The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-09-30
The Old Virginia Gentleman.

Tho lord Of an extinct barOnial manor
the old Virginia gentleman Sis IN tn'
tcnuous light OF the declining sun al lHe
corner Of the ChimHcy-pldce. in Mhlch
are the Vcr-de-Cris ed brass dnn1rphS
that were once as lUstrous as Eoid. over
the logs Of hickory the tongues OF name
lick and lash, spank and squirt ehch
other: 10 them there is no aadlehc'
past; they live only in their calorlc pres
Eevond on the other side in. a chair
once Of rush bottom but now OF SiilntI''
sits the faithful body-servant whose
cdi,aIitv Of age with his never disowned
master is concealed by a black SKIN
which shows no wrinkles. lie has been
faithful through the days OF prosperity
when he felt "A community OF owner
shin in the large plantation. and now
when there is nothing TO claim but mort
cages, ne shares the stinSs OF an OUT
ragcous poverty.
ed here and there with bits of court
plaster, are some large overdue ar-
counts and looking over them the Oh
Virginia gentleman bethluks MN OF
day when such matters were stranger
to his eve: and so his thoughts take
a retrospective course. lie lives again
in the dead decades Of his life.
care and the increasing and momen-
tons accumulation Of monetary embdr-
r2SsmCnt have wrought the once joyal
and portly frame 10 feeble attenua-
ton, aud beneath his white hair his eyes
twinkle only when his thoughts rove
over the fields Of an opuient past.
His head is bowed. and a hand tnat
is tremulous holds out 10 his body-Ser-
want a glass Of matchleSS Madeira, the
tuatSam from the wreck OF Time. Mas
ter and man viii together drink 10 the
days which have passed INTO romantic
history.
Around upon the walls are hung the
unframed and sometimes bullet pierced
cauVasse5 OF a long line Of progenitOrS
t.rs 81. ll.4f- md A.n HtiF
sale would place the last of this line
far beyond want lid he not value them
as his hearts blood.
From room beyond, played upon an
old and tuneicss hdrpSlchord, there illters
through the air the mellow melody Of
Aud Lang Syue, and closing his eyes
the. old virginia gentleman Giyes him
self up. to the past. Afar back in his
splendid youth he sees the sllk-robed
ands satin-shod beauty Of that Evelyn.
who now. the wife OF year, sleeps in
the family burial ground
TOO wildly for any pleasure save that
Of regret he recalls his first sight ~ her
lie had gone 10 a ball al Brandon, the
most prince.y OF all NiretniaS noble
estates, and. standing IN idle lOiter in
the great Waiuscottcd hall, ne lifted his
eyes 10 the head of the carved staircase
where she stood as a thing Of beauty
rohed about with cloud: a vision Of white
from head 10 foot and a cluster Of red
buds at her breast; but the vision was
never fairer than II is tonight in his
memory.
lie signs in his dream and the memory
OF sixty years agoHe becomes beautiful
and real IN his p.uperfect reverIe which
the entrance OF the sheriff 10 claim the
last 1.-THE Of possession is poWerless 10
break at once But when broken. he
receives him as il he were visiting
prince, for under the bounding Of the
law and the pressing restraints Of pow
erty, ne is stii and forever the old Viz
ginid gentleman. HEILEMAN WILSON.