Montgomery County sentinel., 1882-09-08
Rambles in the Old Dominion.
BEDFORD, King George Co, Va, I
August 3lst, 1882. I

lLuttW I,cfttVtct
BY one of those rare chances of fortune |
am located, for visit all too brief, in most
charming spot, and surrounded by friends
whose very presence awakens the most i've
ly sentiment Bedford has been the centre
OF refinement and elegant rural hospitality
from the earliest colonial times down to the
present, and is now owned by Mr.. Frank Q.
Fitzhugh, lineal heir in the seventh genera
ton, and his two bright, little boys are the
eighth generation Of this family whose foot
fall has pressed the turf and the gravelly
beach of Bedford. The estate is located on
the Potomac, but as the river border is sickly
here the house is situated quite remote from
the shore in order to secure more salubrl-
Gus atmosphere. My meeting with MIR. Fitz-
hugh seems to me to have been attended by
one or two circumstances worthy OF men-
ton, at least the agreeable impression left on
my mind by the occasion inspires me with
this idea. A dear friend in Maryland, whose
companionship | had sought through the
power Of boyhoods happy associations,
wishing to offer me u qualification, invited
me, and by the most earnest encomiums OF
the character of Mr.. and Mrs. Fitzhugh and
the charms of their home induced me to
accompany him to Virginia. Our voyage
was made in beautiful lugger-rigged skiff
manded by Capt George l.. Dent, a warm
hearted, sun Drowned fisherman and sailor,
and from the fact that the Olga's stern bears
the square and compass / think Capt. DIS
good nature is only bounded by the limits
of the "mystic circle" At all events we
| had delightful cruise We beached the
| Olga on the shores Of "Jotank" creek, and
as the sun was very hot we sat down under
| the shade of a large tree preparatory to the
walk to our destination. AS we sat there
| idly brushing the sand and some crab claws
with sticks, a small boat that we had OBJ
served approached the shore at point some
distance from where we were seated AS the
boat neared the shore also noticed horse
hitched to a tree, and drawing old Laconic's
attention to it he remarked, "he wouldn't
| be surprised if that was old Frank Fitzhugh
now"-not the horse, but the fellow in the
boat On reaching the shore the persons in
the boat got out and came down the beach
towards us. They consisted of man and
| two little boys who had been out trotting for
crabs. AS they neared us had the oppor-
tunity to indulge in u pretty close scrutiny
of the party, from which derived a great
| deal OF satisfaction. Whilst was squint-
| ing under my hat rim winning little smile
stole over the fellows face and casting a
glance at Laconic saw that he was grinning
too. So this was Frank FitZhugh, and in
our formal introduction remarked that it
gave me great deal OF happiness to meet
a man whom had heard SO iavorably COM
mended. We soon found ourselves at the
house where had the great pleasure OF re-
neWing my acquaintance with Mrs. Fltz-
hugh, whom had met sixteen years ago at
wedding party in Caroline county, Va.
Though u very prepossessing girl, time had
improved her in every way and she is now
my ideal of u pretty Virginia matron with
voice as sweet and finger touch on the
guitar strings rs light as ever, and most sub
stantial of all, in this mundane sphere, she
is good house-keeper and a tidy one. And
MIR. Fitzhugh seems to have the rare good
sense to appreciate his good fortune in so
charming a wife.
There are several generations of portraits
in the parlor here that are very interesting,
and TO my taste there is an atmosphere Of
solid elegance and refinement about them
and all the surroundings here that indicates
true social culture. Mr.. +. has shown me
a spy-gass, or telescope, of very antiquated
pattern that was left on this estate by Gen.
Washington on hunting trip in his youth,
he having brought it from his fathers resi-
dence, in Westmoreland, the adjoining coun-
ty. There is also a toddy spoon, or ladle, ol
silver here very antiquated and curious
with coat of arms but no motto upon it
The handle is of twisted whalcbone and
mounted at the end with silver This ladlt
has been in the family for long time and
is worn very thin, but now it is regarded
more as precious and curious relic than
for its utility.
This afternoon, after an inspiring toddy
we drove up to St. Paul's church, which il
an object of great interest 1t is a large
square brick structure, very lofty, and tht
bricks Of which were brought to this coun
try from England in the early colonial times
The age Of the church is not known, as tht
records have been lost, but its very appear
ance, buried in clnging ivy, impresses yor
with its great antiquity. We tried all thu
doors, but finding them locked were forced
to secure an entrance through window
So we placed rail convenient for proI
and then pushing the old, weather-worI
sash up with our sticks, we were soon OF
the floor and contemplating the surround
ings and perhaps the very pew he sat in wht
afterwards gave to us through his proves
the perpetuation of the greatest country and
government in the world was never NOR,
impressed by the power OF associations Of
antiquity than whilst contemplating thi
old church. / thought of the men that laid
the bricks, and the fair hands that planted
the old ivy two hundred years ago. Where
are they nowY Their dust cannot now b,
traced
We have had the pleasure of meeting
here Major Julian Mason, of the KIM
George Bar, and counsel for young Burk
man, the murderer Of the two men on boarC
Of a vessel on the Potomac some time ago
as reported in the papers at the time, ant
whose trial is set for Thursday, Septembe
5th. Major Masson is strikingly prepos
sessing, and Notwithstanding he is rather
below the ordinary height presents com
manding presence He has grey eyes, brown
hair, broad, expressive mouth, and he !,
very intelligent and magnetic in converse
ton 1t is said that his influence with (
!, King George jury is simply irresistible, an(
, 1t was indeed delightful TO listen to the IN
pired confidence the Major had acquired
in the scoundrel Burkman's innocence
We met him at dinner at Mr. F.'s, together
with Mr.. Hunter, the popular Clerk of thu
Court, and of both we retain most pleas
ant impression.
As the hour draws near for our separa
ton my heart is scared by the thoughts o
parting, but there is balm in the the though
of the bright eyes and winning graces o
Laconc's young daughter, who accompa
nies us back to Maryland, and of the smil
ing faces that will greet us on our arrival.
RAMBLER.
Cfaf % s,uou CO. Na., Oro..