The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1876-09-22
Letter from the Stony Forest.
SEPTEMBER 10th, 1876


The Ngis and the Baltimore Weekly Sun
are the papers most generally patronized
here, and are due on Saturday; though
sometimes we do not receive them until
Monday or Tuesday, owing, suppose, to
some irregularity IN the mails. We are
hardly able to conjecture upon whose head
the cause Of the delay may rest, but trust
that in the future there may he no Just
cause for complaint
The grand picnic of the season was held
near the Calvary on the 3Oth of August
last, but not being either q member or spec
tator Of the festive scene, can only give
it passing notice here. 1t is said some
four or five hundred persons were present
on the occasion, and it was, in all proba-
blity, considered success.
When | was in your town, q few weeks
ago, man told me he had been picking
tomatoes from his garden the day before,
and finding one which he thought was un-
usually large for the season, concluded to
try its weight, which he found to be ex-
actly one pound. never before had the
least cause to doubt the mans sanity, and
and suggested to some one present that
now lie he handed over to be taken care of
by the legal authorities. A member of the
bar happened to pass at the time and as
sured me the gentleman was call right"
and the tomato too. On my return home
l proceeded to make an investigation of
my own patch, in order to ascertain wheth
er | could compete with the above men
toned one; but alas the largest l could
find was only fifteen ounces, and so Bel Air
is ahead in that line.
While taking stroll through the forest
during last week came across the canning
house of Henry Preston, who appears to
be doing an extensive business. Being
DESTROYS to obtain all possible information
at the time, strictly Intercepted the pro-
prietor of the establishment, who stated
that lie was working from forty to fifty-tive
hands daily, and packing about two thous-
and cans of peaches and tomatoes in the
same time. That he was daily packing
from his own premises four hundred buck
cts of tomatoes, besides receiving large
number of boxes from the neighborhood,
which were sent in during all hours of the
day.
After cordial good bye to Henry,
proceeded on my way, and Glanced to
stumble on the canning house of William
Preston, who is doing about the same
amount of business as his brother. He was
complaining very much about some one
who had brought him load of rather
green tomatoes which he would be CON-
PEELED to empty out in the road. This was
certainly great mistake in the man who
brought them, though what more could be
expected of a man recently from the boys
of Ould Ireland, and who supposed that
he was picking potatoes instead.
1t was my intention to visit the canning
houses of "Old Nick" Baker. mean
but the shades of evening convinced me
that it was time to seek shelter and rest.
Accordingly ventured out in this vast
wilderness again, all the time and at every
step fearing (as many II person has done
betore) that it might be my last, when as
if by magic or some unforeseen accident,
my friend Greenland came across my path
and insisted that should attend him home
and receive all the hospitality which the
forest could afford. This was tempta-
ton that l was unable to resist and will
lingly accepted the offered kindness. We
arrived at his residence about seven o'clock,
and after partaking of hearty lunch
was shown to my room. When awoke
in the morning the sun was pouring his
rays into the window, and thought which
astonished Xerxes, flashed across my mind
that none living, with few exceptions
would be here to see the next centennial
| year. LOGAN.