Year: 1865

It was a Beautiful October morning as I
sauntered along the road to High Point with
little Flibbertigibbct as my guide, cicerone,
or companion whichever the reader may please
to call him, but partaking Of the capacity of
all and yet none, for he stopped behind to see
a man who was coming across the. fields. and
to talk with some school chaps whom We
met, and walked alone, for knew the way


and the road was plain and direct, so he was
neither companion, guide nor cicerone, except
in name, but he overlook me just as | was
coming in sight Of the House. 1t loomed up
suddenly at the end of the lane in all its soli-
tary grandeur, just as in the old time as though
it had been only yesterday had seen it last.
The red brick house stood there in the au-
tumn sunshine solitary and alone apparently,
for neither as we approached nor as we passed
did we see single individual, human or ami
NAL, though the house is inhabited I believe.
Very different was the aspect of the place
twenty four years ago when first saw it;
for then there was all the interest, hustle and
excitement of wedding. I arrived with a
small party Of ladies in winter afternoon
the sky was overcast and fine rain had set
in, but this only enhanced the cheerful and
inviting aspect of the interior Of the mansion,
where fires were burning in every room, and
subdued excitement was visible in the young
er members of the family in anticipation of
the first wedding Of the family, when the eld-
est sister was to cast her lot with another;
she who had been like a mother to them since
the death of their real mother. The drawing
room was sumptuously ard luxuriously fur
nished, and the whole interior of the house
bore evidence of af1luence, degree of luxury
quite unusual in so remote a country place.
The sleeping apartments exhibited this feature
as we'll as the draw;ng-room, tho state bed
room-especially where there was a large and
magnificent, pavillion-!ikc structure of ma
hogany with square columns and heavy cor
nice, to which there was flight of mahogany
steps inlaid with carpeting to enable the oc-
cupant to ascend the couch, which when he
had accomplished he seemed to be lost in his
vast temporary domain. The rest of the fur
niture corresponded in style and magniicence
to this. Or the aforementioned festive oc-
casion the house and place departed very con-
siderably from its accustomed quiet; and the
enlivening strains Of the violin with the MIN
BILE capcring of the dancers feet in the grace
ful sarayantj impaired an air Of gayety and
cheerfulness becoming the OCCASION.


The bride looked serene but thoughtful in
her simple, but rich and elegant bridal attire


a white silk of heavy fabric, and neat, elegant
pattern, and with sprig of mistlctoe in her
hair whose white glossy berries locked like
pearls set with emeralds There was fresh
ness and simplicity of character added to un-
usual intelligence and refinement in all the
members of this family, and delicacy Of ply
sical organization which added to the above
mentioned traits, rendered them unusually in
teresting as family as well as individuals.
One or two of the daughters possessed very
rare degree Of beauty in the perfect contour
Of face and form. The brothers cxcelled in
manly sports especially in horsemanship and
appeared to advantage in the saddle The Sec
ond as we'll as the elder possessed fine mind
with unimpcachable moral principles as we'll as
feelings and affections cast in the finest mould
which doubtless proved to him a safeguard
against temptation and immortality. He also
possessed fund of dry humour and smooth
ness of disposition and temper which always
rendered him ataiable and agreeable in the
domestic circle The father of this family
who within year past has gone ''to that
bourne from whence no traveller returns, y
possessed the most amia0le simplicity Of char
acter, and yet possessed the wisdom of the
serpent with the harmlessness of the dove.
His example might shame many protesting
Christians, for though he did aot profess holi-
ness be was as harmless in word and deed as
the most circumsDect Christian. He was re-
markably discreet in conversation, and very
considerate of the claims and feelings Others,
being always ready to deny himself for the
qualification of others, even those who should
have given way to him from Difference to his
superior age. The absence of consciousness
was distinguishing trait in his character and
he practised the golden rule with the greatest
fidelity. The maxim Judge not found in
him living exeg4plication. 1t was very
soothing to sensitive mind to associate with
this kindly old gentleman who never gave ut
terance to anything wounding or irritating,
or who at least did not say or do anything to
leave a ranking wound behind It was only
to be regretted that such an amiab!e charac-
ter and life should not have been found on the
side of religion and in the cause of protesting
Christianity, and that in theory he was sSep-
tcal. lie was descended from the Huguenots
and though personally he gave clear indica-
tons of his descent from that mercur;al, shoul'
der-shruggng nation, yet there was depar-
ture from the evangelical principles Of that
sect of Protestant French who took refuge in
America from religious prosecutions. He