of his existence, and looking up head to one side in a peculiarly

into his eyes with the archest expression, said in the sweetest voice as she turned her bright

bird-like manner:

"Frank, let's drop it!"
(TO BE CONTINUED.)

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA, FIFTY YEARS AGO.

THE LADIES.

AMONG so many elegant women great age, and retained her love it is hard to choose of whom first for society to the last. I rememto speak. Perhaps age, should ber her coming to the hotel in have the priority, and I will give Richmond to see me, when she was upwards of 80-cheerful, talkative, and pleasant as ever.

a slight sketch of one who had many other claims to that distinction. Mrs. John Mayo, the mother of Mrs. General Wingfield Scott.

Mrs. Judge Nicholas was one of the most elegant women I ever saw. Not beautiful, but with a grace and charm of manner, more attractive than beauty; cheerful, refined, dignified, she presided over her entertainments so as to make all happy, while she was

She must have been nearly 70, still, a fine looking woman, talked fluently, and well, and was called a woman of talent. She went to all places of amusement with her daughter, and at parties generally herself, apparently, the unconfound some gentleman who would scious "observed of all obserspend the evening with her over vers."

the chess or back-gammon board, Near to Judge Nicholas' modthough I have often seen her en- est house, was the newly erected joying a sober game of whist.- and splendid mansion of Mr. Although both were silent games, Wickham--everything about it she found opportunity to say a was on a scale of magnificence good many good things. The then new to Richmond. Mrs. parties at her house (the Hermi- Wickham was very beautifultage about a mile from town) dressed in "gold and pearl, were real entertainments. Music, and costly array "--everything readings, wit, humor, she, and about her was magnificent-she her accomplished daughter know- was polite and lady-like-and a ing so well how to bring out the fine musician. Always willing to agreeableness of their guests, that gratify her company, with her each one contributed to the performance on the piano. The amusement of the whole, and all guest, did not seem to enjoy themwent away satisfied with them- selves in her dining-rooms, as in selves. Mrs. Mayo lived to a others less brilliant. Everything

was too fine, she was the great early romance, as the lady-love of lady, of a great establishment, the celebrated John Randolph, of and kept herself at a great dis- Boanoke, may have given her tance from the great multitude, some éclat--but the madonna therefore, when they went there, beauty of her face, and refined they were too much petrified to urbanity of manner, would have be at ease. I have heard that been admired under any circumwhen Mrs. Wickham's daughter stances. There were many others grew up, there was more sociabil- who, perhaps, ought to be menity and not so much form. tioned, who contributed to the

The young ladies must have a

Of all the houses in Richmond, splendid society of that day. Mr. Wirt's was the most agreeable to me. He then lived in a separate chapter. First, the peerwhite wooden house on Grace less Maria Mayo-afterwards Mrs. street. It was taken down several General Scott-head, heart, form, years ago, and a large brick house and features were of the first orbuilt on the site. Mrs. Wirt was der. Sensible, witty, accomplisha little grave, but so kind, refined ed, cultivated-where was her and easy in manner, that she was equal? None aspired to it. Old no restraint on the young people and young, male and female lookwho were reveling in the wit, ed upon her as a nonpareil. Withhumor, and gaiety of Mr. Wirt. al she was so perfectly amiable It was delightful to see a man, that envy itself was disarmed.who the applause of listening Scores of lovers bowed at her senates could command, give shrine, and when rejected as lovhimself with perfect abandon to ers became friends. It was some the amusement of a parcel of silly young girls. Mrs. Wirt was a splendid performer on the piano, and her music was the charm of the evening at her house. The love. Staying, at the time, in the company was select-the size of house of a friend and confidant, rooms preventing large assem- I became so familiarly acquainted blies--the conversation, if not with him as to know the progress literary, a little less frivolous than of the affair, and I think I never in larger companies. Both host knew a man more deeply in love, and hostess, were so highly cul- and strange as it may seem to tivated, as naturally to give it a some who have known their after higher tone. Mrs. Judge Cabell, history, I believe the attachment the sister of Mrs. Wirt, added continued to his death. The last another charm to the attractions time I saw him (in '59,) he spoke of her house. I have already of her with the greatest affection, spoken of her matured beauty, grace and urbanity.

two or three years after the period I have been writing of, that General Scott came to renew his addresses to Miss Mayo-his first

and regretted that her health had kept her so much abroad, while his duties detained him at home. It is the fashion now in the South Her to abuse General Scott, but may

Mrs. Peyton Randolph was another of those lovely women who flourished at that time.

VOL. III.-NO. III.

17

We went to

I not speak of him as a young show of religion. man-the hero of Chippewa and the Capitol every Sunday where Lundy's Lane. That he was a Mr. Buchanan, Episcopal, and good officer, a brave and gallant Mr. Blair, Presbyterian, alterman no one will deny; but I speak nately held service. They both of him as he was in private, ami- were excellent men and good able, affectionate, a true and preachers-but did not make the constant friend. His manners distinction between the Church were affable, his conversation flu- and the world that we now do. ent and full of classical allusions, I have seen them stand and look without pedantry. Thus I ever on the merry dance, apparently found him in our little social cir- enjoying it as much as the young cle, where the vanity which so many exaggerated had no display, and where the good qualities of his head and heart were appreciated by true friends. Much as I regret he was not with us, I cannot blame him for what must have caused him a struggle.

folks.

