Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-04-19

ntGIs
Mr.. George Pickett was eitisen VINO
resided on Marshall street The introuoc-
sson OF Mr.. Pickett tells OF case OF
YANKEE crteness A Connecticut trader
came 20 Richmond with q cargo OF YAM
wee notions. and. In addition to the Gus
tomary variety of goods. he had few
casks OF fine Madeira wine mot then. as
now, made at tho North. In seeking
customers for such commodities, he would,
OF course. call on DIR. Pickett. He prof
fered 70 him a bargain in apples. onions.
FISH, and bingham buckets, at all OF
which. particularly the onions and fish.
Mr.. Pickett turned up his nose. The trader
then mentioned the wine. az which Ar.
Pickett rather smacked his lips. and was
invited, with some other cSnnoisseurs, 10
test its favor. 1t proved quite satisfac-
tory, and the price was not unreasonable
Mr.. Pickett, who was not dull at bar
gaining. told the Yankee that he had no
money to lay out in wine. but he had
some western lands on the Ohio, and II
they would serve for payment he would
take q few casks. The Yankee dernurred
at the barter. but would consider II. II
Mr. Pickett would take the "ssrce" and
other notions: which. being disdainfuliy
rejected, the chatting was closed-or.
rather. suspended-for soon after the
trader called at Mr.. Picketts counting
room In a careless way. and the 'offer OF
the lands was repeated. and that OF the
onions, etc, urged as a sine qua non. Al
length the Yankee asked to look at the
land-warrants and surveys. and, from
among them. selected one or more, which
he said. contained as much land as he
could take. The prices were. after due
higgling. agreed on, the barter was made,
and so were the conveyances. After the
deeds and the wines had been fully dcliv-
cred Mr.. Pickett said TO :the party OF
the second part" Now. my friend, let
me give you q piece Of advice, don't buy
WILD lands Unless you have seen them
Tho Yankee thanked Mr.. Pickett for his
advice, and. not willing to be exceeded
in generosity, said he would offer some
In return, which was to never Sell wild
lands until you have seen them" Why"
said Mr.. Pickett, what do you know
about the landT' To which the reply was:
81 have traded on the Ohio. and looked
about the country; examined the soil
and the advantages Of situation, and
found out who were the owners of such
as I liked best. In fact. Mr.. Pickett.
came to Richmond TO buy this tract OF
land from you. II contains water-power,
and other advantages. and / would not
part with 1t for FIVE times what it cost
me-"
The following ludicrous anecdote Is re-
lated by Kennedy in his Life of Writ"
concerning William Writ himself. IT oc-
CURED in 1893. when Mr.. Writ was await
ing Colonel CANDLES sanction to his mar
riage with Miss Gamble. his second wife:
Colonel Gamble had occasion one sum
mer morning to visit his future son-in-
t.
Writ had the night before brought some
young friends there. and they had had a
merry time OF e. which so beguiled the
hours, that even now-at sunrise-they
had not separated. The Colonel opened
the door. little expecting to find any COM
pany there at that hour. His eyes fell
on the etrangest group. There stood Writ
with a poker in his right hand, the sheet
iron blower on his left arm, which was
thrust through the handle; on his head
was tin wash-basin. and as to the rest
of his dress, it was hot weather. and the
hero OF this grotesque scene had dis
pensed with as much OF his trappings as
comfort might require, substituting for
them light wrapper. that greatly aided
the theatrical effect. There he stood. In
this whimsical caparison, reciting with
great gesticulation Falstaffs onset on the
thieves, his back 10 the door. The OPEN
ing OF it attracted the attention OF all.
We may imagine the queer look OF the
anxious practitioner as Colonel Gamble,
with grave and mannerly silence. bowed
and withdrew, closing the door behind
him without the exchange Of a word"
A humorous old gentleman used to tell
how he went accounting in new pair
of buckskins. 1t was In the country,
and In November that he mounted his
horse in his new breeches. Before he
reached the residence of his dulcinea
IL began to rain, the wet buckskin
stretched go as to permit easy move
meHt and in this condition he dismount-
ed, but at each STEP as the leather
rubbed In contact it sounded p-i-s-h,
p-i-s-h. and to this music he entered the
parlor where the ladies were seatec
around a cheerful fire. They could not
suppress a smile at the tones OF the
leather and the Major, for my hero was
a major felt the perspration oozing out
in spite of the cold. AS he stood before
the fire making his obeisance and COM
pliments to the ladies as deliberately and
as gracefully as circumstances permitted,
he suddenly found himself enveloped In
cloud. He looked around for the cause.
and, TO his dismay and confusion. dis
covered Il 20 be the combined effects or
heat and moisture on his breeches. he
could not stand the smiles which the
ladies In vain endeavored to control. and
as the fog increased in density every
moment, the Major. like skilful soldier.
retreated under cover OF 1t. He called
for his horse. made an apology TO MS
host Of sudden indisposition, or something
else, and, taking leave, attempted TO
mount, but his buckskins, though at first
expanded by the wet, had so contracted
by the heat that he could not raise his
foot 10 the stirrup. Uncavalierly as IL
was, he ordered the groom to lead the
horse where there was vantage-grouna
for mounting, and here, after two or three
desperate efforts, he at length attained
the saddle, but. In doing so, he FOUND.
to the humiliation OF his vanity ana OF
his hopes. that his buckskins had proved
false, and had ripped from top TO bottom,
and. casting his eyes around 10 see IL
he was observed, he detected the iaaies
at the window in commissions OF augh'er
at his discontinue.
Peter Hawkins was tall. raw-boned'
very black negro, who rode raw
boned. black horse, for he was the only
"tooth-drawer'' 0he word dentist was not
then in use) In the town. and did all
the work and mischief In the dental line
and his practice was too extensive 10 De
managed on foot. He carried eli his IN
struments. consisting OF two or three
nnlIIlxins. I'm his pocket. His dexterity
was such that he has been known to be
stooped in the street by one OF his dis
tressed brethren 0or he was OF the
Church), and to relieve him of the Offend
ing tooth, gratuitously, without dis
mounting from his horse. His strength
OF wrist was such that he would almost
infallibly extract or break tooth,
whether the right or wrong one On
:. - ...n,.ntad the pulpif instead