Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1881-05-20
The Old Gentleman's Story.

"Talk about your .jeu1 de SOciete
charades, and all that kind of things
lot of people spinning ont verses and
making silly rhymes-and pray, what
is the use OF it? Ny mother, before
her marriage, had pretty education
good enough for any woman-God
bless her soull I am talking about
maybe, seventy-five or eighty years ago.
She could paint flower and make q
shirt-yes Madam, and play Mozart
and cook pudding, and do every one
of them well. There was not that
sham semblance of education as it ex-
lists to day-there was the reality. If
there had happened any vicfssitudes OF
fortune she could have gore out in the
world too ard taken care not only of
herself, but even of others When she
was married was in 1917, (Lord
bless me, only two years after the bat
tie of WaterlooD my father and
mother went on their wedding tour
south. and we're to spend month on a
plantation belonging to some relative
near Charleston. There was just such
Q winter then as 1t has been this year.
In 1872 my father nearly died from ex-,
posure during the war, and had 10 be
nursed for years afterward. Well, they
started, and we're snowed up somewhere
near Richmond, and had to stay At
way side tavern nearly week. In the
stage were three other passengers. One
of them Spaniih gentleman, on HE
way to Charleston, whence he was to
take shipping to Cuba. The tavern
was Just on one OF the spurs of that
hilly country where the Blue Ridge di
vides Virginia, and was as isolated as an
Esquimaux village in Greenland. Here
was nice TODD. Father was taken ill
and could not be moved. The party
was showed in, and the poor people
who kept the house--only batting
place for wagoners-.haa really nothing
to eat. Though the parties in the stage
coach we're quite unknown to one an
other, they were perfectly willing to
contribute each his service to the gen.
eral welfare. One was = first officer of
o ship then at Richmond, loading with
-four for South America; the other was
Boston man, in the dry goods bust
ness. It was my mother who organized
the party In the tavern there was
meal, but not enough meat to feed one
person for day, and then as to the
meal, the horses to the stage-four of
them-had to be fed. for there were
neither oats nor hay. There were, be.
sides, two negro servants In the tavern,
the driver of the stage, but what was
worse, from the cold, the driver
hsnds and feet were so frosted that he
was laid up. Where he was of some
advantage was in his knowledge of the
country. The Spanish gentleman
showed great deal of good judgment,
and declared himself to be my mothers
lieutenant. A horse was saddled, and
the Spanish gentlemen sent out to for.
age, while mother took everything in
charge. The old man and his bed-rid.
den wife, who kept the house, sbdicated
entirely. There was plenty Of money,
of course, as the spanish gentleman
wes profuse with his gold ounces.
Starting out in the morning of the first
day in the heavy snow. on tour of ex.
ploration, he was expected back al
nightfall. But anxious hours elapsed
and be did not return. The Boston
man was sent out on another bors to
follow his tracks. At last, at nightfall
they both came back. The Spaniard
had sunk exhausted on the snow, but
had first tied his horse to tree, and
hung on q branch basket of provisions
which ne had bought somewhere. My
mother had providentially sent out q
bottle Of brandy, some of fathers stores,
with the Boston man, and that had re.
vi7ed the don. Then. my father, hav-
ing been put to bed in the only room
that was habitable, the party ensconced
themselves in the kitchen. Tho negro
servants were maze to bring in the
wood; fortunately there was enough OF
that. There was nothing to cook IN
but skillet. boiler and Dutch oven,
but my mother went to work. Out OF
chaos she brought order. The ships
captain was invaluable. He found q
young porker in the pen attached to
the house, and he killed and dressed it.
Remember, there were ten people to
take care OF, and the four horses.
Every day the don would go out with a
gun and try and get some game, but
nothing was to be had. Now, the near
est house was eight miles away, and