The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-01-24

StiDDOrtCd.Elt must also w NSPs ~ '''''1'.>-
that the moro we do for tho Y. M. C.aA.
tho moro 1t will do for our voting mon.
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Horses and Drivers.
rho Washington Post remarks upon the
,'curious practice one sometimes. secs IN
that city when Il Maryland or virginia
farmer comes to market there driving
n fo,,r-horso wagon, Using only a single
iinc, and Using It from snddle paoeas
on the right wheel horse. Ard we are
told that the spectacle Is ono that nov
or falls to attract the attention OF the
peonle, WHO arc Instantly reminded OF
pictures they have seen of country llte
In England $50 years ago." we arc
further told that n few weeks ago re.
snorter. curious to ASCERTAIN whether or
not this custom had ever received trent
ment at the hands Of English or Ameri-
can writer's, spent considerable time ut
the library OF Congress looking over tho
back numbers Of various magazines, es-
pecnlly those containing articles on Vir-
rnla and Maryland, but In only ono or
them did he find any reference to what IS
n most picturesque survival OF Georgian
England and Colonial America. This was
in Hnrper's Magazine, for the year 1904.
During that year an American writer and
artist. who signed himself "Porte Cray
on, made a tour Of Virginia, especially
that part OF 1t Immediately southwest OF
this CITY. and in the course Of his wander
ing contributed series Of articles 70
sT1arper's, entitled. Virginia Revisited"
Among the pictures found by the report
or is one Of colored driver IN whose whose
wagon "Porto Crayon" rode. for snort
distance. from one plantation to another
md who is shown seated on the back or
his wheel horse directing tho movements
of tho pair in front by means OF, q single
line. The reporter concludes that Porte
Crayon" probably was q Virginan or
Marylander as he took It as matter OF
course chat q four-horse wagon shoulu
DO drawn in the manner: described. u +.
IT is q fact that Vrginlans and Mary
landers. and most Southerners, see Moth
Ing unusual in this method OF driving
They have been accustomed to 1t from
time irnmemorial. And Porte Crayon'
Mr. strother-was a Virginian. a West
virginian. wo believe.
The practice here Of driving horses
tandem to heavy coal or wood cart also
excites interest. In the minds of some
strangers. There the driver Is seated on
~ I,a front and nSnS
but single line, with which ho directs
the front horse Ncader), Eor, moro .gener-
ally, mule. He controls the shaft horse
with single line, too. but control Is
seldom, needed, as the shalt horse natu-
rally follows his leader.
Our market carts, too. are strange OBJ
iects to many Northern and Western Vlsi-
tors. The driver is provided with reins
lust ms he would BIO If he were in a buggy.
The cart is short and light, and Is COW
cred with canvas to protect the driver
and his 'load', from rain OF snow. or
| from tho summers sun II Such carts arc
used as fish carts In many Sta tes.5 They
are much in vogue for that purpose In
| lower EllQcWdlcE ~ Shieh, elA'o a. -
caslonally to be seen In that sort OF SER
vice here in Richmond. generally, how
ever, they are utilized hereabout as mar
| ket carts-vehces in which the truck
farmer brings to this city garden vegeta-
bles. melons, or fruits, and from which
vehicles he sells them at the city mar
kets-i. e., the places where the house
keeper who doesn't patronize the green
grocer goes to supply her table.
The driver takes his mule out OF the
| shafts and drops the shafts to the ground
He then puts himself In position between
tho shafts while he dispenses his truck
from the body OF the cart. For tho time
being, the cart Is his store house. counter
| and place of business
That the people the world over DOM
do likewise. he would be surprised te
learn, If he were told.
4. However, the one horse wagon is. max
ing its way steadily among Virginia
| farmers of this section and each new one
puts a covered cart out Of business
What is more, the average wagon one
sees comes to us from q factory In an
other State.
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