Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-11-20
VIRGINIA SKETCHES.
Interesting Notes snd Personalities Of Some
Wtll.Knowu Men.
QUAINT SCENES AND INCIDENTS
He,pstaiity In the Bise Ridge--An Old
Fashioned Historic Residence In CAL
peper--Refrcshing "Reminiscences.
,c0re.ropdonce Of the R,chmond Dispatch.l

how. He was born and raised at Mt.
Ephraim. in Fauquier county. lie was
quick. bright fellow. and often conversed
with his mother in French. He was fond
of arguing, and when he couldn't get
boy 20 engage voluntarily with him IN
debate, l have known him to hire one ana
take him out TO the woods, give him cnolce
of sides on the question. ana tnen pitcn
into him with the earnestness OF Patrick
Biiiy was about 90 years old when he en-
tered the army He as first belonged TO
Company A, Ninth Virginia Cavalry, ".
III. +. Leo's brigade. In 1868 he was de-
tailed as scout for j. T. Il. Stuart and X.
81 Lee. and gained much valuable infor-
nation. He was finally captured IN Star;
ford county. not far from bis home, ana
was charged with beng q spy. Inc fan-
KEGS took him to the Grove churcn, IN
Fauquier, and were preparing to hang MN.
The federals had bitter hatred Tor tne
whole Royal family. lacy nau 30 " nnl~
his Youngest brother, boy OF Only
~ wears of age, from his nome ana
had kept him in prison until he died.
Royall was about TO end his days near Tue
church of which his father was at one VINE
pastor and where so many OF nis reiatlves
were resting beneath the sod pnue, .ne
shade of the trees. As the Yankees were
preparing for action. Billy asked II ne
partdn,t say a few words. The privilege
was granted, and he mounted stump ana
began. Before he had spoken many WORDS
he had the General and his command In
tears. They wound up the scene by de-
claring that he was too smart reDel 10
hang. and William L. agreed TO the ver-
dict without moments hesitation.
KIT JENKINS, A NOTED BEGGAR ON HORSEBACK
"n wishes were horses all beggars might
ride is an old proverb, but ike the BOYS
desire for "a million dollars and wagon
load of spending-money." 1t Is not often
literally fulfilled. About the time OF Jet-
ferson's Administration BOY was porn on
the Hazel Ton. peak of the Blue Ridge,
which was then in Culpeper county. but Is
now in Rappahannock. He was known as
Kit Jenkins. He grew to manhood, ana
spent quiet life with his people among
the silent pines and giant OAKS, ana tne
rugged rocks and old gray boulders OF me
mountain. Kit early took 8 VIE, VINO,
like himself, was reared anna the
scenes of nature. and whose charms
were not enhanced by Lundborg's
"Swiss Lilac" or by the SWAN
down" of Ietlow. Into their simple
home sons were born, who early learned TO
use the trusty rife. They grew TO man
hood lust as the Confederate Dugle
sounded. and then went off TO the wars"
Their bodies soon were resting beneath
the sod where the Shenandoah rolls, or
where the fields of Gettysburg were Grim
son with blood. Peace at last came, but
Kits boys were no more, and he was grow
ing gray. He was almost too old TO WORK,
and even if he hadn't been ms rev rocky
acres would have brought him hardly
living. Like the preachers, he decided
TO BEG. but unlike them he begged for Nit
and not for others He often stopped at
the hospitable home of Mr. Charles b.
Wood. near Washington. Rappa9annocks
county seat. After paying periodical calls
there for number ot years, MI:
Mood, who desired to rid himself
of Christopher in kindly way,
offered 10 sell him horse ION time" Kit
in "a business way took him up. The plan
worked well for both parties. MIR. WOOD
nd himself of Kit, and Kit decided that
ION time" meant that the former could
get the price for the horse II he couid only
after the latter had left this vale OF tears.
