Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-02-10
IN TM0RELAND.
PrsSent-Day Hospitality As Compared
With That Of the Past.
MOST SACRED OF SACRED SOILS.
An Odor of sanctify and Washing
ton In the Atmospherc-Nern
lar of the Native Youtb-Among
Musty Volumes.
Cwrit,en for the Dispatch)


,assed away. and the land poor vas
sails of the tax-collector have taken their
place. and alas. between the two a vast
gulf exists. but at the same time vesuses
Of the past are not entirely ohiiterated'
A "haredltament" OF this epoch OK the
,,rar,can feudal times that has suffered
uttle by the lapse Is the old-time hospl-
taltv Of the people OF Westmoreland
county and the Northern Neck OF VIZ
einia. ola Uncle Ned VINO had no
hair on his head. where the wool ought
TO brow" may not meet you at tha IFohs
door or the yard gate with his 'saroeht'
sir" and Aunt Dinah arrayed In all the
glory OF lindsey -woolsey and the inevita-
ble bandanna kerchief. may have trans
ported her presence from the realms ot
the kitchen. with its pOt-hOoks anu ski
lets Yet one may meet with a nearly
welcome around old hearthstones ana
get something 10 eat not set down IN
present bills OF fare. Something IN the
old line and order, by way OF illusira-
tion--a breakfast menu will be- given.
THE MENU.
Al the same time, to enjoy It. the reader
must transport himself In Imagination %
Westmoreaud county, the home or WASH
inqton First the earth must Dc
msntled with snow. il Is morning; the
dav lust breaking" the cock has crowod.
the hound that has been snoozing In the
.stoD fodder stack arises at the clarion
call of the cock, trots around the house,
and welcomes the coming morn win
"A whine. and with a deep mouth baying.
The good house wife. not Aunt Oman, is
heard bustling about the house. The
.old man" not Uncle Ned OF Old,
has already made the tire and put on the
tea-"kittle," and is sitting by II smoking
his cob-pipe and ruminatng. Just at thlS
moment the aroma OF a lrylng rtd-het-
ring comes floating from the Kitchen, and
slightly pervading the precincts or the
bed-chamber. 4 little lat,T on arise your
self aud find about an c'snth ~ a cotd
OF wood blazing away in the big fireplace
stand for a few moments with your back
10 the fireplace. and then proceed 10 lhe
| breakfast-table. placed IN the basement
| of the house. At the loot OF The iaole alls
a bluff but benign-lOokiug, oil. white
haired man. himself a relic OF past
| generation. who says "Whar' AM "thar,
| but with a beautiful emphasis, but not
withstanding his pronunciation, possessing :
more horse-sense than Is bouni IA a
volume Of law literature. Before you
| ON the white cloth-coverod table are the
| purest milk and butter. spare-ribs, pluck,
! pork-ham. hot coffee pOnes of corn-bread
| and hot biscuit. This is the generous
| morning greeting TO the inner man OF
| Your WestmOreland-county Nlsi'or.
WORTH A TRIP.
| BY the way. It IS worth a trip from
the mountains 10 the bay TO hear West
| morelander say Wcstm'land. None but q
! native can 50 pronounce IT, The Chinese
and japanese languages can be learned
| but 10 pronounce WestmOrelaud as
native does can never be learned Charlie
| Dickens said IL was easier 10 acquire
| nine languages than shorthand, but e
| say Westm land Ike a native - hard
| to catch by far than "shOrthand,' VIII
mathematics thrown IN.
That Nestmoreiand county ia the mos
sacred soil OF the sacred SOIL OF Nlr
ginia' goes without saying and cannot b'
denied. and the Nestmorrlander, like hi.
