The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1870-01-14

EefCOileCfiOMs or the Olden Time
First Series---No 5.

10 tie A'torS If he A%gjS d MteItigencer;
am aware, Messrs Editors, that | am
now about to tread upon dangerous ground
and ask your sympathes. This letter, ac-
cording to promise, is to be devoted to the
Ladies of Bel Air and vicinity of the olden
time. This is delicate task to be volun-
tarily assumed-particularly when it is re.
membercd that unmarried ladies never pass
the age of twice fifteen. If should hap
pen to name one still in state of single
blessedness who was in her teens forty
years ago, everybody will know she has re-
manned so from choice, and | honor her for
moral heroism very rare in this capricious,
speculative world of ours.
1t is q singular freak in nature, and II
happy phase in human vicissltude that a
lady never passes thirty until after mar
riage, unless she chooses to do so, and am
sure |, for one, am glad of it, for nothing
could be more repugnant to my sense of
the grand and beautiful than an old and
decrepid angel. Thus much by way of
introduction to the delicate task before
me.
There were but few single ladies in Bel
Air at the period of which l write. | will
try to name them. There was Miss Adeia
Mckenny, threee Misses Hays, Miss Mar
garet Maulsby, Miss Harriet Bond, Miss
Mary Ann Jones, Miss Mary Richardson,
and two Misses Robinson, These are all
that | remember more distinctly. Miss
Nc Kenny was, perhaps, rather the eldest
OF those ! have enumerated possessed fine
personal appearance, and was said by those
who knew her best, to be more than ordi-
narily intellectual. She was large, graceful
and prepossessing, and although she was
kind and social, | never had the moral
courage to look her straight in the face
when she accosted me, as she often did, be-
cause, although but a boy, had sense
enough to be aware of my own mental in
teriority. A lovely trait in her character
was, great fondness for, and attention to,
her aged parents.
Although l saw the Misses Hays nearly
every day, l have strangely forgotten their
given names, though l think they were
Sally, Mary and Amelia, and l may not
give them in the order of age. Although
reared in affluence with all the advanta-
ges of education and ornament, they were
exceedingly social, unassuming and affable
| heard of the marriage of the eldest and
iiiOoU uC'lCdtC VI Vic tDICC W lily lTlCUCl
Sam. Galloway some years after l left Bel
Air. The next in age, and l think her
name was Mary, was tall and stately, with
a flash of hilarlty and joyousness in her
brilliant dark eye, The features of the
third do not remember so well, but they
were are all pretty and genial, and | re-
member quite well, that, had | been old
enough, and good enough, any one of them
could have gotten me. There were two
Others in the family, but they were children
Miss Margaret Maulsby was, perhaps,
the belle of the village, and in the estima-
ton OF most persons, the prettiest lady in
1t. She was tall and symmetrical, with an
eye as bright as a gazelle's and cheeks as
rich and luscious as the delicate tint of a
peach She was the pet of the family
though not spoiled, and was as free=hearted,
wild and happy, as if life had no sorrows
and the sun of the future was never to be
obscured by cloud. She married Thos
G. Howard, an amiable and most excellent
gentleman. When lastsaw Mrs. Howard
she was in delicate health. the lily had
usurped the place of the rose, and the vi
yacity of the eye had given place to
languor, but trust she eventually recov-
cred, and still lives to bless and comfort
her relations and friends.
Miss Harriet Bond was of like cast OF
character, though far different in personal
adornments. She wore upon her head o
wealth of yellow ringlets, and glance OF
her laughing eye was as pleasant and re-
freshing as sunbeam upon bed of vi
Diets Ofrather fragile form, she was as
active as tawn, and never happier thar
when she had it in her power to torment
an admirer. Such was her influence will