The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-07-18
Among the,Books.
.rlonsepoutins on Colonial water

historic a stream as James River, the
book In which its turniDgs are traced
may be always relied on to possess In
terest for many who, living on the
banks of the James. or near the river,
and knowing much Of Its story by
heart. are nevertheless always ready
to read what new author has to say
about tho most enthralling, because
the first explored and settled river
country, by English settlers, in the
United states.
The particular houseboat whose cx-
cursions are here set down is spoken
of as the Gadabout The boat left her
nloorinS place on a summer morning
several years ago to meander by way
OF Elizabeth River toward Hampton
Roads and thence into the James.
Tho first stopping place for the
houseboating travellers was James
town. OF course. or the ruins that FIX
the location of the old Jamestown
Church and State House. OF one i'm
preston made upon the mind OF visi-
tors to the church tower that guards
'tne cradle OF the nation, the book
speaks for itself. and says:
pilgrims to this broken shrine Will
be of two opinions, as to work of
preservation that the society owning
this part Of the Island has entered
ruins, we saw evidences OF building
in progress. and learned that prepare
ton was being made for memorial
structure. to be erected not on but
over the old church foundation walls.
to preserve them from the elements.
It was to be a gift to the Associa-
ton for the Preservation OF Virginia
Antiquities from the National Society
of the Colonial Danes of America.
From what we learned then and
later, 4, was evident that the work
was undertaken after the most care
full study and In the most painstaking
spirit. The structure has since been
completed and is doubtless as desira-
BILE one as could be erected for the
preservation of the church founda-
lions. To the unimaginative the plan
that has been adopted will appeal.
Hut to the pilgrim of the other sort
day dreamer. II you will-there must
come sense, not OF gain. but OF loss.
He will feel that for questionable
combination of a restoration with
ruin. there has been sacrificed the
most impressive spectacle on the is.
land-the ancient church tower OF van
ished James Towne, standing In the
shadow of the little grove by the viV-
err. broken. -desolate. alone"
Lower Brandon, or Brandon. as
4, is called b. priority OF
right TO the title, was the next stop
ing place of the houseboat The
houseboaters. three in number. a
daughter-wife, her husband and moth
err seemed to have derived great pleas
ure from their visit to this most truly
delightful of yirginian manor houses.
Eloquent paragraphs are devoted to
descriptions of the approach TO the
mansion. TO IT'S interior beauties. to
th. hospitality of it's hostesses. Pho
tosraphs illustrate the text at every
turn. one of the most charming show
ing Miss Harrison, attired In the bro
cade court gown of lovely Evelyn
Hyrd worn by her when she carried
off the palm from English beauties In
the period OF the Georges. at the time
of her presentation She was painted
by Godfrey Kneller. and the visitors
ssy bsr With red rose;n her hand
and a smile on her lips and in her
eyes that made good her title TO be
called the Fair Maid of the James.
The tribute paid TO the incompara-
BILE garden at Brandon is SO pretty
that 1t is reproduced in part as fol-
lows:
..Trihing. cold and unfriendly seem
most gardens OF to-day in comparison
with these old-fashioned ones. Per-
garden comes fresh from the florist in
the spring. and is allowed to die out
In the fall Not SO at Brandon. Here
the garden is one OF exclusive old fam
flies Its flower people can trace their
pedigrees back to the floral emigrants
from England.
Strange blossoms. changing every
spring, like jewellers in city nat.
would not be in good standing with
the blue flags that great-srandmother
planted, nor with the venerable peo-
MES and day lilies. the lilacs and
syringas that remember the day when
the aims and magnolias above them
were puny saplings Here is restful
permanence in this world of restless
change Loved ones may pass away.
friends may fail. neighhors may come
and go; but here in the quiet old gar
den, the dear flower faces that look
up to cheer are the same that have
given heart and comfort to genera
tons so remote that they lie half
forgotten beneath gray, crumbltns
s.onas With quaint time dimmed in
scriptions."
The mention made by the houseboat-
ers OF Lower and Upper Weyanoke is
rendered most attractive through Its
reference to Mrs. Fielding Lewis Dou.
that, mistress OF the lower and upper
plantation, and a granddaughter OF
Chief Justice John Marshall. Among
the illustrations accompanying this
chapter are two. one taken from an ex-
cellent portrait OF the Chief Justice.
and another OF his daughter-in-law,
Mrs. John Marshall, before her mar
riage elizabeth Alexander.
Across the way from Weyanoke lies
tleur de Hunered the broad acres or
which were patented by Sir George
Yeardley. Governor of the Virginia
Colony, in the year 1918. Since the
advent of the nineteenth century. Fleur
de Hundred has Been the property or
the Wilcox family. and when the Cad
about people went over to be hospital
bly, welcomed and gather the roses.
lavender and violets still redolent Of
former garden glories. as they were
when Sir George looked out over his
acres of maize and wheat. and down
to the plantation point on which he
erected the first wind mill In America.
they found old traditions we'll sus-
tanned.
After bidding good-by to Weyanoke,
the houseboaters attended Thanksgiv-
ing service at Westover Church. built
about the middle OF the seventeenth