Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-01-05
OLD TINES IN RICHMOND.
Some RecolIections OF Interest by a Tor
mer Resident.
rwritton for the Dispatch. !

Some unknown writer in the Dispatch Of
recent date has awakened many boyhood
memories which may interest some OF your
older readers.
Born in Hanover. on the Chickshominy.
my homo was deserted for one wear in order
that the oldest part of the house might he
torn down after two brothors and q sister
had died with typhoid-fever. DR.. Curtis
and Or. Atkinson both thought the age q
the house caused the sickness. and on our
return 1t was unusually healthy.
My father rented q house from Mr.
Clark, on Church Hill, which was reported
to be haunted. During the year | never
saw ghost, but there was not child
among US who did not look for them every
night, and who did not scramble to sleep
behind" in the bed. when we retired.
III, first school | went TO was taught by
n wIery little man named Stubs. in IN old
stOrehOuse on Twenty-fifth street. The
shelves we're still there, and furnished q
hiding place for boys who were more fond
of fTolic than study; and as Solomon
sound advice about "sparing the rod PIE
vailed in those days, many a luckless clap
had to crawl down and take his whipprc
for very small amount Of Questionable
fun.
Among my schoolmates were Charlie
Whitlock. Ben. Bates. OTIS Dean, Thcodc-
rick Mayo, Tom White. Charlie Hunt.
and many others, who are mostly gone
now, | expect.
Mr.. Stubs thrashed me ono day for
some trivial offence. and was taken away
and sent to a Dir. Burruss. who taught in
the basement of the Universalst church
on "Council-Chamher Hill" where the
circus-man always pitched his tent, and
where we pious boys were allowed TO 20
10 see the animals" Mr. Burruss was q
| tail. angular man. who welded a rattan
I about three feet long, with a crook in the
/ end, so that It would hold on tight lie
/ tried to whip Charlie Whitlock one day,
I hut lie wormcd himself ont Of his grip and
lit out" for home. SO ! concluded to fol-
/ low suit.
We had lots Of tun in those days. There
was a famous snOw-slide down hy Mis-.
| Van Lewis garden from Grace 10 Franklin
/ on the sidewalk II would soon become
/ slick rs glass and many n pedestrian was
! trlpped up by our sleds, homemade ~ they
/ were. when We went dashing down the icy
J pavement "Baptist's bakery" down on
! Franklin about the corner of Nineteenth
/ street, was our favOrlte resort for small
/ treats. He sold three Ginger-cakcs, cut IN
! the crude shape OF woman and called
gal cakes" for one cent. lf | had the
cent would eat two cakes and give ore 10
! Tom, and if lac hal the cent the order
would bo reversed. Poor follow, wonder
| if no ever thinks Of those old times as he
rides over the prdiries Of Texas on bis
preaching tour.
We went washing in Gillie's creek. and
! bought two cinnamOn-scented cigars iol q
/ cent and treated, and got sick as dogs until
We learned TO smoke.
Then we got to collecting dray tickets on
| Saturday on which we were paid ) per cent.
/ We bought specked oranges at one ccut
| apiece al 6Jjiuns. and always took a good
square meal at Xetele's on Main street. no
dinner time. The old firms are AZ familiar
t. me a. of yesterday--C. L. WORKMAN,
| Workman e MAerudcr, Dunlop d McCancc,
Isaac Davenport d Co.. J. VI. Il ii. W. Fry,
Tardy & Williams, and James GRAY x Sons.
The churches. too, We had TO attend, i'f
| We had GOd-iearing fathers. Tom went Go
| DR.. Plummor's church. on Franklin street,
and went to the United Presbyterian,
then under charge OF the venerable llr
Joseph G. Stiles. Mr.. Samuel Reeves WAS The
/ superintendent of our Sunday school, nut
/ Mr. Summervile, who is still living. WIS
my teacher. DR.. deter was pastor OF tAc
First Baptist church, DR.. Eylaud pre- 10
dent of the Baptist Seminary and pastor
of the old African church. IL was ~ the
latter building that l heard John minor
I Rotts. who was tho odd Line Wing
whom NV father hOnored next to tho in
mortal Clay
Captain sam. freeman was MN whom
the boys al hCnorcd ana feared from
some cause, and Captain Dimmock and
the Public Guard were our ideals Of n mill
tary company. The 4th of July and e2l
/ of February were grand galG-daYs, VIXEN
| "Tle Favette Artillery and The Blues
and "The Continental Guard " made Capt
| tol Square tremblc, and when we nte
ginger-cakes and drank lemonade enough
/ TO keep us sick for q week.
! ! wonder if boys have as much real,
genuine. unauthorized fun as we boys
/ had in those halcyon days that are gone.
| OLD Box.