The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-03-31
Social Clubs for Literary and Musical
Indulgence With Which to Charm
the Tagging Hours of Lent.

formal Introduction a superfluouS form
indeed in Mr. Hughes case, and that gen.
tleman then rose TO the situation, max
ing this bright evening memorable for
all his audience. His guests were DR..
and Mrs. c. w. =. Brock. with whom no
has stopped while In Richmond. Miss
Lizzie Kent. of Wytheville. and Miss Guile
Harrison, OF Brandon, were among tho
non-residents OF Richmond present.
Every word that Mr.. Hughes said was
worth reproduction here but lack OF space
forbids that lie said in part:
The memory OF the delightful evening
spent with your club about year ago
was charmingly recalled when | received
the kind note OF your secretary, repeat
ing the invitatiop. Tonight / shall
make a radical departure. If | may
credit the accounts OF your winter as
semblies as given in the daily prints, |
should think that your club was by this
time in the situation in which Goethe
opens the play OF Faust. He pictures
the learned Dr. Faust after life OF
study exclaiming in despair
1--WE now alasl Philosophy.
Medicine am Jurisprudence, too,
And to my cost. Theology
With ardent labor. studied through;
And here | stand with all my lore
In no whit wiser than before"
Hence, lest much learning make you
mad, or cause you. like Goethes hero.
to sell your souls to- the devil, l VIII
eyade responsibility for such a calamity
by selecting a subject neither profound
nor prosaic. and which ought to be con-
genial to an audience OF ladies. i ask
your attention tonight to Lovers OF the
Olden Time"
l might claim 10 be in one respect an
for 1oh M
my lady friends will do me the injustice
OF supposing that my life reaches back
into Colonial days, / did have the advan-
tage of attending as a student the Col
lege OF william and Mary. The ancient
capital was then unprofaned by the
shrek of the locomotive or the hand OF
modern progress. and among the college
bellies still foremost in the dance were
some who remembered Lafayette and
other Revolutionary magnates. so that
by observation and experience | could
learn the loye-making OF other days.
traverse the same lovers lane. drink OF
the same rock spring, and swing in the
same grapevine seat which, II they had
tongues, could tell the melting tones in
which Jefferson implored Rebecca Bur
well. or Randolph prayed Betty Nicholas
TO look with favor on his suit.
INNNt'N~~
OF the value OF matrimony. for | find in an
old act Of the House Of Burgesses that
the fee fixed for performing the ceremony
OF marriage was twenty shillings. while
that for a funeral sermon was forty shill-
ings. Fortunately. they only allowed this
latter fee when the ser non was preached
by request; and although | began this
paper by disclaiming all intention Of be-
ing learned. | believe / have stumbled
upon the historical explanation Of the rea-
son why Episcopal diyines do not preach
funeral sermons unless by request. \
noticeable feature OF our ancestors tastes
was their prediction for widows
As instances. l might mention Washing
ton and the widow Gusts. jefferson and
the widow SHELTON. Madison and the
widow Todd. Well could a Southern poet
say Of the widow:
she Is modest, but not bashful,
Free and easy, but not bold
Like an apple, ripe and mellow,
Not too young ana not too old
Half inviting. half repulsing,
Now advancing and now sly,
There is mischief IN her dimple,
There is danger in her eye
The courtships OF widows were some
times quite business-like. 1 extract an
example from the printed history OF the
Page family:
After the death OF his first wife, Su
san Grimes, Colonel Nathaniel Burwell
was 50 afflicted that Ire went 70 Roosevelt
and requested Governor JOnn Page 10
send for his young and beautiful widow
ed half-sister, Mrs. George W. Baylor.
for him to marry. The widow came and
refused 10 listen TO his addresses. The
latter put 1t all 10 rights by saying.
Lucy, you don't know what Is good for
you. Your brother John and l arranged
it all before you came" Their marriage
took place soon after. The ceremony
having been performed, he said. Now.
Lucy. You can weep for your dear
George. and Will weep for my beloved
Sukey."
These quotations will give some idea
OF the style and tenor OF Mr.. Hughes
lecture" and throughout whatever was
droll in 1t was brought out delightfully."-
through the lecturers telling reading OF
it. At the conclusion OF the lecture light
refreshments were served. Certainly the
club feels deeply indebted to Mr.. Hughes.
Miss Mary Hoxton Randolph, or Eman-
uel church rectory, is the guest for day
OF two of Miss Roberta Dabney Minor.
Miss Sallie Gait leaves to-day for Ocala.
Florida, where. TO the regret OF friends
throughout Virginia, she Will make her
home.
Many visitors have been attracted 10
the Exchange for Womans Work during
the past week in order 10 examine TWO
superb Sevres vases which are more than
one hundred years old, and. except a sim
liar pair in the Metropolitan Museum.
New York are the only ones or the exact
design, color and value In this country.
The color. which is a dark red, is now
lost art, say the connoisseurs. and cannot
be- produced. The vases are valued al
500.
Misses Annie and Fannie Mcclure have
returned 10 the city.
Mrs. Hugh NJ. Taylor is visiting her sis
ter, Mrs. Nicholson, Washington, ID. C..
Mrs. Meloney has returned from New
York, and is looking uncommonly well.
Miss Randolph a direct descendant or
Thomas jefferson, has recently entered
the training school for nurses OF the Vir-
ginia Hospital. \ number OF geutle peo-
Die have been drawn to the Hospital
lately by a dear two-year-old chiid-a