Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-03-06

low-dog type of gentleman, whose recog-
milton depends upon their whims or dys-
pepsia. Captain f'eaiherston Is easily
one Of the best and safest men here. He
is man of ability, a gentleman away
from home as well as at home. When
ever he does anything mean, let me know.
I'll tell his people, but they will never
believe it. But l win tell them one thing
they will believe-he has a seyen-inch
backbone.
My friend and brother in the rural DIS
tricts, in your honesty and Innocence,
IL is true, you have not a full conception
of the difficulties of the situation. If you
were Confederate let me briefly tell you
this story: There is a member of the
House whose desk is Immediately In front
OF mine, whose name / need not mention
a strong man-and from that strong
mans eyes | saw drop the burning tear
when an old cornrade appealed to him
to vote against the proposition to abolish
his office. | had seen this man making
the appeal--a captain of cavalry, as brave
as any Murat or Ney was brave-yonder
at Spotsyvania Courthouse, REDEEMED
with his own blood, as he stood facing
the enemy in that fight, in which the
cavalry had orders to hold in check .the
whole Fifth Army Corps, for half an hour
II possible, but for fifteen minutes. though
IT cost the life of the last Confederate III
the command
Why was such an ORDER given? Because
Lees troops were moving from the u
rection of Orange Courthouse to take line
on the Old Plank read, and unless lhose
Federal troops were kept back, Lees line
of battle would have been lost. The head
of Grants column had already struck the
else he had an open highway to Rich-
mond. That cavalry held the line. III
Won doubt the wording of the order or
the facts. ask Colonel Whitehead 0hen d
captain of cavalry, the man standing III
the forefront OF that fight; the Uriah that
King David 0he Legislature now pro-
poses TO put out of the way.
Dear Captain, tits here we pass the
Rubicon. l find the task too hard Tor me-
the cup more than / can drink. l shali
vote as cheerfully as any one to lessen the
salary of the Confederate, but l hate 10
see them go. Elsewhere 1 join you and
can stand by you. and here we do not
mart. | give your own words: Il remem-
her the boys at home, and l intend 10
stand by them"
Here Is the best fellow you ever saw
G w. Matthews, of Accomac. III was
said of Generals Wheeler, OF Alabama,
and Bragg. of Wisconsin, by some mem
her of Congress, that the first-named was
continuously looking for some one TO De-
friend and the latter looking Tor some
onaA he could make uncomfortable
Matthews is like General Joe wheeler Vi
Alabama-big and noble-hearted; not a
etreal of good and bad, but good all the
wav through. Ny faith in Matthews Is
such that | would underwrite him Tor
every dollar I possess. Matthews VIII
never do a mean act. first noticed nm
I'm the very beginning OF the session. WHEN
ne presented a bill for the protectlOn anu
nropagation of muskrats. L SAID 10 my
DESIGNATE, what do you reckon Is the
matter with that fellow" We watched
the circus for few days over the musk
rat bill and in the mean time inaue
the acquaintance of another good Iel-
low-Jones. of Isle of Wight asheu
him 81 that muskrat man was in earnest
or was he funning about this muskrat
business. Jones explained 1t, and intro
dpced me to Matthews, and it wasn't lone
before the scales fell from my eyes
Maybe you think coon, o'possum, guam
m toast canyas-back duck, sora, phea-
SAINT. turkey, spring chicken, or some Oh
them, are good. Well they are but Wheli
Won want something first-class you "ah'
IN get Won a baked muskrat, then you
have got a dish good enough Tor a kihs,
You don't believe it, you say? wen,
didn't either, but if you had been up heie
at Mdrphys, where we had twenty lnusA1
rats for dinner, you would have chahseu
vonr mind. Good? 1 would say they
were good.
Everybody has heard of the two hungry
,,arroes coming i'm from the field Where
they had been blowing corn, the sui
ecoycbing hot. and the negroes astraddit
t,,eIr miles. One said TO the other:
Y,;eb I had 'er baked 'possum Tor GIN
~" The other said 81 wish had ei
baked 'possum fried In 'coon-graVy' am
fenced in with sweet 'taters' Inc nrs'
darby said: Look here, niger you say
that thing again, and VIII IAN on 9i /,
we're mule and die rite mere IN tue lostu
-, gentlemen. If YOU had been TO tina
rnuskrat feast at Murphy's, ana the mex
time YOU were hungry some one woulo
mention baked muskrat for dinner YOU
uo,,ld feel very much the same way d.
the niger on the mule.
mia Won ever think of 1t? 1t TOOK inai
| 600 wears to learn how TO cut HIS Oh, -, :
YES for 5000 years he cut II wrong
out g. in front instead Of behind WIZ
you'd have a shirt that opened IN I'M
front9 | mean a mans shirt. we al
need 70 wear them made that way. why
| pecanse we didn't know any better. NOV
we all wear them the other way Decaus
wa do know better. Same way abou
| muskrats, gentlemen.
Won want TO know what the nesh ]
| IKE II no one told you what the oisi
1 was that was set before you, you Woui'
ooroa 20 about this conclusion-that II wa
| eve
! Cow N Is much more tender and bette
| Favored than squirrel. The muskrat j
| not fat like the opossum, but red meat
| ike a squirrel or rabbit.
| n,ba difference between muskrat an
sorirrel Is the difference between steai
| from a four-year-old, hrst-ciass steer
"a one from q pennyroyal hull-the KIN
| -, ,oise In Bedford and Franklin coun
tiee However, they seem TO make up II
mon what they lose in beef.
Vou would expect to find the faint
,,,,,sl~ about IL. 1t is entirely free iron
a. Won would find no objection TO musk
rat except your preJudice'
II was a very wise man VINO salu' uis
me the prejudice Of the average ,iaa, O."
49,, ,eyer forget your kind invitation U
saai. ,,,s Hotel TO the >muskrat dinner
Muap es red-letter day in my life. Kyal
tbe head of the table. and Muir
n ns, one Of Richmonds best represents
| lives. sat at the foot. JORDAN, OF rrsus
rick a big-headed, Solo, smart, SOU. -,
| Irishman, smart as steel-.rapm." a., ~
1 80, ,nrdsn--he was the only man IN In
Marty who wouldn't venture. mn
TSe scotch are great people Inc.
.. ~ from the cradle with an opinion
snd aeht life with 1t. and take II VIII