The monumental church was not finished, and the church afterwards built for Mr. Blair, on Seventh street, not thought of. I suppose there was a pastor on Church Hill, but that was unknown ground at that time to the fashionables of Shockoe. The general tone of society, in Richmond, was highly moral. If there was vice she was ashamed to show her face, and the tongue of scan

I would like to describe many of the young ladies who were my companions-but I can scarcely individualize where there were so many lovely and accomplished. Perhaps I ought not to omit the dal was not tolerated. I don't accomplished daughters of that gallant old hero, of Stony Point, Major Gibbern, whose house was the seat of hospitality, enlivened by the harp, and piano, of his daughters, nor the neighboring some restraint, on the exuberance splendid mansion of Mr. Marx, of youthful spirits. The loudlaugh was considered ungraceful and slang words abominable.

remember ever to have heard an unbecoming word or allusion. The constant presence of elderly ladies and gentlemen in high position naturally put a whole

on the corner of Fifth and Cary street. His was also a lovely family, highly educated, and his The young ladies of the present eldest daughter, just out in com- day may be skeptical as to the pany, was an oriental beauty, a education of their grand-mothers, brunette, with soft almond-shaped but I can assure them that I never eyes, glancing through the long hear finer music, or more literary silken lashes, and the sweetest ex- conversation than beguiled my pression of countenance. I have youthful evenings. I make no inheard she had lately become a vidious comparisons with modern Christian, as well as some of her times-but I must confess, I have sisters. In the fashionable circle sometimes, of late years been in which I spent this gay winter, startled by a burst of laughter there was very little outward from a pretty young girl, and

somewhat pained by hearing a made into life-long friendships a group of wild girls and clever and as I turn over the leaves of young men talking in tones better the volumes of memory, I will suited to a mill, than a drawing- make such extracts as I think room. I have given my impres- may be interesting to otherssions of my first winter in Rich- though it is difficult to select, mond, succeeding years ripened where all is of interest to me. many of the acquaintances then

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT, DISTRICT NO. 1, UNDERWOOD J.

Virginia! how sad is thy case,

How degraded thy judgments impartial,
When Underwood sits in the place

That once was adorned by a MARSHALL,
We say it with reason that Fate

Was cruel, if not undiscerning,
To give Knavery, Pedantry, Hate,

For Goodness and Wisdom and Learning.

They tell us that Justice is blind,
And thus we may safely determine
How Underwood e'er was assigned

To wear her immaculate ermine;
His peer you'll not find in your track,
Though you travel from Maine to Missouri,
Whose villainous heart is as black
As the faces of five of his jury.

Foul spectre of Jeffreys, avaunt!
Apparition of Impey, be quiet!
When Underwood comes with his cant
To investigate murder and riot;
Yet if you will not be denied,
But insist you are birds of a feather,
Take your places at once by his side
And all three sit in banco together.

THE HAVERSACK.

WHATEVER good qualities the expense of sweat, grumbling, and Southern soldiers possessed at the it may be, something a little more beginning of the war, a fondness emphatic, the boys would be for work was not among them. - marched off abandoning the fruits The order to intrench never failed of their labor, or they would have to elicit a growl of discontent. It to fight behind the earth pile of was not long, however, until the some fellows even lazier than discovery was made that "a pile themselves. So it came to be a of red yeath (earth) was a good common saying with them, thing," as the old tar-heel ex- are willing to dig, if you'll let us pressed it, when a minnié struck fight behind our own dirt." the embankment just before him. For a time, "spades were trumps,"

we

E. R. F., of Gainesville, Alauntil the newspapers began to bama, tells us of a rather remarkable application of this notable phrase. One day when the boys were bitterly grumbling about a change in their position, which

pour into camp with the indignant comments of fighting Editors upon such a mode of warfare: "West Point science," ، pick and shovel Generals," "Joe. Johnston strategy," &c., &c. Then for a brief period, these criticisms looking specimen of rebeldom

chimed in with natural indolence, and the "boys in grey," in the

last days of '61 and the first days

of '62, had as great an aversion to labor as "the gentlemen in black" have in this blessed year, 1867, of liberty, harmony and reconstruction. It was not long, however,

had thrown them behind "the dirt" of other troops, a very hard

passed along, who was more sooty, more greasy, more begrimed and more dirty than even the lazy crowd of malcontents. Corporal

Dial, 5th Ala. battalion, cried out, "here's a fellow, who ought to be satisfied, he fights behind his own dirt! No ball can ever get through that pile on his face!" After that every dirty-faced fellow was said to fight behind his own dirt.

What a happy political illustration is here! How many are now "fighting behind their own dirt!" Have a little patience: they will soon eat it all up. They are good at that sort of thing!

until the soldiers discovered that the aforesaid fighting Editors did not set the example of "bravely charging breast-works with the bare bosoms of freemen." They began to suspect that there was a little, a very little humbug about these gallant flourishes, and the pick, shovel and spade rose in market value. Another difficulty was not long in springing up and proved a more powerful auxiliary to laziness. After the works had conscript officer. Capt. H, been painfully constructed at much a well-known conscript officer,

Our kind friend F. O. Seth, Esq., of Shreveport, La., furnishes us with a hard story on a