The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1870-03-04
S51 iGGel la1lepllG.
For the -EgiS d MteliigeRcr'y'
LETTERS FROM VIRGINIA.
New Series, No.

MEssRs. EDIroRs:- In my last desultory
communication, | referred to few of the
old buildings in your town, with little, if
any, allusion to the new. When I left Bel
Air in 1929, there was not building on
that portion fthe principal street north
west of the present residence Of Mr.. VIM.
Jeffrey. The triangular lot formed by the
two roads, which may now be termed streets
was entirely vacant and unimproved, and
the old graveyard, Immediately in the
rear ofthe Methodist Church, was a tan
gled thicket of thorns, here and there
whitened with the bones ofdeparted horses
and other animals. The recent improve
ments in that part of the town alone placed
it almost beyond recognizance on my part,
and bewildered my senses when I tried to
recall it in its former unadorned and rude
simplicity. From the intersection of the
two roads opposite your new and beauti-
full Episcopal. Church to point opposite
Mr.. Hanna's stable, was, in the olden time,
the village race-course, and the ground
upon which Dr. McIlhenney, John Robin
son, A. A. Bond, VIM. Johns and Others
exercised themselves tossing long bullets
Many steed has pranced away from that
ground with new saddle, bride and
martingale, as trophies of the turf, and
many night have I gone to bed with a
striped jacket for riding 440 yards at
a fast gallop, in violation of paternal adj
monition.
Upon what you now term "Hickory
Avenue" there wa not house on either
side of the road, between the Academy
and spot on the wayside opposite the
| Of Uol
was log cabin belonging to John Hen
derson and occupied by colored man by
the name of Sam. Whether or not he had
another name disremember; but lust here
| will take occasion to say that each of
tour fellow citizens of African scent" these
days, has as many names as drove of
them had in the better days of the Repub-
| lie.
But to return to Hickory Avenue. 1t
has now assumed the form and fashion of
II street, and with few more such resi-
dences as those of o. S. Lee and others.
it bids fair soon to become very beauti-
full one. / was not nearer the large and
elegant building occupying the ancient
site of the county Aims House than the
residence of Mr.. Lee, but it struck me as
of rather gloomy and sombre exterior for q
cheerful and happy home, as it doubtless
is and if it were mine it should be enli-
vened and rejuvenated in a dress of white
or straw color, before the flowers peep out
in the spring, OF the birds begin to carol
their summer songs in the beautiful foliage
that surrounds it.
again lost my bearings by the entire
new street that had been formed on the
southwest side of the public square Where
the office of the Democrat and those Other
substantial buildings now stand, old Mr.
Robinson used to raise potatoes and cab
age, and his negro girl Lin was wont to pro-
trude her kinky head above the high plank
fence to pour out the phials of her wrath
upon the unruly boys who occasionally inva-
ded the sanctity other strawberry bed. Oh
changed change! change! thou art en-.
stamped upon everything earthly, and
our senses reel when we try to contemplate
thy wonderful and unfaltering march
But must not moralize, for this is not @
sentimental, but a practical age.
| The surroundings of Bel Air have not
undergone less change than the town itself
Save the field belonging to the Bond es
tate, near the village on the Abingdon road
and the old familiar background of forest
and jungle, the vicinity is very greatly i'm
proved. And just here permit me to cal
attention to the magnificent site for 8
handsome residence in that old field, upor
a knoll upon W, III stood a log cabin wher
l was boy, ~ mediately opposite the
residence of Mrs. Farnandis.
A few PAGES in front of the site now oc
cupied by the large and elegant, but darl
and melancholy looking mansion of DR.
Munnikhuysen, an old gentleman one,
lived by the name of Kennard, or some