The Somerset reporter., 1885-06-03
Old Times IN Virginia.

My father had much trouble tc
keep up our plain habits when We
were in Virginia My grandmother
thought him almost cruel to have
our windows open at night, more OF
less, according to the weather, and
our beds of fresh-chopped straw hor-
hified her nor were we let to have
hot bread or the many good, sweet
things.
But our shoes were the trial to all
our wOmenkind. These were made
by uncle Jack, the plantation shoe
maker, who on Sundays was a
preacher to his people. No money
could then have bought pair of
dOuble-sOled leather walking shoes
for children or women. How did they
survived For all old time pictures
show women in their bonnets, out
for walking, with little slippers laced
to and fro on top of the foot and
around the ankle.
Finely tanned calf-skins were pre-
pared on the place, and from them
uncle Jack made us walking boots
and half-high shoes-what we call
now "Oxford ties )" Jefferson. shoes"
was there name then. And just as
aunt Judy hated the "Pope and all
his works" (including the French
language, SO her superiors abhorred
Jefferson and his lerelling doctrines.
/ grew to connect thick shoes and
Jefferson with Democratic ideas,D
and knowing my father was "Dem.
Ocrat' and that he respected Jeffer-
son, took my shoes as a badge of
loyalty to him and his beliefs and in
my mixed-up way told my father
this as explanation and justification
of my angry answer to a relation
who sneered at them; that, ~ could
wear negro-shoes, because l was
proud to be a Jefferson Democrat
All the travel to the White Sui
phur Springs passed through this
estate which covered much land.
Friends from the North as we'll as
others from the South, and rela-
tons, would drive up, the nurses
and servants 60 to their quarters,
and the friends into the big hospit-
able house where there was no Ques-
ton of time or numbers, and whose
resources were more than ample.
To these We were exhibited in cor
rect slippers with the ribbons laced
across the foot, in .'frilled pantaletts
and starched cambria dresses with
little ruffles of linen cambria plated
with the finger, and such shining
hair
Once Mr.. Van Buren,. then Vice.
President, came for few days on
his way to the Springs. A Presi-
dent was then, among country peo-
pie, like king. 1t shocked our
people who were remarkably tall to
find him so short a man and his
travelling in a stage-coach was q
greater shock. 1t made no differ.
ence that the stage was quite at his
own orders and fresh horses furnish
ed him every ten miles, making de-
hghtful pOshng-that was too differ.
ent from the practices of their world
who had travelling carriages from
London and never entered a public
conveyance. "There's Old Colonel
Bowyer who never goes to church
even without his four horses and ba-
rOuche and two outriders to keep
the road open and he's only one of
US" No doubt this stage coach was
classed among other sad results of
Jefferson Democracy.
Ihave lived the greater part of my
short life in Washington, was not so
impressed by Presidents. Freshly
cambEicked and curled and sashed.
I was put to wait until l should be
sent for to the parlor. Alas! when l
was sought like Ginevra, I could not
be found. But / was in No shut-up
chest
Between tho highest rails Of . tall