Mexico weekly ledger., 1884-12-11
a BALL.
Oac of the Real O~id-Fashioned Kind In
the Virginia Mountain District.

Ono of the Real Old-Fashioned Kind In |
the virginia Mountain District.
1t is not often that the visitor has the
opportunity to see a real old-fashioned
Southern ball, such as he mas probably
read of. In fact, a lady who was born
in the South and grew up after the
war, told me that she had never seen
one herself. The opportunity was not
long ago afforded in n of the i'm
proved houses of which have spoken.
The proprietor, a bachelor, for whom
a niece was Feeping house, determined
to invite a hundred or so of his young
friends to such an entertainment. 1t
was on a farm of several thousand
acres, Boosting fat and fattening cattle
of the finest quality, and possessing an
orchard comprising hundreds of the
best varieties of apples that could
| readily be found anywhere. The
| former slaves were in some cases still
doing the work of the place. The
| house was situated about a half mile
| from the pike and was approached
by a lane guarded by a number of light
| gates. A small branch crossed the
| fields a few rods from the door, afford
ing the site for the spring-hollse. Be-
hind and on one side were the numer-
Gus struggling outhouses, ccrn-cribs,
and slaves quarters of ante-bellum
days, and large trees shaded the house,
making the gallery an agreeable place
from which to look over the rich valley
that it dominated. The house was of
two halves Joined at right-angles, n
being the original log structure, and
the other the more modern frame
building, between which the gallery
furnished the only communication. If
the family slept in the frame half, it
would be necessary to lock up the
other part from the outside, if, indeed,
it were thought necessary to Iock 1t at
all. There were separate stairways in
each hall, of course, and in one
was a square hall opening into
the parlor, in which, among other
furniture, there was an upright
piano upon which the niece and
her friends exercised themselves when
unsteady inclined. In the corner of the
hall stood one of those stout boxes of
plug tobacco seen only in shops in
the North, and it was not a mere orna-
ment, for the host and his friends re-
quired an ample supply of the weed to
satisfy them. "a few b~ook-shelves
added to the furniture of the hall. In
the other half was the dining-roorl,
and in another log building adjoining
was the kitchen, over which an
'saunty'' of the old school presided
with apparently autocratic powers.
This kitchen was the center of ac.
ton for days before the great party
was to come off. Aunty and niece and
a young lady friend who happened tc
be at the house were making cake
preserves, and other d~elicacies. Many
were the trips made by the ladies tt
the store down at the other end o
the valley, and probably its ~capabilitie:
were severely tried, for there was M
railroad within half a dozen miles ant
no mail oftener than tri-weekly. Gen
orally the young ladies went on thei
side-saddles, galloping over the pix
and bringing back their small parcel
: with them. At other times they took
l buggy, and when it was necessary tn
) master of the house was pressed int
; the work. The. dinner-service of sue
l a household is never equal to an eme!
{ gency like that now approaching, an
the neighbors far and wide were leyie
Gpoi " PiitNS, Nhtos oo-'A tA
L dishes of all sorts. The miscallaneou
! collection that was eventually gathere
= : would have reioiced the heart of a pei
\ ! 0 struck by the mania for old china
l but here it excited no interest.
u Finally the great day arrived. A
the forenoon the activity of prepare
> ton grew in intensity. There was tn
ice-cream to be frozen and there wer
. hosts of other last things to be dont
. When these had all received attentio
. there was only time for tn
young ladies to scurrg to their room
= and make their toilets. Scarcely ha
u the last bow been tied and tie las
:. curl arranged when the clatter Of hoo
d told of the approach of a guest. Frol
= that moment there was q continue
succession Of arrivals. All he blac
u servants that could be obtained wer
II needed to insure the proper care OF Ii
5 horses and vehicles. These were of a
= sorts and kinds. Even coaches al
" omnibuses We're pressed into service
OF course dressing-rooms for those VIII
came from as far as thirty miles in ca
,r riages. and for those who had travelC
long distances by rail and six and eigl
miles by carriage, were necessary, an
engaged much time, and there was
great deal of costuming done durin
the few hours before sunset.
d Company that came from so great
t. distance must, of course, spend tt
)r night, and of course there was nothln
for the host to do but to keep up Il
lie festivity from dark to daylight. Thel
is were promenades on the lawn under Il
lie japanese lanterns, dancing and tt
IS usual doings of parties until eleve
Id o'clock, and then there W;
a substantial supper, and
De one a. m. an auxiliary repas
o. not quite SO hearty, that was sutficiel
to insure life until dawn. At dayligI
tired men and maidens called up the
ID horses and had their c~onveyances mat
\. ready, and the exodus began. 1t W;
tn not until after a late breakfast that Il
" ladies of the house were able to 5
quietly down with host and discuss Il
events of the previous hours. The
s. every item was brought to mind. IL
lb as probably the same process was pu
ne sued by the others, the party of Smi
IN valley was pretty thoroughly oye
til hauled before night again drew its Gu
IS. tains over the Virginia mountain