Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1885-02-13
a SOUTHERN TAT.
One OF the Real D!..-!lshInncI Eiad in
the NirEimii VI ,unta!n District.

One or the Real C..-!'lsiinncl Eiad ia
the Nirpini, VI ,u..ta!n district.
1t is not often that the visitor has the
opportunity To ;,.r u real old-fa>hioned
Southern ball, such as he hu' probably
read Of. In fact. Il Lady who was horn
in the South AMI grew up after tho
war. told me tha, She had never seen
one herself. The opportunity wa, not
long ago afforded in one of the inn
proved houses of which have spoken.
The proprietor, a bachelor. for whom
niece was keeping house. determined
to invite hundred or so of hi> Young
friends to such an entertainment. 1t
was on farm of several thousand
acres, boastiny 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 eases still
doing the work of the place. The
house was situated about il half milo
from the pike" and WAS approached
by lane guarded 10y Il number uf light
gates. A small '.branch'' crossed the
fields i few rods from the door, afford
ing the site for the >pring-hou>c. Be-
hind and on one side were the nuner.
ous straggling outhou>rS. corn-cribs,
and slaves quarters of antr-bcllum
days, and large trees shaded the house.
making the gallery an agreeable place
that it dominated. The house WAS Of
two halves Joined at righi-anGlrS. one
being the original log structure, and
the other the more modern frame
building. between which the gallery
furnished the only communication. II
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 lock il ne
all. There were separate staiiwaIs in
each half. of course. and in ons
was 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
musically 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 Il mere orna-
ment. for the host and his friends rA
quired an ample supply of the weed to
satisfy them. a few book->hclycs
added to the furniture of the hall. Ia
the other half wls the dining-rnom.
and in another log building adjoining
WAS the kitchen, over viii ii an
''aunty" 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 oil. Aunty and niece and
4 young lady friend who happened TO
b. at the house were making cake.
preserves. and other drlicacies. Many
were the trips made by the ladic, to
the store down ut the other end Of
the valley. and probably its capabilities
were severely tried, for there WAS no
railroad within half dozen miles and
no mail oftencr than tri-weckly. Cen
orally the young ladies went on t>cir
side-saddles, gallOping over the pike
and bringing back their small parcels
with them. At other times they took u
buggy. and when it was necessary the
master of the house was pressed into
tIlt NoIh Ht w ~utii
Il household is never equal to an eIner-
gcncy like that now approaching. and
the neghbors far and wide were levied
upon for plates. cups. saucerS and
dishes of all sorts. The miscellaneous
collection that was eventually gathered
would have rejoiced the heart of per-
son struck by the mania for old china,
but here it excited no interest.
Finally the great day arrived. All
the forenoon the activity of prcpara-
tion grew in intensity. There was the
ice-cream to be frozen and there were
hosts of other last things to be done.
When these had all received attention
there WAS only time for the
and make their toilets. Scarcely had
the last bow been tied and the last
curl arranged when the clatter Of hoofs
told of the approach of II guest. From
that moment there was a continued
succession Of arrivals. All the black
servants that could be obtained were
needed to insure the proper care of the
horses and vehicles These were of all
sorts and kinds. Even coaches and
OmnibuseS were pressed into service.
| OF course dreSSing-roomS for those who
came from aS far ;lS thirty miles in car
| riages. and for those who had travelled
long distances by rail and six and eight
miles by carriage, were necessary. and
engaged much time. and there was u
great deal of co-tuming done during
| thu few hours before sunset.
Company that came from ST. great n
distance must. of course. spend the
night. and Of course there was nothing
for the host to do but To keep up the
fcstivity from dark to daylight There
were promenadeS on the lawn under the
Japanese lanterns, dancing and the
usual doingS If parties until eleven
o'clock, and then there was
a substantial supper. and at
one Il. m. an auxiliary rrpasi,
not quite SO hearty. that was sufficient
to insure life until dawn. At da, light
tired men and maidcns called up their
horses and had their convryauccs made
ready. and the exuGu, began. II WAS
not until after late breakfast that the
ladies of the house were able TO sit
| quietly down with host and discuss the
cvertI of the previous hours. Then
every item was brought To mind. and
Us probably the same process was pur-
sued by the others. the party Of Smith
valley was pretty thoroughly over
hauled before night again drew its cur
tains over the Virginia mountains.
There was no caterer to take the dishes
away. and the amount of di>h-washing
and other work done in that line by the
household staff can be imagined better
than it can be described. The party
has ever since been the theme for con.
vcrsation among those who We're in.
vitcd, and will long be remembered -
Cor. ". ]. Erening Post.
Farmers who overwOrk thoir boy
are apt to create in them a distaste fo
farm life which will drive them int,
some other choice. Probably in iiv,
cases out of six they would be happie
and more successful as farmers thar
anything else. especially if they become
educated and progressive farmers
working with brains as well as hands
But if all their boyhood is passed in tn
hardest drudgery. they will come t,