Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-12-26
THE GAZETTE.
A VISIT TO GOLDSMITlrS DESERTED
VILLAGE.
MONDAY MORNING. Dkcrnrrr %. 1859.
Correspondence 81 Me Bosfo" Ta"'||er.I

Correspondence ot Ms Bosfo" Tror'i'er.
ArHLoNE. Ireland. Sept. %, 1859.
left your readers, at the close Of my
last letter, standing ut the door Of the ruined
parsonage which Rev. Charles Goldsmith &c
cuped, aud in which the childhond ct the
poe, was passed Close by this, stands the
village school. or what WAS the village school,
aud in that low cabin, which the man VIII"
owns the potato patch IN Goidsm,th's par
Tor, now calls home, once walked and taught
that most distinguished of school masters.
Of whom the climax is reached in the lines:
And still they talked and still the wonder grew,
That on. shall head could carry all he knew.
Not many years ago it was an uncov cred
mass Of walls, but latterly it has been that
ched, and makes a classical, if not com
Portable house.
As the pretty little pond Of water in the
meadow meets the eye. the thought IS, the
mill. Yes. where is the busy mill--~hele
the never failing brook? A little further
along. and we shall see it. The carman who
took me over has been persuading the few
travellers who run eight miles from rail-
way to see the Deserted Village, that the
base OF one of those mysterious Round Tow
ers found all over Ireland, was Goldsmith's
mill. There is, indeed winnowing mill IN
the bottom of that, but it is, | think, mo-
dern appliance; and ! was ut first. and |
continued to be, incredulous, about the
busy mill" being winnowing mill IN the
base OF round tower away troman RUM
ing stream. prevailed on him at length to
john me in an exploring expedition, for
believed that the brook and the mill would
be found to be united in fact, "a they are in
the poem. A tall tower. square, not round,
invited investigation, but proved TO be the
last relic of small castle Of the feudal
times. Close under the castle WAS hut,
and there we went with the twofold purpose
of getting water and information. But iath-
or and mother were both gone. and nobody
was at home but little slatternly, dirty girl.
She might give US the water, but she could
tell US nothing Of the mill.
While she was running for the dipper and
rinsing it, was taking an inventory OF the
contents Of the howell which had but one
room and large cupboard or whatever you
like to call it; but wholly empty. And this
is what the room contained:-A large ire
place with few glowing turfs on the hearth;
tub; o huge wooden box, which had no
drawers and whose function was not obvi-
Gus; two chunks of wood. los-shaped, tor
chairs; an earth floor, very rough; an iron
Dot in the doorway; half dozen shelves:
two tin teapots; five plates and bowl or
two; ladder leading to an open place over
the closet mentioned above. where suppose
Law pallet of straw. All the house con-
tanned would hardly bring five shillings ut a
public SALE The girl came running up rs
soon as had finished taking account OF
stock. bringing tin dipper, which, although
she had rinssd it two or three times, still had
rim Of buttermlk running round 1t. But
the water was good and sweet.
AT the door Of the next cabin, was an old
woman aged about one hundred and SIXTY,
Judging by her counteoance, to whom my
companion, the cart driver, shouted. asking
if she knew where the old mill was. III show
the gintlemau," answered she, and tottled
out before us leading the way down little
hill. where, i'm minute very small race,
way was in view. 1t was the smallest kind
of mill. the hume was not four feet across,
aud the never failing brook was now dry
An overshot wheel was at the end OF the
building, and must have affected the poet
mind, as running water always affects tue
minds Of boys. | remember the brooks
where used to play. better than any other
scenes Of my childhood.
The door Of the mill was open and went
in, and with the sanction Of my guide broke
of q piece of the hopper large enough To
make wooden box to keep my copy OF the
complete works 1fOliver Goldsmith IN. The
mill is now out Of repair, and has been tor
two years II is ofno use except to show to
visitors, and there is hardly one week who
goes ont of the way to see it. There Is 50
much that lies on railways now days that
tourists seldom leave the iron track. Still
the old woman has shown the mill enough to
learn to like the feeling Of the money which
visitors drop into her palm.
Leaving the mill and the driedup brook.
we rode leisurely along to the church ON the
hill. about a mile and half away. AS
We neared it, we could see what a ruin 1t now
is. there being left Of it. nothing but the tower.
1t must have been fine large church IN us
day. took rough sketch Of it for future re-
ference, and thought of the quaint good men
who used to preach in it and Of the little
homely boy who got bis first impression u
religious things within its walls.
A little was from its stands the new church,
a pretty edi6ce indeed, and which Goldsmith
would now characterize by still stronger
word than decent" were he to write the
deserted Village" over again. Still further
along on the road is the house OF Rev.
Charles Goldsmith's successor IN the curacy.
His house is neat stone cottage, but as
peeped within through the open door, there
were unmistakable signs Of sqnalor and pow
erty. A woman was washing near the door,
but that was not against her; but it was aSinst
her that she wasa very dirty woman, and had
q number of dirty children around her.
could not learn that more than two or
three Americans have preceded me- IN thus
interesting ramble; but it will not be long
now that Ireland is attracting tourists In
such numbers from England. before the Anne
rican admirers Of poor Noll on our side q
the Atlantic will pluck bit Of mortar from
his fathers house, and a bit otfurze from the
roadside where in childhood ne played,
GUZMAN.
rs- JOHN A. FIELD bOgs leave to remind
his friends, that he is candidate ter the otbce OF
Sheriff of Alexandria City and County, a. the