Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1885-05-31
FIFTY YEARS AGO.
GATHERING OF THE CLANS AT AN
"oLD WRGiNNY" WEDDING.
Tie Feverish Excitement of Expectation
Lavish Hospitality-HowG Guests Came
Driving Fourth -HAnd-.A Time
When Weddin's Was Weddin'a"

| When Weddin's Was Weddin'a"
| Mrs F. @. de Fontaine in New York Graphic
Fifty years ago old Roanoke was in a
| feverish state Of excitement over an event
which was destined to unite the interests
| and estates Of two Of the Oldest and most in
vance the clans had been gathering from
the neighboring states to do honor to the oc-
| casion, and when the day Of the wed ling ar
rived Oakland" the ancestral home of the
bride. was taxed to its utmost to accommo-
dnte the numerous guests. "Peyton Hall, n
the ad joining estate owned by a relative,
also threw open its hospitable doors, and
was soon filed to overhowing by the we'd
ding company that came with big box. little
box, bandbox and bundle Cots were placed
in parlors and libraries, pallets laid on every
available floor, while each lounge and sofa
had one or more occupants
In those days wedding could not be man
aged as an impromptu affair, for the soil OF
"Old Virginny' was not then, as it now is,
crossed and recrosSed by innumsrabls rail-
roads, and supplies had to be waeoned over
hundreds of miles of territory. On this oc-
casion the Confectionery and everything
waich could not be manufactured upon tbs
plantation was brought from Richmond by
canal boat to Lynchburg and from thence
to Roanoke. a distance OF several hundred
miles, and q week being consumed in the
operation Nothing else was talked of for
months in advance. and the old county was
stirred to its center, for naught SO revolu-
tionizss country place as a wedding. The
neighboring forests paid their tribute in
holly, and the traditional mistletoe bough
was suspended on high, under which II any
victim was caught, she was compelled to pay
the accustomed forfeit. which could be
claimed by any cavalier in the room so in
clined.
Chickens ducks and turkeys, which had
been kept in fa:tening coops for weeks, lost
their heads, while rotund pigs with apples
in their mouths looked plscidly upon the
Preparations for their consumption. New
gowns were given to the female servants,
while tie brass buttons ON the livery Of the
males were Frightened to a startling degree
Old Uncle Ben was the centre figure in
this last brigade, and the amount of impor-
tance with which be was usually invested
seemed to have doubled itself on this occaS-
ion, and he became a most pronounced auto
GRAFT debating terms to his own color and
Offering sugge ,tions to his master, who, as
lie had been a faithful old butler for many
years, listened to him with the utmost con-
sideration.
Oakland and Peyton hall stood side by
side Each of these rich estates retained
and respected the ira iitions which had been
handed down from generation to generation
by those with whose name, they were identi-
fed Old landmarks were carefully pre-
served; old trees, bending beneath the
weight Of years. were jealousy kept in place
by artificial means, while from the walls of
the immense salons looked many genera
tons in powdered wigs, rufiie' and short
clothes. The owners of these estates were
gentlemen Of the "old school," chivalrous,
honorable and high toned; quick to resent
an insult or to averge wrong and just as
quick 70 pardon an offence where honor was
not involved They were Of the stock which
gave to Virginia her Light Horse, Harry
Lee, John Randolph, Robert E. Lee, ard
scores of others who have made that state
famous as the mother Of statesmen.
Many a gay party of gentlewomen and
gallant cavaliers galloped down those ave-
nues to the summons of the hunters horn
calling them to fox hunt or a deer chase,
t. return in the evening to brilliant ball or
whist party where egg-nos AMI hot apple
toddy were the features of the evening,
while the "antlers" or the brush trophies
Of the days sport, We're prominent in the
decorations. Preparations were mads on
the most lavish scale, and although all the
accessories of the supper had to be wagoned
hundreds of miles this welding is referred
to by octogsnarians and cen;enarians of the
county as one OF the finest ever witnessed in
Old Roanoke. That was time when we'd
u lra-c line lu
gray haired servant Of the family who still
retains a vivid recollection Of the event,
When the night of the wedding arrived
the clans had gathered from far AMI near
and it is safe to say that never was there a
more brilliant assembage in old Roano Ike
county.
Many OF the guests came hundreds of
miles In private conveyanceS. There were
no commodious hotels near by where COM
quarters could be obtained for man
and beast, consequently the hospitality OF
both Oakland and Peyton hall was severely
taxed At one time sixty extra horses stood
in the stables OF Peyton hall alone. like
number also testing the corn bins of Oak
lard
Col. William c. Preston, the distinguished
southern statesman, whose wit and eio-
quence added brilliancy u more than one
presidential administration, drove all the I
way from his home in South Carolina, four /
in hand, while has baggage wagon. contain /
ing the maids and Wallets OF the party,
brought up the rear. Mrs Floyd, the wife /
of Governor Floyd. also came, driving four
INLAND. In fact. this was the general s:yle |
at that time, and We find that the people OF /
fifty years ago were quite as tenacious in re- /
gard to these matters As their descendants I
Of to-day. Snuif-colored equipages mounted !
high in the air on immense springs .
were enregle. To attempt TO de- 4
scend from one of these swinging
was tantamount t. jeop- Z
ariizi n life insurance policy, for the /
frail steps wiggled and turned at every I
and it required the skill Of q
tactician TO ascend and descend without I
making faux pas
How well l remember that welding" /
aid Virginia matron to me a few days /
ngo II was only child then at 'Peyton 4
hail. and children on those days were not /
Is they now are. prominent features OF such .
occasions, but distinctly recollect my old .
black NANNY putting a clean apron on me-
,aking me by the hand and showing me all 4
he nice things then promising if I'd be a
,ood girl. tnat she'd give me an oranys the 4
the following day Think of child in this I
lay and generation being contented with the .
Promise of an orange the day after n wed