The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-09-28
THE NEW RUSTICITY.
OF AN ALBEMARlE
HOUSE PARTY.
Hammocks Supplied with Chsperones ana
Lanterns-The Many Pleasures OF the
Iive-Long Day--Nothipg Needed But
Time for sleep.

hIHEhANbf NplNi1s ~ R'Ihs
Special. In leaving the White sulphur.
after a season Of pleasure, one is naturally
expected 10 have feelings Of sadness at the
thought of all being over for the summer.
This feeling is greatly alleyiated when one
has 10 leave after an early and hasty break
fast. mid the gray mist Of the morning,
which envelopes the dear old place So COM
pletely that you are scareiy aware OF the
identity of this solemn, stisl hotel, with the
place that the night before was so gay.
| get into close, quiet sleeping-car, where
all are yet ASLEEP. The rain pours IN tor
rents and all is gloom. Let any one who
travels on the 7. i. Y. be thankful and not
tempt Providence by stopping at wayslde
station for a meal, where you grab at leg
of chicken scarcely cold from the hand of
death. obtain a pie which is served IN fam
iIv stvle-everyone a square inch or two
coffee is brought TO you in huge cups drawn
i'm gushing torrents from spigot in the hall
never mind .twhen one is hungry everything
roes-time flies. and finally the end
Of nv Journey is near, and the country, pure
and simple. is reached at last.
THE URBAN COUNTRY.
Ii is generally supposed that when the
is reached one has nothing TO do
except rusticate. find myself one of a
party of fifteen, all young and happy, pre-
pared to have all the fun there is going. We
inG our days are mapped out already. and
we see that our Hives have indeed fallen in
pleasant places. First on the list comes a
which is given in our
honor, and TO which ali the beauX from iaT
and near come in crowds.
DEAR ME! DEAR ME-
|. one of the melancholy few who do not
dance. and hedged into a corner by "A grim
veteran who opens conversation by saying
II am glad that some one told me you wrote
for the newspapers, else might have said
to hurt your feelings, as | don't
approve of that style Of thing" At this de-
liberate thrust the roses in my hair wilt, and
| am dOwncast for the rest Of the evening,
till poetic youth, with melancholy eyes,
comes TO my rescue. and all is well.
The neighbOrhOOd around here is very gay,
and contrary to the rule in most rural re-
treats. men abound. and nice ones too, and
we find our days as well filled up with en-
cagements as in the midst of The season at
a popular summer resort.
CHAPERONAGE OF HAMMOCK.
To have good time in the country one
must be fond Of outdoor life, have a con-
genial party in the house. and also plenty OF
cushions and hammOcks. In regard to
some one remarks that our
mammas need have no fear, as our hostess
assures us that each hammock AT night Is
supplied with a chaDerone and lantern.
All this we are and have, and what more Is
Nothing, save time for sleep,
no homo for xxrhilD mQIafN 4.
the playthng Of the hour. We are staying
i'm huge old house, made Of wood. painted
white, and adorned with green blinds. What
could be more ideal?
GARGOYLEs.
This house, as the quaint old GargOyles,
will attest: has been built for many year,
and the many corners and crannies STOW
that the builder knew thing or two about
summer houses and how they should be
made. | think almost every one has en-
perienced the desire to see or be like some
thing i'm a book. Here we have it. This
quaint old house, the funny, Old-iashiOned
Garden i'm which is the ''yeW tree on whose
gnarled old branches one discovers many
initials and dates, some new and fresh, and
some almost indecipherable, in the bark OF
the yew tree old.
SOMETIME MISSING.
In passing, / will tell you have searched
in vain for ~ for Mamie and for
Beer''-thOse letters are not there. The
Duchess ana RhOda BroughtOn would re-
iOce in this place save that the high garden
wall is lacking and the fir tree is so easy TO
climb that no handsome hero need ever ap-
pear To lift one to ground and he straight
way be smittcn with heart trouble. Neither
handsome heroes nor pretty girls are lack
ing, and some one, our wit possibly, re-
marks that no story of house party should
be written unless labelled: Filtration al
its best. or moonlight at its worst. ! don't
know anything Of this save that moon
light night finds all hammOcks occupied,
and general conversation at a discount.
SEEN DURING A DRIVE.
In driving out Yesterday we passed a
country church, in front OF which were at
least ten negro women, all talking at once,
and talking with all their might. ] asked
the one near me what was the cause Of such
vigorous cleanliness. "PrOtracted meetin', y
was the reply. "What do you sing at your
asked. Il dunno, man; long
metres, common measures, and long DR..
Watts" But what are the namesW said
|. IL dunno as could tell YOU she said.
I'VE don't sing 'Hark, From the Tomb,
cause that's burial tune, and we
don't sing what VAIL sings. neither" "Well,
do YOU sing songs: can't YOU tell me the
names Of some things YOU sing?" "Well, we
don't sing songs, or they would turn Us out
for a bad member, but most in generally
we sings what YOU call shouts things that
amt got no name" A visit TO these meet
ings is one of the pleasures of the near iu-
ture.
QUARRY HANDS As TRAGEDIANs.
one of the most clearly impressed plea
sures of my visit here is the theatricals
given by some Of the quarry hands. The
theatricals were 10 be followed by dancing,
and we were all invited at o'clock. For
tunately, by getting there late, We obtained
the best seats, right on the front bench. and
in few minutes the entertainment began
First on the programme was "tunny
piece" read in a most imposing manner by
a stout gentleman with long beard and a
bald head. Having laughed to the point OF
exhaustion, we were glad OF few mo-
ments rest before the more serious portion
of the evening began. The pauses were
filled by choice selections played upon a
melOdeon, while now and then an enthusiasts
tic auditor would hum falsettO accompani'
ment, adding greatly TO the liyliness OF the
time. | don't know what was the name Of
the pieces we saw nor many Of the charac
tiers, but true enjoyment does not Away
require such preciseness. Presently, thc
curtain made specially for the occasion. Of
two plaid shawls, rose; in other words, was
drawn back by two very red-iaced grin
ming boys, and the play began.
SWEET EVEIINA.
First came Eyelina stalking in, buXOm
country lasse simply attired in white
muslin lrOck which struck her shoe tops in
front, and the floor behined. 4 large white
hat adorned her head. and pair Of white
mittens her hands-while her hair hung in
luxuriant tresses down 10 the floor. This
lovely creature, carrying "A rose in her lily
hands, declared in voice alternately
hOarse and squeaky with emotion that she
could not bear existence if beloved Charles
were 10 20 10 sea. These laudable senti-
ments were greeted with great applause
which died away as new figure appeared
on the scene, "A creature of strange device
called Runaway Dick, who from his dis
hevelled appearance was evidently given
over to drink.
- SIGHT FOR TO SEE
This character has "A sight 10 see, dressed
i'm the most Outlandish attire and wore q
black beard, of a kind which is uniOrt
nately known TO but few OF the histri0niC
This beard, the like of which We
will not see again, seemed made Of iron
gray horse hair and had an upright stlii sci
that added greatly to the VILLAINS stern
maleyolent expression. This beard was at
IL l.xrt of al Ia