Richmond brother does not forget his
tcric value, and rings u upon AL oc
/ casions But. laying jokes aside. there
Is an odOr OF sanctity about the county
! that almost overwhelms the real lover 81
| his country. aud. irrespective OF its ira
| dltions one almost feels The IrCse GO
here Of Washington, as he does tn
| presence OF God IN some Of the Oi'
cathedrals at the yesper hour. With th'
earth mantled with snow, as it IS now
ami all mail facilities cut Off, or veg
much abridged, the County Clerk = Once
at MOntrOss, - the Mecca o
the few incomers, and is the place wher
the villagers may assemble. and in th
absence Of the mail. which comes b.
way OF Frederlcks burg. overland, et
the verbal news OF the county. fou
correspondent, accordingly. was forced 4
HE himself TO this emporium Of ancien
literature, manuscripts, and m0der
| small talk.
AMONG OLD VOLUMES.
Thus environed with the smell of must
old volumes dating back TO 1851. pel
vading the air. and, With the rustlin
sound OF the leaves OF the large ol
tones, /, as visiting antiquarian an
gfEeOlOgist, carefully turn % them.
Is an easy matter % transport one
self TO the early and hazardous settle
ment OF Virginia nurug the time OF Oh
reign OF the King Of POtomacck. then o
. 10 and through the period OF Bacon
rebellion; and thence through the intel
yening hundred years, and the period {
the revolution OF the Colonies. TIL
transition, from the present time 10 tha
| W
age. Is sim further emphasized by IN
existence OF many old customs no
prevalent im this section. For instanc
imagine, as | have seen. a hallwa
lighted with a candle, and, retirIn
, 10 bed by the mellow light
one stuck IN an olI-fashione,
, candle-stick The sensation was delight
| ful. even II II was at some personal rls
Of a broken limb. Again. imagine man
households where the "wood-saw-horse.
and the wood saw itself which PLAY
! 50 important q part In the domest
| economy Of the Yankee. and that OK Oh
: mcdernized Nirginian have not yet. "a
the case. invaded the precincts Of man
; | Westmoreland county families
KING OF THE WOOD-PILE
, am glad. 200. 70 have found a locallt
4 where the pole-axe Is king OF the WOO
: pile, even II the wood Is chopped OF ur
I equal lengths, and some Will not NJ Oh
fireplace 70 hairs breath, for III
4 | mathematical precision Of the wood-saw
= work for the stove may be dispense
\ within the generous, Old-time hrcpllc
{ In this regard / used 10 hear my faith
: an old-time contractor, explain that
4. old times houses used 20 be built 20 su
the chimneys. and not the chimncys
2 log-are. that greatest OF all generator
OF meditative and reminiscent moods 4
5 the same time that prOmulgator OF ba
colds, the hldeOus stove. is found
3 some households. backed up and ahl
r seconded BY H. usurper and pretenie
= the sewing-ma> . ne but l viii none Of
N 80 HURRY.
The Wes,m'lander is IL In no hurr'
even II he IS right George Washingto'
her son, was IN no hurry IN whlppf
: the Britisher II taking him seven veal
20 complete the JOB. and x. +. Lee. h'
Z other distinguished son. was ~ no h1ri
. in getting whipped by the Yankee
. giving that time is money" man an n
1 time he wanted Certainly the dignll
= II that repose which rightly belongs
. her should not be denied ner now. u "
: chooses 10 rest on her laurels and n
!, fuses TO be hurried.
. \ BARGAIN.
Not wishing to insult Mr.. J. War;
l. Hutt. the accommodating County Clerk
: Westmoreland. who ls justly proud
Z, his old records and well-kept ONCE,
transcribe from them the folloW!n
Y For a rinal end and determination
!. an disputes and demands for lands ma
l. by the King OF Potomack TO capita
Z Giles Brent, Esq. the said Captain Bre
= doth promise TO give unto the said HI
forthwith a COW and calf for all g
: land that the said Captain Brent, Ia
e pattented. notwithstanding the "a
= Captain Brent hath formerly satish
= the said King for all the said land wher
n with the said King was satisfied ana co
: taufal