Once on horseback, Christopher became
the prince of beggarS. He rode TO see
Governor William +. Holiday at Rich
mond. visited fredericksburg, and sent IN
"his care" to some of the United States
senators at Washington. He and his horse
were ever afterwards constant companions.
Kit was one day at Sperryville, which was
not many miles from his home. There he
saw a noted Virginia divine. He walked
mn TO him and SAID This is DIR. William
f. Broaddus. / believe. My name is Chris
tCoher Jenkins" Christopher, Chrlsto-
pher," said the witty Broaddus,. let me
see! Well, well The last time saw you
IL was Kit Jenkins And, yes" retorted
Kit. the last time l saw YOU 1t was Bill
Broaddus." The Doctor had to own that
be was done up" The horseback beg
parp died four or five years ago, and IS
now resting beneath the cedar and the
pine near his humble home upon the Hazel
Top. After life's ftful fever he sleeps
we'll"
OLD VIRGINIA HOSPITALITY.
We were once taken to task by a friend
for speaking of "Old Virginia hospitality"
at a home of but moderate circumstances.
She had never tramped forty miles day
with Stonewall Jackson. nor had she ever
eaten 'hard-tac from knapsack, else
the lilies would have bloomed upon her
last resting place ere she had expressed
such a sentiment. On a bright summer
morning early in the eighties, with my Ia
ther. left Berryville, In Clarke county,
and drove east across the Shenandoah
river. up the road to Smokers Gap, IN the
Blue Ridge. There we turned south to
VISIT point where O shooting affair mad
occurred in which my father was interested
as an attorney. On account of the many
winding roads we became lost and drove
hevond the place we expected to reach.
In short time, however, we heard a
rooster growing, and, going short
distance. saw mountain farm. We drove
ia and were greeted by an old gentleman
who was at least four score and two. Ills
home was simple one. but the right royal
welcome that he gave us was as cheering
Ne "a rock in weary land" and as free
from deception as dross is foreign to
tempered STEEL The patriot was great
admirer of Old Hickory" and had strong
views about the affairs of the day: There
hung his trusty rine over the door and
everything showed o sign OF rural inde-
pendence. A large dagger was SUCKING
between the upper floor and one OF the
ioists. 81 had that made" said he, for
some of our soldiers, but it was never used,
The wimmen folks got hold OF 1t here last
spring and chopped pea-stieks with IT and
duled it all up. Just like 'em, though"
The next morning when we arose we
were unable to find a comb or brush.
When we asked our friend about IT, he
said: "Why, can't you find it ? bought
a comb directly after the war, but lreckon
the wlmmen have been usin' it, and there
no tellin' where il is. Wimmen are heap
o. trouble about such things" Despite
these facts, that afternoon dinner, supper
by early candle-lIght. and breakfast near
the rising of the sun will long be remem-
bered. That old ham, oven-baked biscuits,
solid butter, clover honey. rich milk,
blackberry preserves. ice-cold water IRON
the mountain spring, aud those KIND
return once again TO the spot where we
learned that "Old Virginia hospitality Is
as native to our humble homes as II IS 10
our richly-furnished mansions with their
marble halls.
THE SUMNER GIRL.
She has come and gone ike q pleasant
thought That trio was from Baltimore.
Those wide-awakes" hailed from WASH
ington, while that bevy of pretty faces
came from the capital city Of the Southern
Copfederacy. What q sensation they
created among the boys the first time
they appeared in the burg, donned IT
their dresses of woven wind blazers and
catcher hatsnl Ere many suns, how
ever, had fallen asleep behind the west
ern hills. the boys were in the swim,
and so were the girls. The single and
double team. the II. III. Tor
in English. the dog-cart-and even this
side-saddled horse. were soon brought
by the enchanted to steal away
for awhile the fair enchanter from
the busy haunts of men 10 where the driys
leads along the ripping stream or through
the richly-folisged wood. She writes hons
TO her betrothed that she is. having |
comfortable time" and that the countr,
gent is quite convenience" The coun
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