Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-03-25

since the war Towards evening or
a halliday one might see the family car
riages, one after another, and each at
tended by a coteric of gentlemen on
horseback. roll up to the door of the old
inn and discharge their burdens. uAtil
when night had fully fallen. the whole
place without was a confused mass OF
horses. carriages, and negro coachmen.
Within, In the light OF a hundred candles,
flashed gay and brilliant colors, with
the sheen Of sllken skirt and hose the
sparkle OF earring, and the giint Oh
polished shoe-buckle. as the gracetul
dancers threaded the figures Of the odd
Virginia reel" Alasl how changed
once a spot which ante-bellum, aye ana
Colonial. bellies and gentlemen mace prh-
liant with the splendor of rich colorlhs
and ornament. the charm OF courtiy mar.
ner and OF native grace. now retreat
for tho summer boarder from the CITY
seeking only quiet and rest for an over
taxed constitution.
At the eastern limit Of the corporation,
standing some 300 yards back from the
road wiki a wide lawn hanked on either
side by a row OF old Ennglish cedars' is the
"Old Mansion" the landmark OF the COM
munity. In it's parlors and around us
table have sat persons whose names are
linked with the nations greatness. one
Washington and Count Rochambeau en-
ioyed its hospitality for two nights and
n day Doubtless Colonel Washington,
when. as a member of the House OF Bur
gesses or on other public business, he
travelled back and forth between MI
Vernon and Williamsburg, had often stop
ped overnight at Bowling Green. IL ar
fOrded a convenient and central stopping
point TO break the two-days' journey. He
Ho " hgmt
tenderer purposes. The road TO the
white House" the home Of charming
Martha Custis lay through Bowling
Green.
Anxious as was the mind Of the General
over the uncertainty of the situation ana
the chance Of his plans for capturing the
army of CORVALLIS miscarylng, ne bore
himself during these two days IN his
usual quiet and digniAed manner, re-
celying cordially the citizens who came
TO pay their respects, and accepting the
courtesies which they offered. on the
18th he was entertained at a public din
ner spread upon the lawn in front OF the
"Old Mansion" at which were assembled
all the people from the country round.
During the same evening the Masons OF
(he community held a meeting in the VII
lage. which General Washington is SAID
20 have presided over. Among the most
cherished relics of the lodge there is the
regalia which he wore on that occasion.
During the late war this regalia was car
ried of. and Tor many years nothing was
known OF it. Some five years ago it was
found somewhere in the North, and was
returned TO the lodge. The occasion OF us
recovery was celebrated with appropriate
ceremonies.
In front Of the livery stable Of the VIII
lage is q stone from which General WASH
ington is said to have mounted at his de-
parture. At this time IL serves tWoIolu
purpose-as an historical souvenir and as
a comfortable seat for the idlers who ire
quent that part of the village. 1t is also
said of this stone that at turns over
every time IL hears a rooster crow" Either
the ROSTERS crow but seldom I'm that COM
munity or the stone is dull of hearing,
else the whole male population Of the VII
LACE must ere this, have been manned,
disabled. or killed, since it would be eN-
ceedingly difficult for the stone to turn
over at any time between the hours OF 4
A. NJ and IL p. NJ without overtiToWlhs
one or more occupants so prevalent mas
been the custom for some one TO occupy 1t
during all hours Of the day.
In this old village live a plain. kind,
hospitable people, preserving many Of
the qualities Of ante-bellum Virginians,
Of contentment ana happiness. Slow to
accept anything new in social, moral,
or religious life, they retain much OF
the best Of the life of the past. ana
have escaped much Of the harmful ten
dency of the present. Neither love or
wealth nor pursuit Of gain has choked
out the gentle and kindly impulses OF
simple and honest natures or made them
callous 10 the golden rule, and the frst
Of all divine commando" thy neigh-
Dor as myself" To see them minister
TO each other i'm times Of sickness ana
distress is sufficient to convince the most
sceptical that divine love and charity
have not left the world. A case of sick
ness and death came under my imme-
date notice. For several weeks some
delicacy was sent in for every meal, and
Frequently trays would come from as
MANY as five or six different families Tor
the same meal. Sympathetic hearts ana
willing hands were present, too night
and day. ..,..to,, 30
AZ for business and the accumulation OF
wealth. fear the villagers pay too niue
attention to them. For instance nave
known customers to send TO the green
grocer's to get something for dinner wv
or three times during one morning anu
then have to 90 without because the pro-
long enough to wait on them. NO one
could make a. fortune in Bowling Green
and IL would be equally Impossible 10
spend one there. Still, one need not be at
any very great pains to make living
while a very moderate income lnsures
comfortable and even luxurious lie, ac-
cording TO their ideas Of luxury. They are
n social people, and hospitable to a fault'
vet withal making no pretenslons 10 so-
ciety" manners or style. Among the So
oia1 customs of the community one par
ticularly interested me. 1t was what they
cal "a fish-fry," form Of recreation ana
amusement exercised among them for
many years. l attended one. and had an
experience something like this:
Very early in the morning of one of
the hottest days in August gentle
man who is in the lumber business
hitched his horses and took the village
dentist and another companion, whose
occlpation I failed to discover, and my
self TO a "fish-fry," which was TO take
place at a private millpond below the
village. AS the drive was only twenty
miles. and the mercury not above 80 50
early in the morning, we reached the
SPOT by 9 o'clock. Ii needed but a glance
to show that, so far as environment
might 90 in the matter, the Try was
| likely to be a success. Inc spot select
ed was a pleasant. shady oak-grove'
on the edge of the pond. Nearby was
a spring Of clear, cool water; across
the road, fifty steps away. store; on
a rise to the right not above hundred
Yards away, an ice-house; and, most
| important Of ALL a pond said to be fun
| of fish. What more could be desired?
Twenty-Five or thirty gentlemen from
| the country around were assembled.
| They had brought a seine, pot, seve-
raj frying-pans, some salt-pork, supply
OF pepper and salt, and an abundance or
/ l.c.I horses were WAtereQ.