St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1876-06-23
The Troubles of Owning a Country
Place

The Troubles of Owning a Country
Place.
One of the morning journals the other
day contained an article sneering ut the
proprietors of "Idlewild," the residence
of the late y. Z. Willis at Cornwall on
the Hudson, for closing their gates to
strangers. Unless the manners of the
American people can be greatly improv-
ed. every gentleman will close his gates
to all strangers without Il permit.
In the letters of the late Mr.. Willis
in the Home journal he describes some
of his trials with strangers. For eX-
ample. one gentleman drove into the
grounds, unlimited, tied his horse to Il
valuable tree and left him. The horse
banked the tree, and il died, whereas
500 would have been no compensation
for it. At another time some half II
dozen rude fellows looked in the dining
room while the family were at dinner,
and asked if they could go through the
house The details of the loss of flow
ers, shrubs. young fruit trees cut for
walking sticks, etc, would fill small
volume.
just before the war was at Mount
Vernon, with IL letter to the then pro-
plietor. the late Colonel John a. wash
ington, who being absent, his manager
gave me every attention. He said that
Colonel Washington Was one of the
most courteous, amiable and hoSpitable
men that ever lived. and had borne
every outrage from transient visitors
that could he imagined. On one occa-
sion, while the Colonel was absent, Mrs.
Washington had friends to dine, and
while the hous. servants were carry ing
the dinner from the kitchen, Il parcel OF
the>,. intruderS seized the servants, took
from them the dishes ut meat. etc, and
retired to the lawn in front of the house,
and there deliberately deNoured the
NilndS. The destruction of plants,
flowers and Young trees WAS IN every
daN occurrence. After the war ! WAS
there again. and found in charge Il
colorrd man. who had been the olonel :
slave. He confirmed all that the man
a"er had told me some Years before,
therefore the truth of il can scarcely he
doubted.
After the Revolution in I1S}. LataN
cite had prepared in Paris Il beautiful
white marble Fireplace, called the
"FarmNaId," and sent il tow ashington
Oxen. horses, COWS, milkmaid>, sheep,
ploughs. etc, We're all cut ont in tn,
marble in ii most perfect manner, and
the fireplace was set up in II room in
tended Ton strangers. Some curiosity
seeker Who wanted Il SOHreHT to tax,
home knocked of the corners from this
/ Il, .l....
on each side. thus running entirely it,
appearance and value.
\ liberal gentleman opened his pie
tire gallery for the use of the people,
and IL gem of IL small picture WAS cut
ont of the frame and carried away. The
thief is now suspected, but proof Is
wanting to bring him to justice.
The late Nh. Gushing, the great China
merchant, when he came out to this
country, purchased il large place about
>iN miles from Boston, and expended
a fortune in ornamenting ii with choice
greenhouses with everything rare and
beautiful from all parts ct the world,
that money and good taste could pro
cure. 1t WAS Il school of itself, we'll
calculated to educate the people. MI.
Gushing. who WAS ever distinguished
tor his great liherality and Kindness,
really desired that his friends and
ueighhorS should enjoy his Injuries. and
directed his gales to he thrown wide
open tol that purpose. 1t was not long
| before he WAS notified aud di>gu>trd
at seeing that his confidence IN the peo-
pie WAS abused beyond belief. Even
the hackney coach drivers at the rail
/ Il Il al
would call out to passengers, Come
take You up To Cu>hings and show Vol
all his place; fare only one shilling.
All this experience soon became Il warn
ing To Nh. Gushing that he must "rdel
his gates closed, OF his place would s"ol
he destroyed.
Mr.. Weh>trr's place at Malshfield Wa.
long after his death, subject to intru
sionS of this kind. People would come
in six horse. touI-hoIse and two-hors,
vehicles. and others Oh horseback, from
all parts of the country; they would Z,
and examine every goat. fowl, pig, etc.
on the place. and then rush with thri
dirty feet into the house. They woul,
thrust themselves into the library wi her,
each one. probably. would sit in Mr.
WehStcr's chair and take up his pen
then they would run all over the hOus,
and into every room, excepting the ONE
Ia which the ladies of the family ha,
reiterated ; and, last of all. they woul,
knock at this room and beg permission
to put their heads inside for Il moment
The house of Mr.. Clay ut Ashland
KY. about IL mile out of Lexington
was run down in Il similar way after hi
death. His son probably found that hi
only protection from this rudeness wa
to phil down the house of his father
and thus escape out of the hands of III
considerable curiosity seekers.
The late William II. Aspinwall was
man highly respected for his liberalit,
and kindness in all the relations of life
He opened his picture gallery, which Il
that time was one of the most eXpen
>ive here, to the public. Que day re
marked to him that it was il great dea
for him to do: that it WAS il school il
which those of lis who could not owl
such treasures of art could educate an,
elevate our tastes. His modest repl,
Was that he wanted the people to rnio,
it. He soon found that this indulgence,
could not be- granted without abuse
"CHnfon." IN NrT York Erehing Post.