Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1872-03-09

oE' delegate IN Congress nom OtAhB
and . Mormon, though not . poly
gamiSt. He was describing the
: virtues Of EAston Shore cooking,
when one said
Captain Hooper, when were you
last on the old peninsula"
. 'NeVer, Madame, since I Left it
thirty-hvs years ago."
"Why, sir, from your frequent
mention Of the place, 1 should think
you want to slip over there at
least once every session Of Con-
gross."
"Nevsr, Madamel Inever wish
to see it again; for might be dis
appointed. always want to re-
member it as it appeared to me last
in the days of my youth: the most
beautiful spot under the eyes OF
Providence"
Similar testimony was that Of
John Curtis, father-in-law by her
first marriage of Mrs. George
Washington. The Curtis family
had descended, in America, from
John Curtis, a RolIander in name
and origin, who received the sp-
lpointment of Collector of Customs
on the Eastern Shore of Virginia in
1857, and whose great estate of Ar
llington there, and relative fortune
Of money, attested either the rich
ness Of the Eastern Shore at that
time, or the antiquity of the Collec-
tor of the Customs as we know him,
a Regal officer to this day. The
estate Of Arlington, near Washing
ton City, perpetuates the name of
the elder manor Of the Curtis fami-
ly near Cape Charles, and it is au-
thentic history that the son of the
Collector married the daughter of
Daniel Parke, who carried the dis.
patches OF Marlborough to Queen
Anae, announcing the victory of
Blenh helm. This second Curtis,
living unhappy with his wife, left
this tribute to the Eastern Shore on
his tombstone
Under tuis marble tomb iss the
body Of the Hon. John Curtis, Esq,
Of the city Of Williamsburg and
parish of Burton, formerly Of Hun
gars parish on the Eastern Shore Of
Virginia and county of Northamp-
ton, aged spUenty-one years, and get
lived but seUen years, Which ras the
space of time he kept bachelors home
at arlington, on the Eastern Shore Of
Virginia" i" .....
These attestations, however, re-
vive the widely known anedeote in
vented by Hon. Tom Corwin, who
used to tell it on the stump" A
very old man, with long jaws and
high cheek bones, came once upon
a time to the witness-box Of an
Ohio court.
"What is your age?" asked Cor
win.
"Twenty-two.'
"You probably mistake the
qustfon. The years of your life,-
l wish to know the number OF them.
"Twenty-twol"
Have you spent all your life in
Ohio?"
"Oh! no. I did live forty year on
the Eastern Sho' of Maryland, but
I hope the Lord amt counted them
agin mel"
The queer pharses and pronunci-
alton of this region are habit, and
no longer of ignorance.
81 do'no but" is mild form of af-
frmation. "a dangered sight good
deal is an ambiguous estimate of
quantity. "Won't 'mung ye come
to see mel is somewhat qurelous
renewal of an invitation. "What
for a sort of a man" is hardly indi-
genuous, but sounds suspiciously
like an imitation Of "Fildelfy" or
"Baltmer" business talk. Who
can define an "ill-commeoned day"
except upon the theory of natural
volubility unrelieved by a diction-
airy? "An else" is a transposition
Of unless. "Right smart" is of
universal currency: it applies to a
man of sagacity, to quantity, and to
distance; occasionly the word
"peart" takes the place of smart, to
signify animation. "Cleverness"
in Delaware means hospitality and
good-fellowship solely, never skill,
and it is the next diploma below the
impossible grade of "a gentleman"
Cousinship is a feature Of good
family life on the Peninsula, the re-
mark being common of $50 and So
is my fourth cousin. Extraordi-
nary cases ofhuman longevity occur
here, Notwithstanding the prsva-
lency at times of low fevers; but
the Eastern Shore is healthier than
the opposite and higher coast.
Crime rare; society tranquil during
the war; Northern immigration is
welcome, and observes no preju-
dice.
It is to be remarked that the pen
insulated regions of the Chesapeake
closely resembling the Eastern
Shore, many of our strongest pub
lie men have come; as for example,
Washington, the Lee family, Pinck-
ney and Writ, Taney and Reverdy
Johnson; in short, the whole line Of
. Virginia statesma an. William snd
, Mary. and st. Johns Colleges are
|. pitched in the lowlands of the
Chesapeake.-George Alfred 20wn-
send, in Scribner for March.
: A THoUGHToMETER.- Mr.. Adol-