The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1870-04-15

LETTERS FSo& VIRGINIA.
No. 10.

some dozen miles before l get to the latter
place, and consume good deal Of time in
wayside comments.
Soon after passing the gate, / noticed a
little cluster of houses which | was, told
bore tie name of "Woolsey's Shops" the
timbers of which, the last time | had pass
ed that way, were probably part Of the
neighboring forest. | didn't learn who
Mr.. Woelsey was, or where from, but he
was an enterprising Down Easter" l i'm
agine, as no man this side of the Susque-
hanna would have had the nerve to put a
coach factory in such locality. A little
farther on, to the right of the road, lived
OF more energy than beauty, somewhat
pigeon-toed, and his ordinary gait was be-
tween walk and trot, and equally as
rapid as that of an ordinary saddle horse.
He was plasterer by occupation, indus
trious and frugal, and managed to make
both ends meet at the end of the year, with
a surplus for rainy day. Whether living
or gone "aloft" didn't learn, but he was
an honest, persevering man, and consider
cd good and faithful workman. Thence
to Churchvillc | noticed but few changes,
except in the road, which, in the long ago,
had no bottom in soft weather, but now
it seemed to have II substantial founda-
ton.
The old Herbert Hotel, at Churchvile as
also the storchouse on the opposite corner,
the Church and the old residence opposite,
all wore the same aspect they did as far
back as my memory runs, except that they
are now Of course more dilapidated, and the
hotel had been despoiled of some Gifts out
buildings. l still cherish pleasant memo
ries of old Mr.. Herbert, his wife and son
James. The latter occupied the store, kept
Bachelors Hall, married a very beautiful
lady about the time he was turning down
the opposite side of life, was famous for
making cherry bounce, driving fine horses,
and was a splendid judge Of dried fruit and
good whiskey, and could see rs far into
a milestone as any other man, although
he never event but one eye on it" at a
time.
When boy, followed several valued
friends to their lowly bed in the old grave
yard at Churchville, and among them my
bosom friend and play-fellow, Robert
Observation-Disclosures of Rev. George Morri-
son, long connected with the Bel Air Acad-
emy-who was cut down in his youth just
as the buds Of promise were bursting into
bloom, and as the world had begun to
open out all bright and beautiful before
him. Poor boy, l thought Of him us |
passed his quiet resting place in the calm
moon light, and dropped silent tear to
his memory.
From Churchvillc to Havre de Grace, a
road with which was once as familiar as
l am now with the way to my place OF
business, | saw but little distinctly, but
here and there the old land marks stood
out, and brought particular localities to
memory. A hamlet had sprung up on the
way at crossroads, the name Of which |
have forgotten, but when the old "Stone
House" hove in sight it stirred up recollec-
tions of the past, and carried me back at
a bound to the olden time. Well do | re-
member old Mrs. Smith, who resided and
presided there through two or three gene
ratlons, and my heart grew lighter as
passed it, but sadder when | reflected that
the warm hearted friends beneath its roof
who were wont in the buried past to bid
the weary newsboy a cheerful welcome
had all gone to the land of shadows. 1t
was beneath that roof that first became
acquainted with William Morgan. one OF
the cherished friends of my boyhood, and
with whom had the pleasure of meeting
at Havre de Grace during my late visit
and who, like myself has been battered
and buffeted by the rough pillows of time
and chance.
Thence to Havre de Grace, us far as
could Judge by the shimmering moonlight
improvement, like the soul of John Brown
had been 'marching on" The old resi-
dence of Thomas Courtney, with its ancient
surroundings, still graces the road side, but
farther on, stretching away in the dircc-
ton OF Bells Ferry, Gas Lapidum was
called before Dutch and Cherokee had be-
come musical) the old gully scanned fields,
which, believe, belonged to the Dennison
estate, seemed to have been divided into
several small farms, and gave out signs OF
something like successful culture. Half Il
century ago there was not heritage enough
upon that broad boundary to keep the soul
and body of donkey together, (ifdonkey' S
have souls,) and even the dog belonging
to "squatter' on portion Of it, had to
lean against the cabin to bark. In a word,
it was SO poor that an honest man wouldn't
dare to try to coax living out Of it.
The next, on the right, is the old Den
nison estate, with its castle-l like residence,
which reminded me when boy, of the
old baronial establishments of which had
read in English story. Two Commodores,
| think, in the American Navy, married in
that housc-viz: Rodgers and Henley
both of whom | knew-the former being a
distant relative. The grounds about the
house i'll those days were elegantly orna-
mented, and the farm was one of the most
highly cultivated and productive in that
part of the county. From the balcony Of
the residence was splendid and extern
sive view, taking in the Susquehanna and
the Chesapeake, together with several isl
ands and a large scope of the Eastern
Shore. Dick Dennison, at my earliest re-
collection, was Lord of the Manor, but in
after years it came under the control OF
Com. Henley, who, like all seaman when
ashore, took great delight in farming, and
who, also, like all naval officers had a
bluntness about him that savored of aus
terity. While such was the impression
upon casual acquaintance, it wore away by
intercourse, and he became one of the most
pleasant among the old school gentle
men.
One more place of note in the olden time
before getting to Havre de Grace, was the
brick residence of Tom Brown, on top OF
the bleak and naked hill to the left where
the road turns down towards the town.
This house stood out Of doors, and if there
was even tree or stump or shrub about