Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-08-01

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to have been forgotten. While writer's
have often described how the fate OF
arms has reduced the southern white
gentlemen to poverty, little Is heard OF
the condition Of the southern negro
gentlemen--the old.tims body-ssr-
vsnts-whom . fiery virginian oncs
proposed in Congress to send north
for the purpose Of teaching the peo-
pie there something Of polished
manners. Before the war every gea-
tleman and every gentleman's son 10
Virginia bad body.servsnt. These
servants ranked above all others on the
estate, were treated with ths highest
consideration on all sides, and lived a
life Of ease and comfort. They hal
nothing to do except to look after the
little wants of their masters. Outside
manual labor was beneath them, and
they looked down like sovereigns on
their fellow-s1syes who had to work on
the plantation. They stalked among
their interiors with all tbs haughti-
ness of q master. and were not
nearly so condescending. They were
the grand viziers Of the dom,in,
the channels through which all
favors flowed and all punishmsnts were
melted out. From constant companion.
ship with their masters, who were famed
every here for polish of manner, the
body servants contracted much of the
Virginia gentleman's grace of movement
and elegance Of manner. They int
tated their masters every motion, made
his habits the study of their lives, aud
considered that they had accomplished
the great aim of their existence when
they became reflections Of their owners.
They were, as q class, faithful and
loving creatures where the master and
his family were concerned, but inclined
to tyrannize over the other slaves.
Freedom was by no means welcome to
them, coming as it did through the
overthrow Of their masters. Freedom
meant for them work on the plantation,
and as they had never handled hoe IN
their lives, and knew nothing about
farming, their lot was just as pitiable
as that of the Virginia gentleman him
self, who, after q life Of ease, had to
turn his hand to the pillow after Apo
mattox.
Many Of these old body-servants can
be found in this county, where live
some families who were once among
the most extensive shareholders in Viz
ginia. The gentlemauly old darkies are
the greatest curiosities in the South.
One of them, whs is typical of the class,
was met by your correspondent in an
acre potato patch near Richland. He
was quito old, his kinky gray hair fall
ing in heavy locks on his neck, and his
gray beard waving in the breeze over q
blue cotton shirt. When he saw the
stranger approaching he dropped his
hoe, and posing in way that would
excite the envy of kifth-avenue swell,
DOTTED his tattered straw hat, made
such an exquisite bow, and said
"Good day, sab. Will you walk up
to de house and have some 'freshment?"
Then, putting on his hat with grace.
full sweep of the arm, he Strengthened
up to his full height and awaited a re.
ply. On entering the house the old
darby went for the missus, leaving the
visitor with another Of those inimitable
bows. The lady Of the house appeared
in q few minutes, and the whilom hoe
wielder assumed the role of introducer.
Your correspondent has seen Marshals
McMichael and Wilson do the introduce
tons at the White House. They are
both men of elegant manners, but hs
has never seen grace, dignity, and ease
so tremendously combined as in the
manner of this old body-servant when
| he said
"Meh lady, this gem'man is Mr..
-, who's travellin' through the
kyounty. Mr.. -, my missus."
With a wave Of his hand aud an
other bow, he walked away with the
air of pride and dignity which man
takes on when he has performed great
feat and expects applause to follow.
In conversation with the lady some
interesting facts were elected regarding
the condition Of these body-servants
twenty years after the war. 1t is re.
markable proof of their fidelity that
when the time came at which their easy
lives were at an end they prepared to
stay about the old estates Of their mas.
tiers, and set to work in the field without
pay other than food and clothing,
| rather than 20 to the North, where
their reputation as Wallets would
have secured them remunerative
places. 1t is we'll known that
lust after the war an enter.
prising New Yorker sent agents tC
Virginia to hunt up the body-servants
Of the "F. F. VS." get them to come
North and take places in families which
had an ambition to show off body-ser.
wants which belonged to the southern
leaders. A dozen New York families
still claim to have the only original
body-servsnt OF General Lee, but as ,
matter Of fact that interesting person /;
still attached to the Lee household al
Lexington. The agent did not succeed
in getting him, nor was their success IL
other quarters much better. The ser.
wants nearly all preferred poverty and
hardship with their old masters to live
ries and glitter in the North.
There is one or more Of them on every
estate in Stafford county, and although
they never will ply the hoe or follow
the plough with anything like zest, they
seem to be happy and contented. Their
notions of hospitality are very lofty
The old darby Of this story is strlk'
ing example. When parting, your cor
respondent offered him q dollar, With
the remark: g You eau get yourself
some tobacco with this, john" The
old fellow recoiled, while look OF In
dignation came into his face.
"Sah," said he, =" takes no money
from nobody 'cept missus. | work fol
her and she pays me, and We don't OK
pect guests in our house to pay fol
hospitality.
Here and There.