The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1874-12-25
Mis- ella n q Ou 8 /.
For The AEgis and LntelHgencer.
Christmas on Broad Greek,
in 1850.
BY MARS.

In the year 1860 there lived on the farm
now owned by the Lavender family, u man
named John Clark. His family consisted
of himself and wife, with four small chill
dren, together with two negro servants
man and wife-named Mark and Judy.
Mr.. Clark emigrated from England to this
country some years previous. He landed in
Philadelphia and went from thence toBucks
county, Pennsylvania. After staying there
a short time, he, with many of his neigh
bors, came to Maryland to reside. When
he moved he stopped in the city of Broth
erly Love, and buying the two negroes
aforesaid, he brought them with him to his
new home.
When he arrived in our State he bought
a large tract of land in Broad Creek, on
which he soon built Il spacious log cabin,
which answered for dwelling, kitchen and
store room. He shortly afterwards built a
small log mill on the creek, a part of the
breast OF the dam of which is still visible
with large trees growing on it. Being a
man of means and enterprise, he soon clear
ed several fields, and in short time had a
number of acres under cultivation. Mr..
Clark was true English gentleman, and
was very popular among his thinly scatter
ed neighbors. Mrs. Clark was an English
lady Of refinement and always kept her
lowly mansion in first-rate order. She was
fond Of cunning and often went with her
husband on hunting excursions, and being
an expert with gun, could bag as much
game as her husband. The children were
dear, loving, obedient and at1ectionate. In
short, they were an affectionate and excel
lent family, of the good old Albion
type.
Mark was powerful negro, and was an
excellent hand to work. He was valued
by his master highly, but he was terrible
coward. Judy was good servant and
took great interest in "helpin de mis-
tis."
On the gath day of December, in the
year 1850, as the chronicles say, Mr.. Clark
slaughtered bullock, which he cut into
quarters and took the beef into the kitch-
en-, in one end of which he filed large
cask half full of brine, with the view of
putting his beef therein. Late in the even.
ing Mr. Clark received q message request
ing his attendance at one of his friends on
Deer Creek, on some business. He at once
prepared for the visit, telling his family
t1uJ uc WOulu uOI lStulu DclOlC
Telling Mark to look well to the safety of
the family in his absence, he mounted
his horse and left on his mission.
1t was Christmas Eve. Mark and Judy
were having fine time in "der kitchen"
Mark was "playing de fiddle" and Judy
was "bakin do nuts" Mrs. Clark and
her children were conversing on the birth
of the Blessed Kedeemer, and she was ex-
planning the passages of Holy Scriptures
thereto appertaining, to her dear ones,
when they were startled at hearing wild
yell some distance down the Creek, which
the lady knew to be the squall of pan
ther, for she had heard one about year
before. Yell after yell followed in quick
succession, and the sounds showed that
the savage beast was approaching the
house. The dogs in the yard barked furi-
ously, and the lady, well knowing that if
she left them out the beast would kill them,
opened the door and called them in. Mean.
time the wild demon came nearer and near
er, uttering frightful yells. Mark was
half frightened to death, and danced about
the house like crazy baboon, swearing
and cursing "de painter" and praying by
turns.
Judy at the first alarm had crawled UNI
der the bed, where she lay in wild hyster-
les, alternately laughing, crying, swearing
and praying. Not so with the mistress Of
the house. She had taken her fuvorite
gun, Queen Anne musket, which she
carefully loaded with ball and eight
buckshot, and calmly awaited the arrival
of the unwelcome visitor The children
seeing their mother calm, were not much
alarmed, but kneeling with appraised eyes