Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-06-04

forget dyspepsia and thrty-day notes.
They say that Thomas jefferson, when
student at william and Mary College
used 10 visit Carriers Grove to court
lass historically known as "Sweet Be-
linda" IL also appears that another
Young gentleman was going through
| similar performance with the same young
! lady. and that the Sage OF Monticello
| came out second best. jefferson Is said
10 have brought his fiddle with him on
| these occasions, but the other fellow had
his law. Moral: A fddle-bOw In the hands
of a presidential possibility does not al
WAYS cut as much ice as the amorous
vocabulary Of an unknown insignificant.
who, figuratively speaking. keeps stu ana
saws wood instead of saving the inter-
nal machinery Of a cat Regarding this
courtship 1 can only say with positive
confidence that the old place Is sweet
and romantic enough to inspire any one
to sentiment. At night when the salt
breezes steal up from the river and twang
out their gentle melodies on myriads Of
leaflets, the average man could find just-
fcauon for talking love to a buzz-saw or
government mule.
There is an old story that during the
Revolutionary war some of Tarleton's
troopers rode their horses into the spa
cious hail and up the broad stairs,
slashing the balusters with their sabres.
Whether this be actually so or not | can
not say as / was not in that section
at that time, but certain II is, that there
are deep indentations I'm the balusters
and that the tradition is very plausible
Assuredly. the exquisitely decorated hall
is amply large to accommodate twenty
or thirty horses, and a steed which had
lived much indoors could readily find
believe, however, that the most malicious
vandal could find the heart TO injure or
mutilate anything about this old home
stead, for its dignity should well give
pause to the most callous.
The house at Carriers Grove Is colonial
I'm its every detail. save that Or. Booth
has greatly enhanced its attractiVeness
by adding a large front porch, which en-
ables visitors to enjoy the exquisite view.
On the plantation are the graves or
several Colonial celebrities, who, In their
day. were prominent figures in the county.
The beach which washes this extensive
estate is a beautiful one, and is studded
with shells and coral that has come
from, l know not where. The waters
TEEN with fish, and have no doubt that
in prehistoric days the aborigines had
their church fairs and Oysters-stews in
this vicinity.
DR. Booth, the owner Of Carters Grove,
Is Il man who thoroughly appreciates the
value Of his possession, and he has been
at no little pains to ascertain all the
facts connected with its history His
hospitality is unbounded, and, like his
predecessors on the plantation, he has
entertained many Of the most distin-
guished men of our day. OF course, It is
not for me to say that / include myself
in this list.
When a city man goes 10 a place Ike
the Grove he sees so many interesting
things that his eyes hang out from their
sockets by strings and his mental appa-
ratus Is kept as busy as a revolving cart |
wheel. 1t delighted and entranced me to
behold yelyety, old-god gosings wiping
their feet on the lawn, and to observe
the splendid ROSTERS in the barn and the |
ducks which scorned French heels for
their feet. And then, too, l saw several |
immense, patrarchal turkeys. with ire |
mendous warts on their noses and a dis |
position 10 puff themselves up and act |
ike the frog In Aesop's Fables. Far down |
In the lowlands one could see the sheep |
and the kline and hear the whistling OF |
partrldges and the tremulos OF sOng-birds |
1t was beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, and |
everything was so soft and dreamy and |
mellow and sweet that / almost wished |
! could pull up stakes and dwell In that |
land Of milk and honey forever
IL may be that DR.. Booth and his cul- |
tured family contributed no little to ex-
cite all this enthusiasm In my manly
bosom. but he that as il may. / consider
Carriers 6 ~Ie a rural paradise. and am
sorry 1t cannot be moved up TO Richmond. !
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