, the great colonel WI
n. II good deal under the influence of somothn
0. stronger than Potomac water, and WAS maxim
ID hero of himself as well rs deioa
ID lug the secretary's object. He final
lg brought his speech to close, wipe
ID his red, weeping eyes and long bull
es GUS nose, and, to show that there was notl
st ing mean about the people of Westmorelan
=