Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-01-18
AIN OLD DIARY.
An Interesting Old Volume in
Georgetown Library.
somo or tho Quaint Entries-nrnndy
Was +" Necessity I'm Those Days
Nothing Too Small 10 10 Entered.
Washington Post.l


In Il Georgetown library. whose shelves
may be searched in vain for a book OF
less years than a quarter OF ~ century,
Is the diary OF n Virginia gentleman. 1t
Is n curious, rude little volume, its thick
pages crowded from margin to margin
with the delicate and ornate pcnmanship
OF Il hundred years ago, and sets forth in
detail the homcly life and duties and bus
ness of its author. 1t contains no record
of national events no inside view of carly
days. but, written as the day book" of
Il planter. is faithful history of the sim
pie and fun life of the Virginia Squire
the busy planter and man OF affairs. And
of these 4 diary seems TO speak with more
expression than even the best of tho
much up-to-date fiction which is bu.,dCI
upon those times. Set down in order
the homely events of the past century
planters life are full of pleasant interest
when read in these busy and history
making days.
Nothing was too trivial for entry into
the diary OF this, squire, The weather
ness and detail, the direction of the wind
and tho signs by which tho coming
weather was then fortold. F7or instance
1892 was entered as, '.All overcast, rainy.
etc. wind s. W." while January was
Ditto in \. ~. Then cloudy. wind shifts
ceeding three hundred and siXty-six. for
it was leap year remember was over
looked in that careful and conscientious
record.
TAKEN by TARLETON'S TROOPS
Closely written on the nyleaf. evidently
rs a memorandum for possible future re-
endorsement, IS an account OF the prop
ertN taken from the Suhscrlbcd and de-
StrOycd Dy COi0ntt IEirICtoT anu MS logon
in the service OF his. majesty the King of
Great Britain on. the 18TH day OF July.
ISL to-wit: = grist and rolling MILL 1Sx
20, burnt" And the red Goa IS also burned
my smithy and much therein. and also
much superior breed to any in these
parts
to neighbor:ns towns and settfmcnis 1t
is safe 10 presume that the estite OF the
d.arist lay in the vicinity OF Holloway, If
not i'll that county. He speaks frequently
of going TO the Courih ouse, ard once rid
ing to Richmond TO attend tho conven-
ton, while now and then arc illusions to
families whose names are still numerous
in southern and middle VirGinia-tfle
YateseS and the Ynnccys, the HarbaIghs
and Cra.ES, whose names occur in CON
nection with sundry trades and accounts
or In record of visits and notes of deaths
and illness. for in those days the tie of
In the sparsely settled country was n deep
loss.
One entry of this character is a pretty
specimen OF the courteous and d'gniiied,
oven If florid. style of the day. 1t follows
sunday, the nineteenth (of May)-D:eSl.
Mrs. Murray, of Mocklenburg; a Lady in
Whom every Female Virtue shone CON
spicuous. AS Il Wife, q Mother Il Mis-
tresS. a Ncghbor, and a Lover of her
Country, none eNceAed Her. Her piety
toward God was the ruling principle Of
Her Actions. and She died with Serenity
of Mind and LIVELY Hope Of Il blessed
mortality"
WARNING AGAINST KISSING.
He observes that she died of con-
sumption. and her death should be a
warming to too fond relatives '.not to kiss
or inhaie the breath Of persons i'll of a
consumption. aud thereby inocc,ls q
themselves with the disease" adding that
Mrs. Murray contracted it by too much
fondness In Kissing her young daughter
whom the malady carried OFF," In view
of which Il would seem that the recent
medical discoveries of the contagious
character Of consumption are not dlscov-
cries after all.
BRANDY a NECESSITY.
"August-Thcrc IS n vast quantity OF
peaches and apples In general ard in the
first week OF the month many began to
d,st.ll. The stills are very generally run
ming, many of them night and day Bran
dy sold Mt first at 4 dollar Per gallon Ii