The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1876-03-18
LETTER FROM DORCHESTER COUNTY.
CHURCH CREEK, March, 6, 1870

CHURCH CREEK, March, y, 1876.
DEAR WHIG:-This is a sleepy old sea
port town where "the patient wives abide
at home, while the guide man sails the sea-
The people, however, are kind and hos
pitable, and that, you know, Mr.. Editor,
constitutes the chief charm of any place,
be it large or small. The steamer Collyer
runs here twice week from Baltimore.
The shores of this creek, which is merely
an inlet of the bay, were once covered with
fine growth of pine timber, but the wood
mans axe has laid low the old foresters,
destroying the beauty of the landscape,
and materially deprecating the value of
the land. The soil hereabouts is of a
whitish clay, and the farmer rests his hopes
muchly upon patent fertilizers. Those
relics of a barbarous age of agriculture
windmills-still ornament the landscape,
and with their outspread arms and Tapping
sails are suggestive of all that is grotesque
and fanciful, and bring ever to the mind of
the writer memories of school days and
painful efforts at the translation of Don
Quirote. This is the land of the strawberry
and the peach, also the native home of the
oyster. Your correspondent lately partici-
, pated in the pleasures of an "oyster reast'
down on the shore, where the fire was made
of broken spars and refuse from now
deserted ship yard.
Yesterday saw sight which would
have furnished food for wood cut artist
of Harpers' Weekly. 1t was a negro fu-
neral A long train of mourners followed
the coffin, which was placed in long dear
born, the driver walked by the side of the
mule. From his tall, battered beaver
streamed long scarf of white muslin; the
most prominent and numerous vehicle in
that unique procession was the OK dray,
drawn, some by one and some by two pairs
of stout oxen. These drays were filled by
negroes of all ages, sizes and shades of
color. Arriving at the church, the occu
pants alighted, the oxen were unhitched
from the dray and allowed to eat the pro
vender, which had been tied to the under
part of the vehicle during the journey to
the church yard. What matters whether
one is gathered to the bosom of our com.
mon mother followed by OK drays or &C,
companied by all the "pageantry and
pride"
The former slave population is very nu-
merous hereabouts. Slave raising for the
Southern market was once a profitable
source of income to the peninsula. But it
is a "gone occupation p" which the old
slave holding oligarchy are not very fond
of referring to, especially the office-seek-
ing portion of them.
Now, Sambo, Gumbo and Dinah trudge
off to school with shining morning face
and satchel hung on back" as we'll as the
whitest But still with shy, reluctant step,
as though they still feared some v;llainous
kidnapper were concealed in the bushes.
Resident in this village is an old friend
of yours, Mr.. Editor, who wishes to be re-
membered to you-Mr G. X. p. He and
his estimable wife are just as warm hearted
genial and hospitable as ever. They both
wish you success as an Editor; and in this
wish beg leave to join them.
Local option prevails in this county, and
its blessed effects are perceptibly felt.
When next write you it may be to give
few charcoal sketches of Cambridge, the
county town of Dorchester, as it appeared
| to tourist. PICKLHERING.
BEST PRINTS and Muslins at wholesale
prices. CARHART s. Co.