Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1872-03-21

TuE CuESApEAKE PEyrxsuLA.-The rev.
erence in which this old region is held by
those who have wandered from it is ex-
cmplifed by late remark Of William II
Hooper. delegate in Congress from Utah,
and Mormon. though not polyaamist.
He was describing the virtues of Eastern
Shore cooking. when one said
Captain Hooper, when were you last
on the OH peninsula ?"
Never Madame, since left it thirty
five years ago"
Why. sir. from your freqnent mention
Of the place, should think You would
want to siip over there at least once every
session Of Congress"
"Never. Madame! Inever wish to see
it again for I might be disappointed. I
always want to remember it as it appear
I'd to me las. in the days Of my youth :;
the most beautiful spot under the eyes of
Providencc."
Similar testimony was that OF John Gus
lis. father in law hv her first marriayc Of
Mrs George Washington. The Gusts
family had descended. in America, from
john fu>tis. u Hnllanier in name and ori-
gin, who received the appointment ot Col
lcctor Of Customs on the Eastern Shore OF
Virginia ia 1897 and whose great estate
of Arlington there. and relative fortune
in money. attcsted either the richness of
the Eastern Shore mt that time. or the an
,iqnity of the Collector of she Customs as
We know him, Royal officer to this day
The estate Of Arlington. near Washing
ton city, pcrpetua.cs the name Of the e.
der manor of the Gusts family near Cape
Charles. and it is authentic history that
the SON ofthc Collector married the daurh-
ter Of Daniel Parke. who carried the dis
patches Of Marlborough to Queen Anne.
announcing the victory OF Bienhism -
This second Custis. living unhappily with
his wife. left this tribute to the Eastern
Shore on his ton,bstone:-
Under this marble tomb lies the bod Y
Of the Hon John Custis. Esq. of the
city of Williamsburg and parish of Bur
ton. formerly of Huugars parish on the
Eastern Shore of Virginia and County OF
Northampton. aged serenity. one yrars. and
get iirrd ba' secen yedrs. which ,ras the
sprre of time h. Erpt a bncheyor's hone al
Arlington. on the Eastern Shore of Tir-
ginio."
These attcst,tions. however. revive the
widely known anccdotc invented hy Hon
Tom Corwin. who used 10 tell it on the
'stump" 4 very old man, with long
jaws aud high check bones, came once
upon time to the witness-box of an Ohio
court.
"wha. is your age 7" asked Corwiu.
"Twenty-two."
"You probably mistake the question -
The years of your life.-I wish to know
the number of them
twenty-five p
Have you spent all your life in Ohio?'
"Oh no. did live forty years on
tho Eastern Sho' Of Maryland. but hope
the Lord ain't counted them asin me y
The queer phrases and pronunciation o.
this region are of habit, and no longer o
Il do'no but is mild form of affirma
ton. "A DANCED sight good deal" is AZ
ambiguous estimate of quantity. Won
'mung We come to see me :" is somewha
querulous renewal Of an invitation.
What for a sort eta man" is hardly in.
digcnous. bu, sounds suspieioasly like q,
imita,ion-of '.Filielfy" or ..Baltmcr" bus
mess talk Who can define an ..ill-com
meoned day" except upon the theory o
natural volubili.y unrelieved By dic,ioua
ry? IAN else" is transposition of nn
less. Right smart" is of universal cur
rency ; it applies to man of sagacity. T.
quantity, and to distance occasionally ,h
word "peart" takes the place Of smart. {,
signify animation .'Cleverness" in Del
aware means hospitality and good fellow
ship solely. never skill. aud i, is the mex
diploma below the impossible grade of =
gentleman"
Cou.inship is feature Of good fauil
life on the Peninsula the remark bein
common Of so and So is my fourth eons
4 in" Extraordinary cases of human Ion
gevity occur here. notwithstanding .h
prevalency at times Of low fcvers; bu, th
Eastern Shore is healthier than the oppo
site and higher coast Crime is rare !; 50
I ciety was tranquil during the war; North
ern immigration Is welcomed, and oh
serves no prejudice.
| Il is to be remarked that from pcninsu
lated regions Of the Chesapeake. closel
J resembling the Eastern Shofe.. many Z
our. strongest public men have como as
for example. Washington. the Leo family
J Pinekpcy and Writ. Taney and Reyerd
; johnson in short. the whole line Of Viz
giuia statesmen. William and Mary. sn
| St. Johns Colleges are pitched in the lcs
lads Of The Chasapeake.-Gssrys /grs
T.nsse~H a Grrsk~,vss fo~ Mszrkr