The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1900-07-20
In More Than One County.

i W ihStou f""ihesi III Amelia, an
t made passing mention Of the fact i
7 ! the columns Of the HERALD. | no,
! know it better aud it gives me grea
e pleasure to write more at length of thi
! glorious Southside Virginia home. 70
r after all am most interested i'm then
: a believe your readers are. Not onl,
, charity but commentator begins will
, me at home, among neighbors anC
friends, and whatever | find among
them that pleases me, like the good
Queen Of England, am going "to say
So
Draw in your mind, Mr.. Editor the
picture Of massive brick structure,
standing on graceful eminence,
guarded by stately trees, encircled by a
spotlessly white fence and surrounded
by well cultivated fields, and you have
some conception of Chestnut Grove as
| found it on recent visit.
The architecture of the present is in
some respects superior to the architec-
ture of the past, but the modern homes
contain no such halls and rooms as |
found IN this old Virginia home.
Think of bed room "a by "a, with six
large windows and of exalted pitch,
aud you have the ideal bed room. |
know just how luxurious 1t Is, and
when awOke in tho early morning to
realize that had spent summers
night in just such an one, my heart
went out in full flow Of sympathy to
the pleasure-seekers of earth who were
expecting comfort in a lOxl0 at seasides
or mountain resorts.
In the furnishings Of this home the
antique and up-to-date have met in
happy unison. The sideboard would
stir the envy of Vanderbilt, while the
recently selected household gods are
gems Of their kind.
AT the bottom Of the hill, near the
dwelling, gushing spring sends out
a perpetual stream Of pure, soft water,
and this is forced to the house by
simple piece of mechanism, which |
works noiselessly through the days |
and nights. From the house the over.
plus is carried to the stables 50 that |
man and beast live in constant touch |
of one Of natures best gifts to us. good |
water.
Work on this farm is done on the
old time large scale, though on not so
extensive scale as when one season the
father Of Mr.. Fowlkes had under cult
walton 1000, 600, hills of tobacco. There
are about 100000 this year well work.
ed and growing finely. The corn crop
on upland and lowland is an extensive
one, fine crop Of clover has been Sc
cured and 500 bushels of wheat stored
in the granary.
Mr.. Fowlkes has his own saw mill,
cutting and threshing machines, and
has the blacksmith's work done on the
place. Until he taught one of his
labOrers the art he shOd his own horses,
and from a specimen of his work saw,
he is an expert. suppose there are
30 to 20 negroes on this farm Of about
/ 400 acres, and of course there is no
scarcity of labor.
The home-life here is simply ideal.
Just one glimpse at it and | am done.
As we sat together at the artistically
furnished and abundantly supplied
supper table, there was an instant Of
silence which was gently broken by
The soft, sweet voice of daughter Of
twelve summers, who asked Gods
blessing on the meal. 1t was an inn
pressive, helpful, uplifting experience
with the writer, the memory of which
goes with him AS a benediction. "And
4 little child shall lead them"
"Burleigh Half' orchard, just a mile
South Of Cumberland G.. H., is thing
If beauty just now, and from the crates
If choice peaches | saw going out from
here to the city markets, judge must
De as useful as it is ornamental.
One afternoon Of last week | drove
,yer to Mr.. " oodson Venable's, reach
ny there at the milking hour. Twen-
y-three thOrOughbreds stood i'm their
espective stalls responding patiently .
md plentifully to the gentle wooing Of
he mixers. The foaming milk, rich
n color, specklessly pure, was hurried
o the creamery there to be moulded
nto those golden half-pound shapes so
widely known and so popularity re-
eived by good livers in the cities.
Mr.. Venable lost no time from his
work, it was the busy hour of the day
With him, while your correspondent
vas there, but found time in which to
Introduce him to many features of the
most interesting dairy business. Until
his visit had despaired Of ever seeing
mother roast duck on any of our ta-
lies, but having seen his large and
flock | am encouraged to
l0pe that the day Of ducks is not en-
irey thing of bygone. Along with
he ducks an army of chickens and
~ .