The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-07-18

few good books along.
| We have the ones you
III want.
ii Presbyterian Bookstore,
III at2-:14 N. sixth street.
century on the shore OF James River
| at Westover and later removed TO
Its present site on Herring Creek, with
the tonbs or generations Of worship
| ers clustering about II, and the rectory
standing on bluff near by. The minds
| OF the lIouse boaters went back from the
| Thanksgiving services to former days
! when the plain little church had
seen brave attire, when its parishion-
! ers worshiped In lowered silks. en-
| broidered waistcoats. laced head .dres-
ses and powdered periwtgs, when diu.
| ner invitations went around In the social
| hour after service and the lavish enter
| tainment OF the master OF Westover
| caused quite Sunday prilgimage ~
| his lordly mansion" few miles away.
| Toward the lordly mansion the
route OF the Gadabout lay after the
| Thanksgiving service had been spoken
| The tomb OF the owner and builder or
what is probably one of the finest ex
amples OF early eighteenth architecture
in the state, stands in the midst OF the
pleasaunce at Westover, where William
Byrd and Evelyn, the Fair Maid OF the
| James," used to walk between the box
| hedges and bend above the bed OF
| some new ravorite. brought over from
| England and thriving under fostering
| care in the home OF it's adoption.
In writing of the fine entrance,
paneled hall" and the drawing-room
at westover with It's italian marble
nantel. showing a relief design upon
a black background" the author M
| the houseboat narrative does not for.
| get to mention The riyerward bedroom
paneled walls. the old fireplace OPP
posite the door, and the coy little
dressing-room looking gardenward
Here. II says. the unfortunate Colonial
beauty laid away the rich brocade. the
| old court gown of. brilliant, bitter
memories that was shown to us at
Brandon. Through these windows she
rocked with ever more wisttul eyes
out upon the river. her thoughts hur-
| rying with Its waters toward the
ocean and the lover beyond. And one
| day. 1t is said. great ship from Lon
don Came. and It touched at the pier
| before her windows and Charles Nor.
| caunt pleaded his cause with the stern
father once more. But ne pleaded in
vain, and the ship and the lover sailed
/ away"
I'm the family circle at MISSIONER to.
| day., the narrative goes on, ARE Mrs.
Ramsay. two sons and her daughter.
| Elizabeth. Among we'll known families
! N Nra Ea,
are the Sears and GARDENERS. OF Mas.
sachusetts. she being a descendant OF
| Lyon Gardner, OF GARDENERS Island.
| She also claims kinship with the RAN
/ dolphs and the Reeveses of Virginia
and a collateral and remote connection
| with the Byrds."
After Westoyer. Berkeley. the an
cestral home or a signer of the Dec
| laration OF independence. BENJAMIN
Harrison, and Of two Presidents or the
United States" now falling into decay.
] Is mentioned. And then the houseboat-
ers wend their way to Shirley. the home
| since Secretary Johns time. of tho
| Carriers, or Virginia. And of Shirley
| the visitors say:
Always. in consideration of Colonial
homes, Shirley is regarded as one OF
the finest examples This means much
more than at first appears For the
F.
compared were built from half a CEN
tury to a century later
Doubtless the Oldest homestead on
the river, II utterly refuses to look its
| age. Even the shadow of the venerable
! trees and the ancient ivy's teiltale en-
brace seem powerless to break the
.. spell OF perennial youth. In the home
we met Mrs. Bransford. widow of H
w Bransford: Commander and Mrs.
James H. Oliver. U. S. NJ. and Miss
Susy Carter Mrs. Bransford and Mrs.
Oliver are daughters of the late Rob
ert Randolph Carter and are tho pres
ent owners of the plantation. Mrs
Bransford making her home there"
| AS with Brandon and MISSIONER, the
hall and different rooms, including at
Shirley the ancient Darkroom and
kitchen, are pictured and written about
In very delightful and suggestive
way. Shirley has priceless picture
gallery. and the househoaters were in
vited to meet the ladies and gentlemen
on the walls" Among them were Sec
rotary John Carter. of corotoman. Tan.
caster county. who married Elizabeth
daughter and heiress of Edward Hill
of Shirley. The houseboaters affirm OF
this couple that Secretary and Mrs.
Carter were handsome pair she fair
and girl1sh. with an armful of roses
he dark and courtly and one of the
most attractive looking figures we had
met in our travels in colonial land.
Some noteworthy pieces Of old Shirley
plate" appear to advantage in a pic
tured group. and the text which relates
to the dining room is illustrated by
photograph of Peale's Washing ton,
which hangs on Its walls.
When the visit to Shirley was ended
housekeeping on Colonial Water
way entered upon it's last stage, for
Richmond was not far ahead. The de-
vtous way led by Curtis Neck and came
to Varina. where Pocahontas and John
Role lived after their marriage. Then
on to Dutch Gap and Henricopolis and
to Wilton. famous as the former home
OF lovely Anne Randolph. better known
as Nancy Wilton, who became the bride
OF BENJAMIN Harrison, at Brandon. The
arrival at the falls and the rapids
b +