The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1870-04-08
Correspondence
LETTERS FROM VIRGINIA.
Rambles I'm Hartford.
N O. IS.

talns, VINO bounds, as caprice or clrcum-
stances may seem to warrant, from one
theme to another-at one moment linger-
ing around the dofacile of an ancient friend,
and at the next perched upon the giddy
summit of the Rocks of Deer Creek-then
again wandering off to precipice among
these grand old hills, and then following
the wild hunter of the frontier from his
traps to an encampmcnt in the deep, dark
forest. But you must bear with me and
indulge my whims, if you can muster that
much philosophy and charity, for it is my
purpose to try to make all the loose ends
meet before | wind up the ball ofmy SEEM
ingly entangled variations.
now propose another ramble in your
county. During my visit in October last,
| had but one opportunity ofobserving the
changes on the road between Bel Air and
Churchville, and that was just after the
sun had disappeared and the curtain of
twilight was hanging over the scene, in
company with valued friend and relative,
and riding behind rapid trottor But,
hurried as my observation was, it afforded
me time to notice that very great changes
had taken place, and altogether for the
better Most of the way from Bel Air to
Bynum's Run, in the olden time, was lined
on either side by woodlands and thickets,
and mostly so sterile that even the timber
and bushes were scrubby, and the cleared
land too poor for the production of respec-
table blackberries. | noticed in passing
along the road that most of the land was
in cultivation, and seemed to be in good
condition. On the right hand side, about
Il mile from town, where observed COM
Portable looking dwelling some distance
from the road, was, in the days of my boy
hood, the common strawberry patch for
the young folks of the village, and was
known as "Hays' old strawberry field y
Away back as far as can remember, there
stood in that field, not far from where the
present dwelling stands, cherry-tree,
known to every boy and girl in the village
and vicinity, not only as being very pro-
life and never failing, but unusually early
in the maturity of its fruit. That tree,
about the time its fruit began to ripen,
seemed to have peculiar attraction for
black birds, and John Mausby used to say
that every bird of that species in Hartford
and the surrounding counties, focked to it
the moment tinge of red appeared upon
the cherries
John, on one occasion, about the time
the fruit Was getting ripe, took 1t into his
head to break up the ruinous monopoly,
borrowed an old war musket from uncle
Ben. Hudson, and went out to the cherry
tree to put his threat into execution.
distinctly remember seeing him return
with about as many black birds as he
could conveniently carry, and when uncle
Ben asked him how he managed to kill 50
many, he very coolly and seriously replied
swell, uncle Ben, when / got there
found the tree black with birds hard
ly room on it for another-and thinking |
might get all of them at one shot, | loaded
the old fusee nearly to the muzzle with
shot, took sight at the centre of the pile,
pulled the trigger, worked the muzzle
round and round in q circle, and killed
""rt'was aea bj63 In lthtt Go" ffo "a opposite
where that old cherry-tree stood, where, a
few months ago, Judge Lynch held an i'm
promptu court, found verdict and ex-
ecuted penalty, which were Just and
righteous in the sight of Heaven, as well as
in the estimation of all the good and true
! saw the tree upon the road side that hare
the horrid fruit, and it should be permit
ted to stand as a monument to commend.
rate the high moral tone of the people, and
rs a warning to evil doers
So much for John Maulsby and his
blackbirds and the gallows tree, and now
for the present appearance of the country
along that old familiar road. After cross
ing the Run, tho land on the right belonged
in the olden time to Preston McComas,
and that on the left, think, to John Hen
derson, old Mr.. Moores and Roland Rog.
ers. 1t is now greatly improved, and, in
stead of atfording a covert for rabbits and
partrldges as when was q boy, was glad
TO see that 1t had been made to contribute
its full share to the thrift and productive
capacity of the county,
If am not mistaken, the old McComas
and Rogers houses arc still standing, at
least they had familiar look about them;
but, little beyond the Rogers residence,
and upon portion of the same old farm,
| observed that Pennsylvania had cree
ted buildings and made his home No
man who has travelled through Pennsyl-
vania with his eyes wide open could fail
to see that Pennsylvania lived at the
latter place. The barn alone was sufficient
evidence for me, but the taste and neatness
displayed about all the buildings, fields
and fences, proclaimed the fact trumpet
tpngHed
NI'Ns WV ii''io olSt mousse De- |
You'd, upon spot now occupied by anoth-
or building, where is it? Gone, never to
be seen again, and with it, tho happy ju-
yeniles whose bare feet made many little
track in the dust of the old highway, and
whose merry voices rang out on the noon
tide air among the scrubby sycamores and
alders that lined the roadside in those 10y
Gus and pleasant times. And Mr.. Doug
lass, the Knight of the Ferule, who presi-
ded over the many urchins there congre-
gated, and whose patience must have been
gum-elastic to stand the tension to which
1t was ubjected-where is he Some ten
years ago he was living in one of the
mountain counties in this corner of the
Ola Dominion, but about the time of the
breaking out of the war he disappeared,
and have not heard of him since, but as
ne had then lived beyond the allotted span,
II IS more than probable that the "places
which once knew him will know him no
more forever"
Not far beyond the site of the old school
house, and ON the same side of the road, |
observed the dilapidated gate way that
opened into the possessions of Junius Bru-
tus Booth, the great tragedian, who new
er had rival on the stage I knew him
well in my boyhood, and well remember
The mine days wonder" he created when