The Portland daily press., 1870-09-20

SAID that this house was The hiding place of
the Tories Of the vicinity, at the breaking out
OF the revolution. The attic has several small
enainpers well calculated for the purpose.
Aae occupant has added cupola TO the roof
'rohl Whlch Is to be seen the Isle of Shoals
nine miles distant. The avenue leadino IN
the house is some twenty rods long. and n fo,v
years ago it was shaded by rows of large
eIms, but former owner cut them down he
cause they shaded the grass. The decayed
stumps are still to be seen. Several rods of
this avenue has blue pebble stone pavement
ten feet wide, and at regular distances are
ornamental figures in white pebbles. This
pavement was laid when the house was built
ITO years ago, and is still in good order. On
leaving the house the company were called to
order, and vote of thanks passed for the
courtesy, and replied to in fitting terms by
the owner. We met at this house Commo-
dore Decatur. who lives in the neighborhood,
and is a retired officer of the Navy Disabled
by blindness he was led by his daughter He
has tae sg ord voted by Congress, to his Uncle.
Commodore Stephen Decatur, who was killed
in duel with Commodore Barron in 1920.
lie invited us 10 his house, but we had no
time. The party went from here TO the BRAY
House, quarter of amile distant, built by a
boat-builder by the name OF Bray, from Ply
mouth, England, in 1900. He was the father
OF Sir VIM. Pepperels mother, Margery Dray
There is nothing remarkable about the house
but landscape over the parlor mantel, paint
ed in oil on the panel. The outside of the
house must have been newly covered since it
was built. There is nothing in its outside ap-
pearance to indicate its great age. On the
adjoining lot is the original Pepperell mansion.
The land was given to Sir Williams father by
Mr. Bray. Mr.. Pepperell came from the Isle
oil Shoals and built the noith part of the
house, and married Miss Bray. There Sir
William was born in 1896. When of age his
father made him partner in his business of
shipping lumber, and in the fisheries. The
son built the south end of the house, which is
OF two stories, with gambrel roof II has one
bend of ten feet taken off of each end, one
beam of which is a capsill of the breast work
at the waters edge. 1t is of pine, ii inches
where there was wharf with steps. All
communication with Portsmouth was by
boats. There was a walk from the house
through the lawn to the wharf, with cut stone
steps at the several terraces, which are still to
be seen. Alter his return from the successful
expedition against Lousburg, where e COM
manded the land forces, the only instance of
an American born receiving that honor, be
was made baronet. He went to England
and spent year, and on his return, Parsons
says of his style of living: "his walls were
hung with costly mirrors and paintings. his
sideboards loaded with silver, bis cellar filed
with choice wines, his park stocked with deer,
retinue Of servants, splendid barge with a
black crew dressed in uniform, and all main
tained in Baronial style. All that remanes
of this is part of the house and his tomb.
The sea view is as beautiful as then, but al
else is sadly changed.
Two rooms of the house and the large entry
retain the original finish. All the rest has
been altered. The entry has an arched win
dow at the head OF the stairs, with figures of
cherubs painted in the spondres of the arch,
and there is with the same long and
easy stair case all old houses have. At
the foot lies French 80 pound cannon shot
from Lousburg. Here lived and died the
hero of that conquest. A few rods distant is
the family buryng ground. On mound is
the tomb with monument OF fine arehitec-
ture, composed of light colored stone, with
marble slab on which the Pepperell arms are
deeply cut with this inscription to his father,
who was the fist one inferred there:
"here lyes the bod iy OF the Honorable W liam
Peperel 50 who departed this lie the 18Th OF Feb
ruary Ano Domini 1875 In the s7tb year OF bis ace
with the remlius ofa great part Of his tamly."
There is no inscription to Sir William, who
died in 1852, in the 63d year of his age. Thi,
| monument was imported from London at a
cost of e34. There are many graves near of
his slaves and other servants. The tomb has
been put in good repair within a few years by
a lady, distant relative.
The party were invited to visit the Rev.
Mr.. Austin on their return from the point
He is a retired clergyman, widower. His
wife was an English lady of wealth. The
house is on point of land opposite Ports
The house is an ancient one of wood. nearly
md by trees and shrubbery, and on entering
everything denotes wealth, refinement and
good taste. His walls are 1uug with paint
ings and engravings by the best European
artists, and the whole house is filled with ar
| ticles of interest and beauty. The furniture
| is very Itch; that in ole room is finely carved
| and covered with heavy gliding Furnished
He has two panels on which are painted
aQuSclDes. taken from the bOuep 0f Gov
Hutchinson in Boston when it was sacked by
a mob in 1865.
An elegant collation. was set out on silver
more ofancientstyle ofwhch the company par
took with good appetites ate er which the thanks
OF the visiting party were presented by Presi-
dent Woods, 10 which the owner replied ex-
pressing p.eaSure and satisfaction Tor the call.
large audience met the Committee of the
Historical Society, in a church in the evening.
at which the subject OF the speakers was the
local history ot the vicinity; aud after a vote
OF thanks proposed by Doctor Packard of
Brunswick, at ten O'Clock the meeting DIS
solved. The party then walked TO the Navy
ard, the commandaDt having offered a
steam tug to take us across the river to
Portsmouth. On landing, the party were
taken to the Rockingham house, as guests Of
the New Hampshire Historical Society, where
they we've entertained ON Thursday at break
fast; alter which the two societies met in the
parlor. where cviies were exchanged by the
two Presidents and speeches made by several
prominent members of both Societies, some
OF which the writer did not hear being
obliged to leave in the ten O'Clock train for
Portland Thus ended a most interesting ex-
cursion which will be long remembered by
the whole parry. W.
WINDHAM, Sep. 10th.
New Publications.