The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1870-01-07

form of that malady. William B. Bond
was sprightly young lawyer, full of zeal
and vim, with no dispararging impressions
of his own abilities.
These gentlemen, am sure, will pardon
me for speaking of them thus unreservedly,
for they are all monuments Of a past gen
| Grafton now, and have too much sense of
generosity to be either flattered or offended
by the freaks of my officious pen.
Bob Richardson was another whose name
| must not omit to mention He was a
character in his day, but has, | presume,
long since gone to rest, as he was threaten
ed with consumption before he had grown
old He was man of many good parts
but apparently selfish and exclusive. He
had three dogs from which he was insep-
arable-two hounds which followed him
in couples, and grizzly terrier he called
Buff, which was always lame in one or
other of his legs. Bob's whole time, it
seemed to me, was taken up in hunting
and teasing me- l used to think if could
succeed in conquering the devil, l would
have but one more to fear, and that was
Bob Richardson. Not that he was cruel or
unkind, but because mischief was his ele-
ment and it was just about as unnatural
as for fish to live out Of water
In my last letter, in connection with Bill
ly Mills, 1 spoke of Lamborne's Mill. This
was two miles from Bel Air, on the Baltimore
road, and at one time belonged to David
Lamborne, who carried on paper manu-
factory. He was very droll man, with
a cadaverous complexion, hawk bill nose,
and was poc-marked. He could grind out
rhymes about as fast as he could talk, and
took great pleasure in doing so. He was
a walking encyclopedia of information, and
50 addicted was he to smoking five fora
cent? segars that he had drawn depression
upon each check about the size of walnut
1t was said he would try at one of these lux
uries all the way from his residence to Balti-
more, a distance of nineteen miles, but will
not risk my reputation by vouching for the
truth ofthe statement. He was in the habit
of greatly amusing the people just before
an election, by comparing the canvass to a
race course and eHcandidates to horses
giving each an appropriate and expressive
name.
Another gentlemen whom | well remem-
Der was John Henderson. He, too, was an
oddly, wore queue, and reveled in old
bachelordom. He was excessively fond
of female society, and loved them all
Unfortunately, but never while | knew
him could concentrate his affections upon
any particular individual. He lived
short mile east Of town, in a house sur
rounded by giant wild poplars, owned very
large farm, and one that might have been
very valuable, but he cultivated it so badly
that it yielded him little besides blackber-
ries. John was genial man, carried a
warm heart in his bosom, and exactly the
sort of man that | have thought never
would die of disease, but Just dry up I'M
der the weight Of years. hope he is still
| living.
Nicholas Bond was another bachelor
tho not an old one forty years ago, by any
means. He had the management of one Of
the finest farms in the county, an oblong
square, two miles long and about one mile
broad. Like John Henderson he was re-
miss in farming, and seemed to be salts
fed if he could make both ends meet, after
keeping his mothers family comfortably
and feeding his negroes. presume he is
! living, but OF course he has no recollection
of the bare footed boy with whom he has
kindly chatted II hundred times beneath
the big walnut trees along the road that
passes his house.
Another confirmed bachelor was Lame
Joshua Bond, n man Of splendid education
and requirements, OF more than ordinary
intellect, and an inveterate talker in several
languages, with IL perfect mania for the
Spanish. He had travelled extensively,
was fine judge of human nature and good
liquor, and took great pleasure in giving
young persons and children the advan .
tages of his diversified attainments. Many
an hour has he talked to me, eXcmplifying
the superiority of mind over matter, and
directing my young thoughts to those
higher aims and ends by which u man had
it in his power to make the world better
by having lived in it. His heart must have
been almost as large as a half-bushel, and
his benevolence was only limited by his
means.
There was family by the name of Pres
ton living between Bel Air and the Hick-
DRY, consisting of very old lady, maiden
daughter and two sons-Ben and Scott.
The latter was blind from his birth, was a
great fiddler, and a man of more than ordi-
nary shrewdness. l happened to be a IA
vorite of his, and to remunerate me for
reading to him for hours together, he I'M
dertook to learn me to play the fiddle, in
| WllCll HC W tS uDOub as SUCCESSFUL us lie
would have been in instructing one of his
mothers horses. Ben had become some
what demented by the use of liquor and
one dram ahead would make him imagine
the first stick he saw was fife, which he
would hold to his lips fife-tashion, and
whistle upon it all day long, the power of
imagination leading him to believe that he
was ravishing the world with his music.
Poor Ben, he was as inotfensive as child
had been good soldier in the war of 1912,
but has long since laid aside his fife, Ipre
sumo, and now sleeps with poor Bill Eagle
ston," whose name he never failed to men
ton when drinking, and who fell by his
side in the storm of battle.
The two principal gallants in Bel Air
in those days, were Augustus A. Bond and
Elisha Guyton. The former was handsome,
sprightly young man, full of fun and song
and was the life and soul of many happy
company under Col. Richardson's big hick-
ory tree. In fact, he was good company
in any crowd, and great fiivorite with the
ladies. The latter was equally fond of the
ladies, though perhaps not quite so great
favorite as the former, for the reason, it
may be, that there was certain gentle
man there, (who shall be nameless here,)
for whom Elisha had an inordinate admi-
ration. He was fond of a fine horse and