. Virginia, the Old Dominion, as seen from its colonial waterway, the historic river James, whose every succeeding turn reveals country replete with monuments and scenes recalling the march of history and its figures from the days of Captain John Smith to the present time . — microbes all unknown. Thenumerous spoons too speak of the time whenthere were no forks to share their of the silver remaining to-day is en-graved with the coat of arms of the Car-ters. Suggestive of the days when colonial belleswere toasted about Shirleys table, are theold punch bowl and the punch strainer an
. Virginia, the Old Dominion, as seen from its colonial waterway, the historic river James, whose every succeeding turn reveals country replete with monuments and scenes recalling the march of history and its figures from the days of Captain John Smith to the present time . — microbes all unknown. Thenumerous spoons too speak of the time whenthere were no forks to share their of the silver remaining to-day is en-graved with the coat of arms of the Car-ters. Suggestive of the days when colonial belleswere toasted about Shirleys table, are theold punch bowl and the punch strainer andthe wine coasters; though a more noteworthyobject, having the same associations, is anantique mahogany wine chest with many ofthe original cut glass bottles still in its com-partments. And looking at Shirleys old silver in Shir-leys old dining-room, we thought of the lav-ish colonial entertainments in which both hadplayed their part. What hospitable placeswere those early planters homes! As courts,assemblies, races, funerals, weddings, and fes-tivals took the people up and down the coun-try, they found few inns; but, instead, at everygreat plantation, wide-spreading roofs andever-open doors. The spirit of welcome evenstood at the gates and laid hands upon the 274. AN INCONGRUOUS BIT OF HOUSEBOATING passing traveller, drawing him up the shadyavenues and into the hospitable homes. In the days of the colonial Carters (who,through a complicated network of intermar-riages, were cousins to all the rest of Vir-ginia), Shirley must often have been full tooverflowing. And, along with our thoughts of Shirleyshospitality, came the recollection of a prettystory that had been told to us one day atBrandon by Miss Maiy Lee, daughter ofGeneral Robert E. Lee. It was a story ofone of the merry, old-time gatherings aboutCharles Carters long table in the Shirleydining-room. Among the guests was a dash-ing young cavalry officer who had won fameand the rank of general in the RevolutionaryWar; and
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1920, booksubjecthistori, bookyear1921
