Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-02-05
THE NORTHERN NECK.
GETTING PLEASURE OUT OF LoN"
WINTER DAYS.
WOOD : CUTTING AND QUILTING
o.,.r Roasts-A smnii-rox scare
n, from the Rite of a pos--w""' T"
rrsonaac-Personal and General
fem. Of Intercst'
.-..r.snnndence Of the DIsnatch)

d
-, eources Of amusements enjoyed
.,,v folk. the Northern Neck people
w ~, without means OF getting fun and
Ian, Measure out OF the long winter
....s and nights when farming operations
80 other country work are suspended,
waiting the advent OF springtlme,
., ifs long programme OF cares and /
..-s And among these unique pass
...-es" SC, "wood-cuttings." quilting
..-..es" and "oyster-roasts" are the most |
...,sr and perhaps the most prolific of |
,r some counties Of the Neck. A |
.-..-.- wants some wood cut and his wife |
...~,s some quilting done: so day is ap-
.-..5 and the ladies and gentlemen OF
-. immunity are invited to the home
.,a. ..tizen on that day--the gentlemen
'.t-.r. axes and the ladies 10 bring nee
~. and thimbles Large numbers re-
,-1 TO the invitation. The gentlemen
,-,.s,s are ushered into the woods. ana
60 adde's gather around the quilting
Games in the house. and the day Is one
~ pleasure and business combined. While
f--.st-trecs are falling fast ana the chlps
l,.Do- from fifty or sevcnty-five axes. the
,rv their hostess iu the preparation of
az, dinner. or supper. which is 20 form
an important part OF the days pro-
e-rsn,re Thus the work goes merrily
on-fbo men doing for their host. in
si,qfa 5ov and Gust for the fun OF IT,"
what would otherwise lost him $40 or SIS,
v-hile the lady visitors accomplish for the
tousavife what would require Of her, un-
rifef. a winters work. or many dollars
an money. But it is not "all work and no
,'qv." The best is saved for the last"
ana the happy contemplation OF tho clos
i-r exercises makes the keen axes
swing freely and tho needles fly deity:
gust before nishtfall the implements or
ton are laid aside and the company par
lake OF q sumptuous repast-a dinner or
srpper. composed OF all the toothsome
vands AFFORDED by the market ana the
waters at this season Of the year III Is
cent drink, and be merry IN. the
tar, appetitos are fully satisfied, ana
,hsD the fun begins in earnest. The fur-
riture IS removed. and the music ana
dancing. which begin Immediately AFTER
Che big meal is devoured, continue
throughout the night, and about the ouWn
rf another day the "woOd-cutung ana
"ouUting party" combined. adjourns 10
meet in the near future at Neighoor
eorebodv Else's home for another 1rolie'
4 recent "wood-cutting' In the Northern
Neck was attended by eighty merry axe
-, f,rrners. laborers. mechanics, teach
- clerlrs and officers. and large num-
bar NJ the fair sex. sometimes forty or
ATTY cords Of wood IS cut at one OF THESE
novel frolics. 49, .t.,oe,, oor
,.t~,ct such a crowd as usually particl-
,,ates In a Northern Neck "oyster-roast'
a distinguished city gentleman says that
~ one wants 20 know the true meaning OF
,-ood eating and drinking and desires 70
become acquainted with genuine hospltaA-
o., GOOD humor. fraternal love, and Tide
later intellect he should attend an oys-
ter-roast in the Northern Neck.
SMALLPOX SCARE
There was another smallpox scare here
,bis week A cOlOred preacher or ASH
tnqfon. ID. c., came down to this county
spent a day or two among the "brethren'
and preached TO a large audience at oh'
Of the colored churches Immediately OF
his return 10 the city he became Ill VIII
smau-pox. and it has been feared tina
thu disease was in his system while M
was circulating among the King Georg'
colored people. 800,
Several days ago n young lady OF I'M
county. who IS visiting In certain CITY
wrote him that she had unknoWngi!
walked right into the smallpox ina
q servant in the house when she "a
visiting "broke out" with the diseas
v-bfle waiting on the breakfast table.
The steamer Harry Randall, which ha
been undergoing thorough repairs sihc
some time in December. resumed its res
MAR trips on the Potomac this week an
Is greatly improved and beautlhed
the important additions and new coat c
paint.
About three weeks ago colored W.
man near here was bitten by her oW
dog. and the wound seemed rather trlllhi
ana manifested no unfavorable SYM
toms until some time this week, when 81
became suddenly i'll and had 10 SEM &c
physician In the nighttime. The 90
was killed Immediately after 1t bit U
woman. though IL was not suspected
having rabies. and while there are J.
svmptoms of hydrophobia. the woman
very I'M from the effects Of the bite.
The Board Of Supervisors of Nestmor'
land have voted 10 have the clerk ON,
~ tha- county made hre-prooI' ana ~
work viii be started on II at very esI
date. 4 good many rural clerks olhc'
have been made nre-prOof recently an
this wise precauuon against the loss
records is becoming more and more pop'
Jar among country people. A.
The snOW-stOrm and "freeze-up IN
week came as a surprise, and put quls
us on all the business that had bee
started. especially the fishing industri'
along the Potomac. Some OF the poa'
&c.. Of the large fisheries were consl'
oraDly damaged by the terrihc gale
Tuesday ni@ht.
Mr Frank Taylor, popular your
Gentleman and the leading foX-hunter
this county. has been sunering intense
FIR some time with a wounded elbow Il
result Of a fall on the frozen ground.
NJ Armistead Lewis, of this count
has entered the Fredericksburg Coliel
as student. for the remaining MONT
q the session.
BRIEFS.
Mr. d. w. Coakley one Of the HI
George merchants. returned nome seVe'
dovs ago from a. business trp 10 Vas
sn,ton and Alexandra, and has since be
quite sick with grip
wild turkeys have been seen In iers
numbers in some parts Of the Northe
Neck the past ten days than at any III
during the winter.
Nearly or quite every sleigh in XII
George vas called into service this wee
and where the snowdrlfts did not bloc
ade the way, the sleighing was fine pa
OF the time.
The gradual recovery Of COmmo
vyealth's-Attorney Thomas II. Bevan,
this county. which Is hailed with deiig
by the whole people here IS regarded
,imost miraculous, from the fact that
had a severe congesuve chill while cri
ally III with pneumonia.
several days and nights this week I
roail-carriers on some Of the routes he
end IN neighboring counties suffered We
eeverelv with cold. Prostitutes fell 10
lo, ~ eorne who were exposed until ID