Wives At Auction

The history of Virginia, says the Kichmond Whig, com menees with an auction sale - not, however, in a store, but beneath the green trees of Jamestown, where probably the most anxious and in;erested crowd of auotion habitués known n the history of the world were gathered. [n a letter, still to be seen, dated London, August 21, 1621, and directed to a wealthy oolonist in that settlement, the writer bea;ins by saying, " We send a shipment, one widow and eleven maids for wives of the people of Virginia. There hath been especial care in the choice of them, for there hath not one of them. been received but upon good oommendations. In case they cannot be presen tly married, we desire that they may be put with several aouseholders that have wives until they can be provided with husbands." But the writer of this epistle had little reason to fear that any of the " maidens faire" would be left over. The archives oontain evidence to prove that these first cargoes of young ladies were put up at auction and sold for 120 pounds of tobáceo each, and it was ordered that this debt should bave precedence of all others. The solitary " one widow" went along with the others, for they could not be particular in those days. The good minister of the colony no daubt had busy time that day. He did not mention any fees, nor did the bridegrooms think of tendering any. All was joy and gladness; no storms ahead, no uneasines8 for the future, no acquisitive clerk to stand and say, - " Here's the license, fork over that $1." Nothing of that sort. From some of these couples the first families of Virginia are descended.