New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-08-08
HsnDance Of the Blair family.

The death Of the younger Frank Blair re
calls the mode of life of the elder Blair, VIII,
survives his less fortunate son. The Blai
family have long been one Of The historical
families Of Washington. The summer HON,
Of the Blairs is at Silver Springs, where fol
the manner Of an English squire. Ole
Francis p. Blair, father Of Frank Blair, has
had his summer home at Silver Springs, 6
little suburb north Of Washington, since the
year 1910. The luck or good fortune which
led old Frank p. Blair to this place j,
characteristic of tho remarkably sue
cessful career Of most Of the Blair family
Thirty.fve years ago, when tho old mar
Blair was an active Washington journalist
and had . young wife. he was accustomed
to daily horseback exervise, which he has
continued TO this day. While riding on
horseback, accompanied BY his wife, the
horse of his wife took fright on the Mary
land road, north Of the city, and, after
throwing her hear the spot where the corps
Of General Early had les ekrmieh fight
with tho old Potomac Sixth Corps, ran
away. Mr.. Blair, following up the runaway
horse, discovered him drinking &C the very
peculiar Silver Spring which, since that
day, has given tho name to that locality.
The spring is almost as remarkable, after
it's kind, as is the old gentleman Blair
ing river sand. fresh and remarkably
cold, and always preserves tho sparkling
color which at first seems to be reflected
from the oliver bed at its source. This
spring, with its surroundings, fulfilled the
conditions of the country seat for which
Editor Blait had long been seeking. 1t
was located On a high tableiand. with an
abundance of natural wood and shade,
sufficiently near to Washington for the
purposes Of his business, yet far enough Re-
moved from the heat and hustle Of the ma
tional political metropolis. Those were not
the days Of the telegraph, and tho organ
editors were not the slaves of q Hoe press
and q battery. Here Mr.. Blair pitched his
tent, purchasing in all nearly one Thousand
acres, at about ten dollars per acre. He has
preserved this old estate intact, and, ac-
cording 70 the valuation of the neighbor-
hood. it is, doubtless, now worth 500 per
acre. The soil 10 dry, thin, and sandy but fur.
nishes abundant grass for pasturage, while
there are grand oak forests and number
less springs, which combine to make Silver
Springs farm one of the most attractive
rural places about Washington. 1t lies
upon ridge midway between Black creek
and the Eastern branch. Old Mr.. Blair has
always had great faith in the advantage to
health, happiness and longevity which are
to be derived from country life. He has
been as earnest an advocate Of this kind of
life as was ever BnlweE Lytton, and the
columns of the old Globe attest tho love Of
country life in English a. vigorous, if less
graceful, than that of Bulwer. The health
of the old gentleman has proved the cor
of age--nOw more than sixty years ago
Francis p. Blair, ST., was pronounced
by his physicians an incurable consump-
tive. All remedies had been tried and
failed, and his doctor told him that the
only thing which could keep him from
his grave was the saddle. Study, o7erwork,
or inherited consumptive tendencies had
given him q cough, which was causing him
rapidly to waste away. He accepted the
advice of his doctors, and took to the sad
die. He started off on q long horseback
be began riding he had to be lifted to his
horse, as he has had to be for the last ten
years; but he kept on riding then, as he
tries to keep on riding now at eighty-six
From that day horse has been his con-
slant companion, and during that long
course of years many horse has served his
old master faithfully, and gone to the
horse heaven" All these years, until his
recent increased feebleness. those who
passed by Silver Springs could every morn
ing see two horses saddled near the
Do man door. Ono was 1Or the young
now come to be more than
threescore years and ten, whose runaway
accident, SO many years ago, resulted in
the purchase of Silver Springs farm. The
other is fol. Mr.. Blair himself. An immense
stone. assembled by easy steps, constitutes
The mounting block, from which faithful
body servants assist the aged feet to the
scarcely less aged stirrups. The old gen.
;leman and lady seem to start of with as
much pleasure. though scarcely with the
ame vigor, as they did half . century ago.
They always ride for two hours, not, to be
ure, at the speed of the steeple-chase. but
It q comfortable, health-giving, old folks
,ait. Morallsts and physicists can find q
,ood deal for reflection, and draw . very
sholesome lesson for prudent living, from
he course of life of the Blair family at
liver Springs, and. perhaps, one ia that
here is more health in the horseback rides
han in all drugs Washington Correspond
,,f GhirvD0 Tribune