The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-03-11

/ Wing for Democrat. They had never
| read page in Lavatcr, and knew as lit
tie of the so-caled science of.physiogno..
my az a Gypsy Knows OF pnllilistry,, yet yet
! quite common to find behind tho feshly
| symbols of ones face the very soul OF
| or this sort was one. Isaac Leadbetter,
| of Hanover county. who came TO Rich,
crops. On ono Of these visits lie met BY
| chance n stranger In the Office OF my
father who said to the farmer good GOD
ties Of this man before ! shall haye 1T, th e
ad pang merry r. e oter ct ta ae nc eye
no matter what happens. 'ItwIsh to put
your boasted prescenee to the test, i. Is no no
at me-. said the Hanover man, man; i then hen
LOOK me straight in the eye, sir!'
she tho ara SO o th ancy ON tie
flash OF lightning from, a black, lowering
cloud came the words ct 3f, kea sIr,
shelton's enjoyment Of the contretemps
as exquisite as my fathers.
Was Also An Orator.
Mr. Richie was not merely an accom>
plishcd editor of a political Journal, but
orator. 1t was his custom to attend the
meetings of the Spartan Band. which
were held originally in rooms over the
restorative OF ono Billy Davidson. whose
tenement adjoined the Marshall Theatre.
AS the Broad street rooms were not suf-
ficcnt to accommodate the gathering
members OF the Democratic Band and
their visitors, an old tobacco factory. then
standing on the enst sidc of Eighth street,
midway between Main and Franklin, was
taken up and occupied pending the ever
memorial campaign of 1910. Tho old fac
tory was fncetiously dubbed by opposing
Whigs, The Sweathouse, and retained that
name many years after the battle had
been fought and won by tho younger
party.
As the combat deepened. Mr.. Ritchie
would he seen, after a hearty gree ting
Of the Band. to take seat next to its
and opposite to William r. Watson. its
secretary. 1t was said by the ways of
that day that the spartans sat lstlessly
about the long tables. not knowing what
or how to do until the great editor took
his seat and gave the cue. All the news
of that day came slowly to town and was
first seen and perused by newspaper edl-
tors. Mr.. Ritches budget was made up
of letters from correspondents In the
North South. East and West These
he would read aloud with his usual diff
fdence As he proceeded instructive COM
ment would accompany the reading as
matter of course. The even tenor or his
manner would at times give way to bursts
unconscious. A bit of unwelcome news. q
spicy paragraph of one of his correspon-
dents or some supposed outrage commit
ted by political enemy-and moderation,
1.-The silken string running through the
pearl chain of all virtues" would be
thrown to the winds. He was no longer
difdent of address. no longer sparing of
speech. Hot words then fell plenteously
from his lips.
.'fIe defed not his foes,
While n leaf OF the laurel remained.
Till goaded with insult his spirit arose
Like a long-baited lion unclaimed
His eloqucnce was as potent with our
Spartans on certain occasions as that of
Demosthenes is said to have been with
the Greeks. who, hearing him declaim,
cried out Let us march against the Per-
sians.' 1 have heard old gentlemen who
listened nightly to his speeches declare
that he had no equals; that having once
throw off his reserve, flood of words
would pour from his lips like red lava
would pour forth from his lips like red
lava from the orator of Vesuvius. His
was heieloquence OF Indignation. There is
a llgh sort, the elo1uence of tears, such
as the great Augustine was wont to use
when words failed TO convince