Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1884-12-20

Virginia corrcspon3cat q the Ssw IolL
Isening YoSt, Laa tae opportunity tc
see a real old fashioned Southern bal,
such as he na. probably read q. L
fact, q lady who was horn IN the .ooatl.
and grew pafter the var, tod ne tat
she had neyer seen one Acraesf. The %.
portunity was not long ago afforded y
one o: the improved log houses Of TIC
locality. The proprietor, a bachelor. for
whom a niece waa keeping l.oase. deter
mined 70 invite a hundred or 50 ct rs
vonDg blends 70 such 81 entertainment.
I; WIS Sn . farm # several thousand
acres blasting fat aud fattcnlng cattle
Of the finest quality, and possessing a.
orchard comprising hundreds Of tAc
best varieties Of apples that could read
lily be fonnd anywhere. The former
work Of the place. The house was stu
ated abont q half mile from the pike,
and was approached By n lane guarded
by a number Ct light gates. A small
'branch" crossed the fields . few yards
from the door, nfording the site for the
sprinE-housc. Behind ard on u side
were the numerous struggling out
houses, corn cribs and slaves quarters
Of ante-bcllnm days, and large trees
shaded the house, making the gallery an
agreeable place from which 10 lock over
,he rich valley that it dominated. The
house was Of two halves joined at right
angles, one being the original log struc-
ture and the other the more modern
frame binding, between Which the gal
lery furnished the only communication.
II the family slept in the frame half, it
would be necessary to lock up the oahcr
part from the outside, i. indeed, il were
thought necessary to lock It at all. There
were separate stairways in each half, Of
opening into the parlor in which, among
other furniture, there WAS an upright
piano, upon which the niece and her
friends exercised Themselves when mu-
sically lncliued.s In the corner of the
hall stood one of those stout boxes OF
plug tobacco seen ouly IL shops III tie
North, and il was no. q mere ornament,
FOR the host and his flie1us required All
ample supply Of the weed t. satisfy
them. A few book shelves added to the
furniture Of the hall. Ia The otlrrLa.f
was the diniNR-roon., and in another log
building adjoining was the kitchen, over
which mn .'auntv" OF the OLD scliool ore
sided with apparently antocratic powers.
This kitchen was the ceutro Of action
Cor days before the gfeat parry was 10
come of. Aunty and nitc1 ara GyoGng
lady friead who happened 10 lie 81 the
house were making CAKE, preserves. and
other delicacies. Many we're the trips
made by the !aales TO the store down nj
'the other end OF tho valley, and proha-
lily It's capabilities wero severely tried.
for there was no railroad within halt-a-
dozen miles ard no mGiis oitener than.
tri-weekly. Generally the Young ladies'
wiz ol ~ AdttS. EaEttfif..fE
over the pike and bringing bach ts,..
small parcels with them. AT Other times
they took a buggy, and when il was nee
essary the master Of the house was
pressed into the work. The dinner
service OF such D household is never
equal to an emergency like thai aDT ap-
preaching, and tie n%ejshb1rs far AID
wide were levied upon tc- plates, cu!,s.
enucer, and dishes q all sorts. Tie
misccl!ancoua collection that WAS event
nailv gathered would haze r~,l.;c,a Tie
heart OF = person struck ~ the mania
for old china, but here it excited 70 III
terest.
Finally the great day arrived. Al the
forenoon thcac'iv;tv Of preparation grew
III intensity. There was the icC.crcanl
70 i've frozen, AMI ,hcro were hosts Of
other last things 20 he done, When
these had all received attention. .A,re
wa only time for the Young ladies' 10
scurrv 10 their rooms and make their
toilets. Scarcely had the las lnw been
tied and the last curl arranged when tie
...ter Of hoois told Of the arproacf: d
guest. From that moment there wa>
'o,ntnued Succession OF arrivals. Al
the black serganI, that could be obta!nc,
were needed TO insure the proper care O
the horses and veAicl%s. These were q
all sorts and kinds. Even coaches anl
and omnibuses were pressed into service,
OF course. dressing rooms fer ,hosa wAt
came from rs far as thirty miles N car
risges. aud those vino had Travelled ions
distances by rall and six or eight nj q
oy carriage, were necessary. and engage
much time, AMI there was n crta. iea
OF costumipg dome daring the iew hour
before sunset.
Company that ca,ne from. so great
distance must, OF coarse. suSLl Ii
night, and there was lutliA.. Tor II.
host 70 10 but 10 keep up Tie @icstig.t
from dusk u daylight. There wei
lrOMelaueS ca t..c lawn under tL