Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1889-04-24
old man took his revenge by addressing him

old man took his revenge by addressing hin
with cold severity that evidently depresa
ed the intruder, and by invariably speaking
of him as ''the porter" He kept this up
even after he knew better, and he treate,
him as if he recognized the fitness Of tn
term.
A score of charming pictures rise up il
my mind concerning these faithful blacl
servants and their "white folks" in WHOM
| they take such pride. One that is of verl
recent date will serve as specimen.
We were all in the drawing room at Cas-
tie Hill one evening listening to Chopin
music, played by a guest in the house.
very intimate friend. The audience, be
sides myself, were the beautiful mother an(
| three daughters-a quartet which my pen
| if it made the effort, could never do justic'
| to. Mrs. Charler, in little gown of fcrean
colored silk, falling straight from neck t.
hem, over which she had drawn long rec
cloak as protection against the draught'
in the halls of the huge old house, was sit
ting in one of the old fashioned empts
| chains of faded grsen satin, her slipperec
feet on cushion and her hands, with M
ornament but her wedding ring, lying upor
her lap, her face showing that the music
absorbed her completely, when in the door
way appeared the neat figure of her maid
clad in a plain black dress with snowy
apron, kerchief aud cuffs, and wearing OF
her head fowered silk handkerchief, at
tractively suggestive Of the brilliant band
annas so much worn by the negroes in slave
times. Her chocolate colored visage look
ed out beneath this with an expression thai
showed plainly that she shared her mis-
tress' love OF music.
She had come to deliver message, but
paused op the threshold, not liking to inter.
rupt. Catching sight of her, Mrs. Chanlel
motioned her to her side, to which she came
with cat-like footsteps, and in obedience tC
another motion she knelt beside her lady,
whose white fugers closed over the little
brown hand with natural triendliness,
which she 80 little suspected to be worthy
of comment that she did not even glance
toward the other occupants of the room, bul
turned her face back to the piano and al
once became absorbed.
It was several minutes before the seec
tion was ended, and for that space of time
the picture l have indicated was before me-
Chopin being disposed of, Mrs. Chanler
still holding the hand of her little maid
whose expression was a pretty mixture ol
gratified enjoyment and deferential respect
(this last quality, by the way, is conspicu
GUS iu these servants, in spite of the friend
illness with which they are treated), asked
her to mention her favorite tune, saying she
was sure her friend would play it for her.
Il was whispered il an undertone to Mrs.
Chanler, who passed it to the musician.
"Listen to the Mocking Bird" was what
the little negroes wanted, and it was at once
rendered for her, to her infinite delight.
This incident which have taken the troub-
le to describe bad no doubt faded from Mrs.
Chanler's mind an hour after. How sur
prised she will be to see it made SO much of
THE OK CART STORY.
The OK cart story was, as I have said,
without the least foundation, but that many
poor negroes were made very rich and hap
py at Christmas by the munificent presents
of this warm-hearted young lady is a very
pleasant truth. Her gifts to them were de
hvered, however, in a perfectly ordinary
manner, some of the recipients coming to
Castle Hill to get theirs, and others receiv-
ing them through servant in their own
cabins.
On Christmas eve We went together for a
ride, Mrs. Chanler being on her splendid
of Mrs. Ewiug's stories). 1t was glorious
hind to open gates, we had delig htful
g ,llop over the red roads of Aibemarle,
drawing up at the station to send Mr..
Chasler SHERRY Christmas" by cable, and
then tnrning home ward our faces toward a
superb winter sunset.
As we slaekened speed at gate opening
into the home fields we were met by two
very old negro men. Seeing whom, my
called out "Christmas giftl
Christmas giftl'' which they both respond
ed to with hearty amusement and tact.
"Come up to Castle Hill tomorrow, after
church, and you shall have onel' she called
as we cantered of, aud true to time they
came. 1t occurred TO Mrs. Chaulsr that it
might please them to see her pretty room,
SO she had two substantial chairs brought
in among all her charming niokaaeks, aud
the old men were admitted, hat il hand,
bending and bowiDg with the magnificent
polteness which charscserzes the Southern
negro of the old regime
. They we're asked to sit down and drink
enr healths, which they did with alscrity,
and next they were feasted with ali sorts of
good things and each presented with
snug little check to be cashed at s'the
store" Then they were delicately and ad-
roitly intervie wed, with the most delectable
results. On their religious experiences
they came out strongly, both being "first
membArs," and one of them described the
New Jerusalem, with its foundations of
precious stones, and when their yoaug hos
tess opened her jewel box and showed them
specimens of these their delight was un-
bounded.
s.Goodby, Uncle Abe-goodby, Uncle
Jordap,'' were Mrs. Chanler's last words as
she dismissed her guests with hearty
handshake for each; land when we meet in
heaven hope you'll be able to give me q
Christmas gift"
This suggestion was so grateful and felici-
tous an one that the old men departed fairly
chuckling over the idea. This is but one
of the anecdotes of last Christmas of which
l could give fifty. but if am pardoned for
making this public / am content to go no
further.
LITERARY FRIENDS AND ENEMIES.
have purposely refrained from speaking,
within the barrow limits of this article, of
Amelie Rives' literary work. She has been
ably defended il also outrageously attack
ed, and since | have declared myself to be
an intimate friend, my voice in this instance
would have but little weight. Fortunately
she is blessed with sublime patience, and
awaits. in quietness aud confid nee, what
ever degree of recognition her work entities
her to receive. Already it has been very
great Ia her purely literary character she
is better known perhaps in Europe than IN
America.
Her stories have been translated for the
leading French journals, so great light as
the Re1ue des DeuT Mondes having publish
ed under the title "Un Roman Virginien" a
great part of ''The Quick or the Deadp"
with long and highly appreciative notice
Of the work and its author, and many well
known members of the literary world of
London and Paris have, publicly or private
ly, bestowed upon her degree of praise
with which more ambitious writer than
herself, even, might be satisfied.
These tribates have done much to soften
the heavy blows aimed at her by the press
and people of her own country, which often
hurt cruelly at the time, but which were
soon dismissed from her mind.
''Some people forgive and forget" she
said one day, "but forget and forgive"
TRAGEDY VS.. FINGER NAILS.