Nella Fontaine Binckley: "Odds and Ends from an Artist's Life," Chapter V, Part 2

Washington and Lee University in 1879. American Cyclopædia / Wiki Commons

[Nella Fontaine Binckley, "Odds and Ends from an Artist's Life," Chapter V, part 2. From a transcription annotated by Patricia D'Arcy Binckley of typewritten original, February 25, 2005. Original "written some time after 1941 by Nellie F. Binckley, 1860-1950 or 51." Notes in brackets are mine, unless followed by the initials "P.D.B." Occasionally, additional paragraph breaks inserted for easier reading. 

Many thanks to William Myers, Mary Davy, Sally Young and Sue Davis for their ongoing research collaboration; specifically to William for providing a scan of the original document, and in turn many thanks to Peter Binckley and Patricia D'Arcy "Trish" Binckley (1951-2007), at the source.]

That Fall I went to the Campbell's. They had a beautiful estate right on the bank of the James River, only miles from the Natural Bridge. They were the nicest of people, and gave me a lovely corner room with a big fireplace and every [comfort]. I was a little younger than Mamie, my oldest pupil, but I was competent, so that did not matter. The oldest son, Willie, was a student at Washington and Lee University at Lexington. As it was not far away, he often came home for weekends. He was a nice fellow, but a great tease. One could always tell when he had arrived, for in minutes he had all the children crying. He had names for them which they resented. Howard he called Opecancanough. (He was an Indian chief.) Martha was the Sweet Singer of Israel. I've forgotton what he called Granville, the youngest. Mamie he called the Moonfaced Darling Of Us all.

In the Spring, Mamie and I were invited to spend a week with friends of the family in Lexington. That town is certainly a paradise for young girls, with the students of Washington and Lee and the cadets of the Virginia Military Institute. There was a rivalry between them. While we were there the V.M.I. boys, in the dead of night, painted huge stripes around the big Doric pillars of the University. I believe the University got even with them later, after we had gone.

On Sunday, as we sat at early dinner, two cadets came to call. We had reached dessert, and our hostess sent a maid into the parlor with a tray of ice cream and cake. We entered the parlor soon after and the tray was completely empty. We rather wondered how they managed to eat so fast. Later, after they had taken their leave, we happened to go out on the veranda. They were still in sight up the street, and we understood! We saw them pulling the cake out of their sleeves! Cadets were not allowed any pockets in their uniforms, and carried their handkerchiefs in their sleeves.

One of the students invited me to a baseball game, the first I ever saw. And the last. He enthusiastically explained it all to me, but I couldn't make head or tail out of it. I concluded I hadn't enough brains to understand baseball, so I've never gone to another.

That summer I taught at a small public school in Coal Creek, a little mining village near Knoxville. Mother, May and George went with me and we rented a cottage and kept house. The first day of school there was full attendance. Curiosity, I suppose. I was scared to death when I faced them. I imagined I had to open with some sort of prayer. So I announced that to open school we'd all say the Lord's Prayer together. I began, but not a soul joined in. And halfway through stage fright got me, and I clear forgot the rest. I hurriedly wound up with " . . . forever and ever, amen!" However, I doubt if any of them knew the difference.

The village was just a few houses scattered through a gorge in the mountains, and coal mines all around. The owner of the largest one, a bachelor, (considered the great catch of the neighborhood) invited me to visit his mine. It was interesting, but a smutty business. We had to put on overalls. One Sunday he too me buggy riding. The village was much impressed by such elegance.

There was a small branch railroad through the gorge to take the coal away. But there was only one good road to or from Coal Creek, seldom used, so there were no horses thereabouts. He had to get a buggy from the next county, and use a mule out of his mine to pull it. They had mules in the mines, hitched to little carts, to haul the coal from the shafts. As we drove along he [remarked] that the mule hadn't seen daylight for three years. I did appreciate his taking so much trouble, and told him so.

One day a darkey man appeared, bringing from him a huge book, Napoleon's Book of Fate [italics added]. I did not want it, but did not wish to hurt his feelings. So I kept it awhile and then, when he was calling on me, returned it to him, thanking him for lending it to me. The poor fellow did not have savour faire enough to explain, as I made it very conclusive. Then the darkey appeared again with a bushel of large red apples, hard as rocks, with a scrap of paper on which he had written "will keep for six months." I love apples, but I like them ripe and mellow. These were adamant. I don't remember just how we disposed of them. Perhaps Mother cooked them. 

[Ellen/Nellie/Nella Fontaine Binckley (September 1, 1860-April 27, 1951). Family names and dates were whimsically tweaked by their owners during their lifetime, adding mystery and sometimes causing confusion. For Binckley's "Artist's Life," I'm opting for the full artist's signature name, Nella Fontaine Binckley. 

The Campbells included Alexander Doak Campbell (1823-1901), James William Campbell (1861-1888), Frank Howard Campbell (1867-1939), Martha Bell Campbell (died 1930), Mary Elizabeth Campbell (1864-1934) and Frances Campbell (1869-1948).

Coal Creek, Tennessee = subsequently part of the Coal Creek War; renamed Rocky Top in 2014. 

Mother = Mary Louisa/Louise Mitchell/Michel Binckley (1838-1930).
George = George Sydney Binckley (1870-1940).
May = May Binckley (1875-1968).]