Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-08-01
SLAVERY In WASH
lNGT0N'S TINE.


Philip Alexander Bruce. In the Gentle
woman)
One Of the noblest Of American rivers
is the Potomac. with It's winding. thickiy
wooded shores, and its broad expanse Oh
sparkling waters melting away towards
the blue Chesapeake on the far horizon
The English traveller, Smyth. who saw
IL about the time Of the Revolution. spoke
Of it with enthusiasm as unsurpassed
among streams. Beautiful by nature, II
was i'm the later Colonial age. made sun
more beautiful by the stateiy seats ana
well-tilled farms that varied the ldnu-
scapes along its banks From the ancient
town of Behaven--the modern AleAah-
dria-down TO the very mouth Of the river
there was a succession Of plantation resi-
dences. with their curtilages, eiHDos 'HlSu
In their native groves ana haHheu ~ 'nS
outlving fields and meadows. Here nved
the Washingtons. the FairiaXes, the Ma
sons. the Lees. the ftizhughs, tne 49,
anders. the McCartys-na that IN VIZ
ginia call up all that IS most bfiil1aIiI anu
charming I'm the social history OF her PAST.
All that birth and tradition, character
and culture. talents and weallh Coulu
give TO that history, they gave 10 "
gree unexcelled in any other part u 'n0
Old Dominion.
Carried back in Imagination to the
times before tho Revolution. we nnh o"' >
selves sailing up the beautiiul river anu
pausing I'm our course 10 visit one Oh
these Colonial homes on its banks we
land at a wharf which has numoer OIL
boats Of different kinds moored % II
barges, pettangers, canoes-some Ior
pleasure some tor the fisheries, some TOT
the Transportation Of tobacco. we soon
enter the main road, lined with ha"thoih
hedges. and having green pastures Oh
oitber hand on which sheep and cattle
and even deer, are browsing. AZ the 'hu
Of a few hundred yards we come TO the
foot Of a terraced garden, interspersen
with EngIish walnut trees, and oYerho"-
ing win hollyhock. lilac, iris, crocus,
tulipg anemones. and other old-lashlohei
nowers There is an arboretum nearly
d1sd with the ornamental shrubs OF the
surrou6ding region. The residence, re-
nosing in its bower Of umbrageous trees
looks down upon us from the level OF the
highest terrace. With its high-Sahled
ends and great stacks Of chimneys, II
preseuts both a solid and a stately as
meet. Somewhat back of it are seen the
out-buildings-the kitchen, servants
quarters. poultry-houses, corn-houses'
eranaries-all overshadowed by syinme-
trical rows Of cherry, mulberry ana wal
nut trees. originally planted In the seeu'
Reaching the top Of The last terrace
we pass over a yerdant lawn INTO
erayelled walk. with closely-uimmed 0oA
trees. we ascend a wide flight OF steps
10 a latticed porch, shaded by veneraole
rosebushes in fun bloom, and draw me
great brass knocker OF the door. Nl1.iii
the house all Is spacious ana AIRY We
halts above and below are wide, the
ceilings on the lower moor n'sn' the W.
dows large and deep, with low seats
The canacious freplaces do not belle the
enormous stacks Of chimneys on the out
edo on the other side are closets or
alcoves with shelves cleaning win oiu
oh,,a and silver. Woodwork Is 10 De
sen NJ, every hand-ail elahorately ana
beautifully carved The walls are vans
co,tcd with walnut; the doors aAd
n,l,sfors are made Of polished mahogany
tho mantelpieces OF marble. Passing -
the ton floor. the visitor descries throusi'
the cuddy windows the broad river uoO-
ted with white sails, or hashing III tne
sunlight as the breeze or Schools Vi H'i'
rippled its surface , ,o,os
such was one OF these coionial h oiieS
II was i'm all its main particulars Npioa'
OF the others in the surrounding COUNT p,
No people ever surpassed their o"heiS ~
easy and graceful hospitality. Inc srea1-
est happiness Of these colonial NHsiii"l'
was to entertain guests ana To Oe g"
tortained I'm turn. Drawn together by
- ~ HOOD and marriage. and by those
bonds of sympathy that grow out OF IN
berited family intimacies. they kept up d
round of visiting through all the seasons
II was the custom in those times tor
families TO pass several days, ana even
weeks in the homes Of friends or klns-
men residing in the circuit OF NIFTY miles.
Tbe manner OF life was more afttuent ana
stately than has since marked the SOCIAL
habits Of Virginia. These planters
~ the Potomac travelled in their
chariots and four, with black postilllohs
i'm buttons and cooked hats. or IN theil
handsome barges driven forward oy nan
a dozen black oarsmen, also dressed IN
livery There were rowing and hunting
parties dinner and dancing parties du-
ring the week on Sunday the country
side gathered at POhick church. and or
nate coaches and iiyeried servants ana
smartly-dressed gentry in picturesque
contrast with the background OF PHI
maeval forest trees. Then there were
crowded meetings on the race-course'
near Alexandria, at which all the fashion.
bravery. and beauty Of the region came
together. or there were lively journeys
to Annapolis. when the season hdu
brought TO that gay town the pleasure
loving members of the landed aristocracy
OF Maryland AID the adjacent parts Oh
Virginia.
In all the varied and animated scenes
of this brilliant social life the slaves had
A very intimate and happy part. Under
each roof there were servants who had
been trained for their proper work from
the time of their childhood. From the
dgnihed butler, with MS shVer saver
10 the dairy woman, with her pigg.us and
ohurns. there was hardly one who had
not come into the house mere picka-
ninnv. The master had his valet, the
mistress her chamber woman, the daugh-
ters their maids, the sons their boys,
who were in constant attendance. Wash
ineton was rarely seen without Billy.
These servants. having from their earliest
years been brought up in hourly associa-
ton with their masters family, had ac-
CURED the most pleasing manners. ana
this. with their patience and amiability,
made them the most agreeable dOmeslics
IN the world
There was not an important scene In
the lives OF their master and mistress
into which the household servants did
not enter. They received the naw horn
h. .rs.A