The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-08-03

When n mere lad made my first
visit to Richmond. The old Southside
Railroad had not thcn been finished to
Farinville. SO | drove through the
country TO take the "Richmond and
Danville" ut Burkeville. and l can
never forget the Impression upon my
boy mind as 1 stood on the platform
and watched the little train pulling
and pulling UP to the depot. Tho
smokestaok, nowadays not much larger
than the ordinary stovepipe, looked
! like a moving hogshead, while It's ca
pacious throat emitted burning sparks
! Of pine. large and luminous. The coach
entered was cramped and low. hardly
allowing siX-footcr to stand erect
and the seats were as hard as the
benches of the schoolrooms Of that day
do not just recall how often the train
stopped between Burkcville and Rich
mond TO take on pine wood with which
to feed the engine. nor just how long
! 1t took the lazy throwers to fill the
tender. The rails were of bars OF iron
mailed to parallel wooden stringcrs
and IT was tostle from start TO finish
/ On reaching Richmond. | was landed
at small wooden depot at the end
OF the bridge spanning the James. and
as the train stopped bedlam broke
loose. The lusty lungs of packmen
and porters gave out vigorous sounds
and discordant notes. I yielded. how
ever, to tho persuasions of the porter
OF the "Old Columbian" a famous hos.
| telry OF that day, located on Cary
Street. and as remember. about
Twelfth. Memory fails TO revive much
of tho building or It's environments. but
can never forget the dining-room
AS l entered II, | found a long table
stretched from end to end of the ca
pacious room, and literally groa ming
beneath the weight of creature com
fosts. Huge dishes Of old ham. barbe-
.r,ipv .i,l
chicken. with the regulation brown
with all the vegetables Of the season
and pies and things" The genuine
jackson watcrmclons cut into fancy
shapes. stood on their ends. the table
over. and l gazed upon the red and
tempting meat, my heart felt thrill
OF new JOY. / have been to Richmond
OFTEN vince, and sat at many tables
and gathered with guests around ban
quoting boards. but have never vet
looked upon table like that nor do I
ever exIect to look upon its like again
some years after I went again to
the capital city and registered at the
Exchange which had then been con-
nected with the Ballard House by a
bridge. The late Colonel Darlington
mine most" peerless and princely. was
In commani. and never under any hotel
ROOF gathered more OF the beauty and
chivalry Of Virginia. Some ready and
gifted write- should put on record the
history OF those married hostelries
refrain from the task and content my
self with giving one ludicrous incident
from n supper scene. the dining-roon
then being i'll the Ballard House, the
custom being to exchange dining
rooms from the TO time. sat " the
table with number OF young Demo-
Gratis from thi. section of the state
who were there attending a convention
OF the party. AAong the number was a
hril .r1- l.,
OF Charlotte, VIC when he tackled the
beefsteak, experienced some difficulty
in cutting IL with a silver knife. Col
onei Darlington wac in the room at the
time. was his custom, 10 see that
guests were properly and promptly
waited upon. The embryo politician.
seeing him standing some distance
from the table at which We sat. called
I 10 him loudly 10 come that way The
dignihed and courtly colonel responded
AZ once. and was shocked when the
young man said TO him. so that others
could hear, Colonel. If you'll have this
ilCetstcak sawed into cony enient shapes
! think can 'cnaw' it, but will be
I'D II / can cut 1t with this here
! knife" The colonel flushed. but the
laugh was on. and he had TO take his
medicine
Another political incident, immensely
ludicrous at the time has lost
none OF its uniqueness with me as the
days have come and gore. Two poll
tical conventions We're in session in
the city AZ the time and representa-
lives OF the opposing parties met in an
all-night saloon near the Exchange.
in the early hours of tae morning
The Republican began to badger the
[ Democrat and predicted sweeping vic
, tory for his party and added, Il am
ready to back my Judgment with the