The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-01-02

out hustle; whilst somehow, In the midst
OF II all, the h0uee seemed to sit cnthroned
In perpetual tranquility, with outstretched
wings under its spreading oaks, shelteriug
Its children Hike a great gray dove.
Even at night there was stirring abnut.
the ring of an ak. the infectious music Of
the bantcs. the laughter Of dancers. the
festive noise and merrimcnt of the cabin.
the distant mellow shouts Of coon or
'possoin hunters, or the dirse-lle chant OF
some serious aud timid wayfarcr passing
along the paths over the hills or through
me woods, and solacing his lonely walk
with religious song.
Such WAS the outward scene. What was
There within? That which has been much
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. which was like the
roses. wasteful beyond measure In its un
needed growth and blowing, but sweet be-
yond measure too. and filling With It's frag-
rance not only the region round about. but
sending II out unmeasuredly on every
breeze that wandered by.
The life within was OF its own kind.
There were the master and the mistress;
the old master and the old mistress. the
Young masters and the young mistresses
and the children; besides some auuts and
cousins, and the relations or friends who
did not live there, but were only always on
visits.'
MIR. Page remarks that properly, the
mistress should be mentioned first. as she
was the most important parsonage about
the home, the presence which pervaded the
queen OF that realm. From early morn
till NOM again the most important and
delicate concerns OF the plantation were
her charge and care. She gave out and d.
rected all the work OF the women From
Sunerintpn(linp ha irp .ff ha S.,rl 40.
to hghtlng a pestilence, there was nothing
which was not her work. She was mistress,
manager, doctor, nurse, counselor, seam
stress, teacher. housekeeper. slave, all at
once. "
One OF them, being told of broken
gate by her husband, said Well, my dear,
II / could sew it with my needle and
thread, would mend 1t for you
AS to the master himself IL is hard to
generalize There was not doubtful line
In the face nor doubtful tone in the
voice; his opinions were convictions; he
was a partisan to the backbone and not
infrequently he was incapable of seeing
more than one side. This prevented
breadth. but gave force; he was proud,
but rarely naughty except TO dlshonor. To
that he was memorable. He believed in
God, he believed in his vile, he believed
in his blood. He was chivalrous, he was
generous, he was usually Incapable Of fear
VI oI meanness, 10 De Ntrsihia BSnNle-
man was the first duty; IL embraced being
q Christian and all the virtues
The young men of the day exhibited the
customary failings of their kind in a So
ciety of an aristocratic character. But they
possessed in full measure the correspond
ing virtues" or the daughter of Virginia,
he says: ''They filled peculiar place In
the civilization; the key was set to them.
Words fail to convey an idea OF what she
was; as we'll try to describe the beauty Of
the rose or the perfume of the violet. To
appreciate her one must have seen her,
have known her. have loved her.
Hospitality had become a recognized
race characteristic. and was practiced as u
matter OF course. 1t was universal; it vas
spontaneous. There was nothing for show
in that life; it was all genuine. real, true"