The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-04-09
THE R0KEYS' GINGER JAR.

once upon a time / went TO stay at the
ROkey place. and l shall never. forget IT:
no, not II live 10 be as old as the Ginger
Jar. Indeed. il | could pass through as
many interesting experiences as did that
heirloom, | would be almost willing 10
share its antiquity. Even now. the very
name of Rokey brings with it a thrill
which shows it to be linked with delicious
memories. Just az the scent OF dried rose
leaves can impress one tina they must
have bloomed upon a day more beautiful
and mysterious than any Of our days. so.
when think Of my childhood, the time
spent at the Rokey place looks right UP
first as the most delightful of all.
There Is only a little bit Of il TO be
chronicled here; put even that. / am sure.
VIII centre in one magic spot-the chin
ney corner, where stood the Ginger Jar.
OF course, the great hall really came
FIRST. 1t had a wide stairway which
stopped short when least expected. and
then started of again. There was a tall
mOon-faced clock on the first landing,
which struck so slowly and solemnly that
'Lizabeth and / would run and sit on the
steps TO set who could count the most be-
tween each stroke, until Hagar came to
drive us off. with the assurance tina we
wauld eaten our def O. dampness on dem
col stars!' We never thought Of dis
obeying. Indeed, 1 firmly believed then.
and perhaps DO now. that dark-skinned
Hagar, in her white turban, governed the
whole Rokey establishment. l looked upon
her with awe. and was too much amazed
20 speak the first time l heard Lizabeth
say. Here. Hagar. fasten my shoes
and saw Hagar Immediately upon her
knees with a smiling. yes. Missy"
There was a big parlor that used 10 be
the d-rawing-room. j had just a peep at
81. for it was very cold and dark. and
seemed a fitting abode for all the dead
and gone Rokeys who stared down from
their stiN frames upon the walls.
There's no use keeping it warm all the
time" said LiZabeth, as she softly closed
the door. Why softly | did not know;
but we stole away on tiptoe. THE every
day room Is so coy that We use IL alto
gether in winter
And II Is this delightful everyday room
that fills my memory. l never associate
II with daylight-not because II did not
get any, for Miss Pink loved sunshine as
well as did her namesakes in the garden
plot-but because / see II as the little
stranger girl saw II when she went for
the FIRST time TO stop at an old-fashioned
Southern country house. I shall never
forget the sense Of something-new-ness
she felt on the threshold of that room.
the nrst things TO be seen were two tall
SILVER candlesticks on either end OF a high
manteishelf. The candles were not
nghted. for logs were flaming and crack
ing on brass andirons i'm the fireplace,
ana the red light glanced here and there
upon the low walls and great doors, and
shone upon a round mahogany table that
STOOD In the middle OF the room. There
was a CLEAN OF glass from "a tall side
boaro; and in a corner where the shadow
lay deepest there was an odd black cabi-
net which. 1 discovered a%fterward, held
sne quaintest china-the very latest and
funniest little pitchers and cupsl And
queer dingy East Indian things. too. |
each one OF them a first cousin TO the
'"hger jar. There were carven. high |