The Portland daily press., 1873-11-11
TERMS $500 PER ANNUMIN ADVANCE
Elizabeth Cakes Smith

The most interesting place iu Patcbooue Ia
an old, maDy-gabIed, shiugled mansion Stand.
ing on the north side of the, road running
west of the village. 1t was bui t during the
Revolutionary war, and there for the last
thirteen wears has been living. Mime. Eliza
beth Oakes Smith, whose literary attain
menis and labors, gether with her family
misfortunes, have brought her name very
prominetly before the public at intervals dur
ing tht last fifty years. She is said TO have
passed the period named Dy the FsAlmlSt as
The limit of human life-threescore years and
ten; but time has dealt very gently with her,
and she retains many traces OF the oeauty Tor
which she ras so celebrated many years ago.
1t was t ange and uncanny experience 10
be conversing with her in the library OF the
mansion which was built about one hundred
years ago. 1t is a lJw-ceilinged, spacious
apartment, lined with shelves crowued wih
one of the rarest and most valuable collec-
tions Of books on Long Island. Miniature
statues of soldiers, ppets and statesmen keep
guard over the re cords of their deeds and
thoughts, beirg placed on the bracket at
tached to pillars OF solid oak, which the build
ers OF old used in pre.e 20 the fiimsy up
rights of modern times. In the north east
corner Of the room Is a wrting-table or desk,
and on the wall at its side hangs halflength
lite-sizc portrait OF the iair but lraii Nell
Gwynn. in wLose behalf her royal luver,
Charles H.. said, when tying, "Be kind to
poor Nelly" 1t was painted by the at
Ell S r Pet Lily. Many other paintings. al
| by the old masters, ado the walls OF Mme.
| Oakes Smith mansi IN, and either a modern
| book or painting would appear to be altogeth-
er cut OF place there, for no alterations or re-
| pairs have been made during the last thirteen
wears. On entering the house the visitor no.
tces that the atmosphere is heavy with a
damp and musty smell. The costly bindings
| of the books are tarnished With mildew
and damp, the paper on tie walls
| and ceilings hangs down in shrIds, and
| pot-bellied spiders bave festConed every
| corner with their webs. Stoves are rusty,
picture-trames blackeued with damp, carpets
| moth-eaten and faded, and nothing appears
| to have escaped the ravages OF decay except
| ing the stout oaken beams OF which the man
| sion Is built, and the mistress OF The mansion.
| She sat in her library, breathing the musty
| air, and surrounded by mOuldering books,
| cobweJs, tarnished gliding and moth-eaten
caroets and curtains, perfect representation
| of the fashions and manners in vo. .ue when
| the present century was in its infancy. A
Dire of heavy blue silk brocaded with white,
open at the front, displayed a richly embroi-
dered petticeat, beneath which there occas-
| ionally appeared a pair of broad and heavy
silver buckles, adorning shoes OF size and
| shape the mosc fashionable belle of modern
1
erly, rich dark-brown in color, is now sill
vered with the frost of many winters, aud b.
ing arrayed in the style fashionable when the
grandmothers of the present generation
danced minuets and rode on pillious, gives
the impression that thu use of powder has
not been altogether abandoned. Like the
great Napoleon, Mime. Oakes Smith appears
to be vain Of the appearance OF her hands. 1t
il harmless vanity; and, admitting all
that has been said OF Napole"n's hands to be
true, she has just as much caus, to be proud
of hers as be had to be- proud of his. Every
faculty is as bright and clear and her figure as
erect as when she formed one OF the most
brilliant ornaments of New York society; and
to hear her tell of '.heads that tho ght and
hands that wrought in olden times excitss a
feeling of wonder that the vegetatng Tor
thirteen years among the oystering and scam
dal-monge ring villagers cf Pa;choeue has
failed to leave any percerlible trace either in
her manners or modes OF thought. One of
her sons. Alvin Oakes Smith, is now residing
near his mother, and she Is in expectation OF
soon being joint by another Appleton Oakes
Smith, who, since his pardon by the President,
has been residing in England.-BrookIvn
| Eagle.