The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1875-03-06
WOODBINE COTTAGE,

after q pleasant trip devoid OF incident.
Cousin Sue is a teacher, and found her
busy getting ready to attend the Teachers
Institute at Port de posite, to commence,
she Informed me, on the immortal 22nd.
| felt sad at hearing that | was to lose the
delightful companionShip of my cousin for
week, and finally consented to accompany
her, as she assured me that there would be
"bushels of girls there. Seems to me
there are bushels of girls everywhere.
We took an atfectionate leave of my
uncle's family, on the morning of the 22nd,
and drove into Elkton for the early train.
At Perryville we changed cars. PeIryvllle
is a dingy, unpretendlng little hamlet
Here noble bridge spans the Susquehanna,
and across the frozen river we could see
the ancient town of Havre de Grace, which
has, | was Informed, historical reminis-
ccnces. Al twelve o'clock we reached Port
Deposit five miles north of the mouth of
the river, on its left bank. Here l will
briefly describe the town, as it appeared at
first sight: Long. narrow, crooked, one
street; high and rugged hills form the back
ground Of the picture. Immense quarries
of fine granite form the chief source of in
dustry and income 10 the town.
On arriving at the depot l requested
cousin "Sue' to remain seated in the
waiting room while | went to inquire for
rooms at the hotel. At the door | was met
by busting little man who inquired if |
was teacher? told him was not; but
my cousin was. "Ah, well,' replied ;h:'
bustling little fellow, .'all teachers have
been provided for, by the generous hospi-
tality of the citizens of this place. You
will not presume to take ler to the hotel,
sir. | am Chairman of the Committee of
Arrangements; and this, sir, is my Secre-
tary," designating tall, young lady, with
rosy cheeks and commanding air, who
stood Just behind him with one lead pencil
between her lips and another behind her
little ear | heartily wished that the fair
Secretary would take my gentle cousin un-
der her own paternal roof and invite me to
call often and see how she was getting
along. only said, Every well, sir; hope
you will provide pleasant place for my
timd cousin. Will you be pleased to d.
rect me to the best hotel in the town."
The little man hung his head moment
and humbly owned up that there was but
one; the other had been recently burned;
" Nick Van Siam" would rebuild it in the
Spring. I" He built the church, sir; not a
finer church in the State; our money king
came here a poor boy, fifty cents in pocket,
clothes in dirty bundle" &c.
had no time to listen longer to the ro-
mantle story of friend Evan Stann," for |
was getting hungry, and the crowd of
teachers waiting to be provided with homes
by the generous and hospitable citizens did
not seem to be growing smaller or beauti
fully less found the hotel without much
trouble, oh sacre blen. it is indeed advisable
that generous " Nick should take COM
passion on the travelling public, and build
"a house for the refreshment of the physical
man, as he has built house for spiritual
refreshment. And l hope Van Siam will
build a temperance house or lie may subse-
quently be called upon to help build an
inebriate asylum.
At dinner, we met the majority of the
teachers whom we had last seen i'll the wait
ing-room of the depot, the generous and
hosptable citizens having failed to come to
time. "Alas for the rarity of Christian
charity under the sum-"
After dinner sauntered out to find cousin
Sue. After due search, | found her very
comfortably situated with buxom, fun
loving lady, whose husband, she informed
me, was a knight of the yard stick. She
had three teachers, she said, staying with
her and only wished that she had room for
them all. "Why, who would miss the lit
tie mite that they eat ~ she asked indig-
and hoped she wouldn't be obliged to stay
very much longer in it. "Why the people
in this town they'll grin at you week be-
fore they'll ask you in to tea," she said.
Now friend Winks how does this coin
eide with the stories we have SO often heard
of old Maryland hospitality.
OF course | escorted cousin Sue to the
Hall, where the Institute was formally
opened by Prof NJ. A. Newall, President
of the State Board in fact the State
Board AS the little committee man in
formed me soto roce.
The tall Secretary still promenaded the
Hall, taking the names of teachers, in view
of sending them to homes, which they some
how never reached. She wrote alternately
with the pencil between her lips and stuck
it behind her ear then with the one behind
her ear and stuck it between her lips.
They had nice reading that afternoon
by Miss S. A. Rice, from Baltimore; a
tall, distinguishing looking lady. who un-
derstood her business. At night, Prof.
Gully, IA man with big eyes and loud voice,
read to a crowded audience. He read the
"Trial Scene from Pickwick, "Over the
Hill to the Poor House," New Church
Organ" Bridge of Signs" "The Ride to
AK" "Buck Fanshaw's Funeral" His
rendering of the pathetic is not remarka-
BILE; but his comic recitations are excellent.
Tuesday the teachers discussed various
questions connected with school govern
ment and school organizations. The prin-
cipal thing seemed to be to talk each other
down. Some went in for whaling, and
some went heavy on moral suasion. The
latter had all weak voices, and said what
they had to say in quavering tones. A
sandy haired customer, with long beard,
had great deal to remark on this subject.
He had no child of his own, but if he had,
nobody should strike him. We were truly
glad to hear for the children's sake that he
had none. A little fellow, with keen, black
eyes, believed in prizes instead of wattles,
and heavy individual with patrarchal
beard did not.
Tuesday evening cousin Sue told me that
she was going with some nice friends of
hers, to see the green house and conserva-
tory attached to the grand residence of
Nick Van Siam and invited me to go along.
1t was nice in there, the mellow light fall
ing on the graceful figures of the school
marms as they bent their befuggled little
heads among the beautiful flowers Of the
conservatory. Then we crossed the lawn
and went up the street to see the grand
church. Happy town to be possessed with
such a munficent resident?
That night we had a crowded Hall again,
and a nervous chap, with an illustrious
name and nasal twang, delivered glow
ing Grafton with the sentimental title of
a Teachers Reverie.' Then a perfect
little war-horse, dressed in bran new silk,
mounted the stage, and represented herself
as a man who had once kept saloon and
been converted by praying woman ming
the Crusade, after fit of delirium ire