The James River Plantation Belt 



For dessert, pound cake, mince pie, lemon pudding, raspberry puffs, 

 jelly, amber-colored and purple with sylabubs, blanc mange, one 

 couleur de rose, like the light of Aurora's cheek, the other typical 

 of innocence and in Russia of morning, snow white. Champagne, 

 sparkling like wit, in cranelike glasses. A contemplative mind 

 will observe light, volatile particles ascending with accelerative 

 velocity. Ambitious, evanescent aspirants, they hasten to the top 

 only to expire. Madeira and Malaga also revolve in their proper 

 orbits; cloth removed. 



"Third course : Apples, red and green — the red grow at 

 Tedington. Almonds, raisins, olives (de gustibus non dis- 

 putandum), sweetmeats, brandy peaches, and cheese (old English). 



"The sun now sinking in the west, it grows dim crepuscular; 

 candles are lit, healths drunk, easy slipshod dialogues, an occasional 

 cross-fire of puns and concerts, 'a moment there and gone forever,' 

 interspersed with diagonal glances across the table, a sweet, sur- 

 reptitious meeting of the eyes." 



A pretty picture of those good old days ! 



In 1852, Tedington again changed hands, becoming the prop- 

 erty of Colonel Richard Baylor, of Essex County. About this time 

 the plantation was considered one of the very finest on James River, 

 and contained about its original five thousand acres of land with 

 a river front of nearly three miles. Hundreds of slaves tilled the 

 broad, fertile fields. It is said that during harvest nearly three 

 hundred men would be at work in the wheat fields. A hundred 

 or more dusky "cradlers" cut a swath of yellow, heavy-headed, 

 breast-high wheat. A binder followed each "cradler," gathering 

 up the wheat into sheaves, a crowd of young darkies stacked the 

 wheat, and were followed by a long line of the older men 

 (shockers) who gathered the heavy, golden sheaves, and built them 

 into substantial shocks, in straight lines across the fields. The over- 

 seer rode along, giving orders, or speaking words of encourage- 

 ment to the harvest gang. The plantation owner was on horse- 

 back or in the carriage, perhaps, with some visitor or, maybe, some 



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