The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1870-03-18
sM iscel lallenMs
For The 4fEris g. MieiG9pEc,f.
RAMsLES IN hartford.
No. H..


depression. The communication Of Mars
in the Democrat, descriptive of "Bald
Friar" and other natural curiositics on the
Susquehanna, tolled me away from the
plain and simple path 1 had marked out
for myself, and lurcd me into train of
thought to which am unaccustomed, and
for which l have less aptness than fancy,
and not very much of either. IT. however,
my reference to the subject will have had
the effect of inducing or encouraging
"Marsn in continuation of articles des-
criptive of some of the wild and beautiful
scenes in Hartford, will have accomplish
ed something for the good OF the race, and
will very cheerfully turn back to the beat
en- track from which | temporarily wan
dered.
In my last letter, with regard to the pres
ent status of Hartford in the way of i'm
provement, l think left off with sentence
in reference to the once broad and beauti-
full meadow adjoining the village, and
which is now sterile and desolate com
mon, a range for rowing stock, and high
way for all who choose to trcspass upon it.
On the opposite side of the Baltimore
pike from this meadow was, in the olden
time, a dense and tangled wildwood,
known as "Hays' Thickct," in which Il
sham duel was once fought between two
young men, which, in its termination, was
not so much Of II sham after all, as one OF
the parties very Unexpectedly received Il
very painful wound. Adjoining this, and
beyond the little branch that trinkles its
quiet way across the pike, was vast range
of common known as"Bond's Old Fields,
thickly overgrown with thorn bushes, and
upon which the village kline cropped II
scanty living. About the year 1927, John
McKenney purchased a portion Of this from
"Lame" Joshua Bond. nnt dnwptl'e thorn
bushes, strung them together as substl-
tute for n fence, and began to cultivate and
improve it. This was Immediately in rear
of Maj VIM. Richardson's little farm, and
| noticed during my late visit, tho not
nearer to it than the public road, that Il
handsome residence had been erected upon
it near the back ground of forest, and the
land seemed to be in high state of cult
walton. Just beyond this was a morass in
the olden time, but whether reclaimed or
not had no means Of knowing, but re-
member it was thickly covered with a
growth of black alder and noted for its
quicksands, in which many an unfortunate
COW had to be dragged from her anchorage
by the application Of brute force. Farther
on, and bounded by the Baltimore road,
was large boundary of very sterile, stony
Land, portion of which had come into the
possession of Mr.. Samuel Bradford, about
the beginning Of 1929. During my late
visit learned that this was now owned
by my old friend Samuel Galloway, is we'll
set in grass and very valuable.
At the crossroads one mile northwest
of town, where Mr.. Wallace once owned a
few acres of dewberry vines, and where
stood the old stone house in which Molly
Mackey raised chickens and ducks and
sold ginger bread, was another region
where mother earth was not generous
enough to supply the wants of those who
titled it. Now, one of the most beautiful
and best cultivated farms l saw in Har,
ford spreads its broad fields, and exhibits
a thrift and fertility had thought the sol
incapable of attaining.
This farm, was told, was owned anC
improved by Mr.. Ohio Scott, many year!
before his death, and is still in possession
of his family. From this point on, as fa
as Rock Spring, Cat which tho Rev
Mr.. Keech officiated in the days of my boy
hood,) and round towards the Hickory, til,
country has been greatly improved, includ
ing more particularly the farms now owned
and occupied by Mr.. Jas. Kean, and tina
near the Catholic Church formerly belong
ing to Mr. McMath, afterwards to tn
Misses Jordan, and now in the possession
Of gentleman whose name | have forgot
ten, who keeps up the beauty of the plac
and the fertility of the SOIL Thence t,
where the old Hickory Hotel stood whel
George Ryder was the Boniface everythin,
seems be i'll Statu quo, except that severa
houses have been erected on the wayside
and the tavern has gotten on the wrong sid
of the road.
From this point out to the Churchvill
road, passing the neighborhood in whicl
old Bunty Kelley lived and fiourished,
noticed but little change, except that por
ton of the old Moores estate, now owned
and occupied by Mr.. John Moores, who's
} hospitality is hereditary, of which hat
ocular as well as palate demonstration
His handsome residence among the fores
trees, and his neatly arranged and well
titled fields, form pleasant feature in tina
once obscure and neglected corner of hi
fathers extensive possessions. In return
ing from Mr.. Moores' to Bel Air, passet
the old homestead where such large an,
useful family had been raised, the old tan
merry which was once all hustle and bust
ness, and the old mill whose eternal clat
ter was an alto to the bass of the fallin,
waters Silence reigned in the halls of tn
old homestead, the tannery was deserted
and the fretful clamor of the old mill wa
still.
Passing from Bel Air to Dublin, wa
surprised to see so little change and s.
5 little improvement in the face of til
country. A number of the same house
stand upon the wayside that stood ther