Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1858-10-06
NO. 23S.
MISCELLANEOUS READING.


, THE OLD HOUSES OF OLD ENGLAND.
We have recently taken, as il serc. q. s,a X
through the green grave yards ot O.t r .-
land, aud lipg'red over the familiar names
written on their marble mOnumaUts. J. u.,
interesting & trace the relat, usAips ". i.n
people Il tbr two Eng.aud, IN t-ase l..s-
stones Of the long homes Ut departed ..'rT.-
lions. Let us now Visit some %. tie ..NI- o..
the VI lthcr CGuutry, which are IL - a.-..y
related still 70 those so dear I u'lG or "..
There they stand, brig ht-Inccd add nnppg. 80
almost every town aud village ~ Oh LI-.1al.
Old houses they are, and often odd !ynhl-:
but | love to gaze and mediate uPDa t@"u.
and think Of the times they have seen, ami
of the family histories they might 1--WE u, D..
their walls bore the record OF al! that b"- bog
pened in them. Dear, quaint old house.
may they last for centuries to come. o"i
home many u happy group. Ard | @'"E
they will DO s.; for they are strongly tg.i,
some Of brick, others Of stone, ant MI "-r
thick walled aud solid ~ i rock. would
admire tee look Of those walls. Many C.;
them must nave been built up "!thcu: rall'
of plummet or line. One might eeeu taif K
tha. in some cases, tho carpenter Cr u.a~ -
take after having laid the foundation. tar,
sometimes be built in one then in smother;
now leaning tow Irds the road, uow dgaNirS
back rather suddenly then winding inwar.s
from u straight iue at Doth ends Tic queer
windows hook out dimiy upon tho world
through this Wallace. Indeed thc old l. a-a
seems to peer about it through spectacle,
with beard Of two hundred year growth.
h.. l.. Of 10. r.
often uetted over with veil o! that creon .'y,
OF which you have heard 80 much said aad
sung. The little Wiudow-Gramgs are iTg-
quently oliron, rather rusty, beot auG thtt rel,
aud the panes OF glass are iIso the patchW.."
in cGyerlet or carpet-very smai', square ~
diamond shaped, and sometimes cyiyrcI ike
the windows OF some churches you nave s''r.
For glass, you must remember was Wy
scarce ana dear, and had not bCcn u~'. Oh.
great while when these old b0u.es wyr" lalt.
These windows generally open Ou,wara gn
hinges. ust like doors, aud are c.J.,i. 90
kept open by iron hooks and staple, Ike Dr
gates 10 country towns. The roofs vi. a'h-
attract your attention; for they speak ot tue
! uien time. They are long aud steep gg""--
: ally; sometimes covered with straw TO-.
thick, laid on a. different times. TIE b.
! comes 50 hard and solid that the RAIN sa.uJD
/ drip- through IT, But HcS Of siatc-,t ul 0r
brick are more c3mmDnl, used i5r lAt o.'sl-
ing of roofs. A. for SdinyieS tie are unknown
even by name IL Eng and The oo,y thing
called shingIee' are the round, snJo'n pey.
ble- and stoucs Oh the sca-beach.
Blu, IT is the inside Of these Old E1lisa
houses that seem most homc!Ikc to those ".'
remember the dwellings Of the iorc-'..i eg- ..
New England. We SEQ what they csN..
from, the moment we open the door a one ..
these houses. liJre IS the great ksica,n a.t
si,iug.room wr.h its brick OF stgru 4 .o.. ..-
ceiling over bead with great, crOos,t D.. I-
OF hali-hcwn Euglsh OAK; black AID a.."ar
ike ebony, and - low, man 0t crm"N3
height could hardly stand upTisht uaG.Ita.1
with bic hat uff Brave old OAK. - ir'a
heart hariens under storm and tiE', a5a
. lives it, life If ;. Thousand years. AaI t...a
is the fireplace! There is a chimney cJg.ar
for you. there is where New Ens Iamd learn.
ed the A, B, &, Of home love and patriot. u.
Blessings on that sturdy oak and on tuy,h
walls ol brick and stone for prescrvinRi TO as
the old patterns from which our iCrc-'"tr'r'
modelled their iresides. Look At the l.n@n,
breadth and depth Of this before u, y fire
Stdc is no fiction here; it means 'omc'H.n:
truthful, real and comfortable. 4 long -lla
inuced' inr eAIcn's ne," I'i ,''
krcnen' LOOK at Tue dePh' i''""p
iuiI SIX teet' with wooden oehSH o' 80
slde' long enough u seat nan u" - '''.'.'
rem, all inside ol the chimney ihs '1
the "Chr'stmdS (oy;' set the "'I ruddl ,'e"'
farmer and his good wife IN the arm c!itl'
before the fire, and half i zen merry y,i"'-
stars facing each other on the beocLGs ~ TAO
o.n,.;,o o,r,o., ,C rho nI',,gp.. I.ry