The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1881-08-26
miscellaneous.
WganI0H Kansas Gazette.
GOSSIP ABOUT my MARYLAND"
Farms, Forests, Landscapes, &c.
BY MRS. DOWNS.

FAILSToN, MARYLAND, Aug =.
Fancy Il hamlet among the hills where one
has no sound of commerce from one week TO
another, neither locomotive shrek nor con
tinuous growl, of packing house steam es-
capcs. Nor docs the subtle odor of the lat
ter industry peryadc the hazy atmosphere
of this corner of Maryland, My Maryland
The bees and the birds have it all to them
selves.
have had to day Il long ramble by Laurel
Brook, which is one of those idle, babbling,
waysde brooks that one often finds in a billy
country The banks are green with the
waXen laurel shrub and great masses of love
ly ferns or "brake," as they are called here.
There is languor in the air, and a soft
haze. almost like mist, that our Kansas at
mosphere never knows. One wants to be
out of doors here all the while. At home, if
open n door, thinking to step out and see
"what the weather is like" a direct ray of
the sun strikes me on the head, glare like
that from n fiery furnace takes my breath
away and blinds my optics, and | beat u re-.
treat behind the window shades till the long
cd fuI huurs of sunset. DuJ licrU q little tronnp
in any direction will bring you to the festoon-
ed arches of dense forest. The Maryland
ers love their wooded estates, and the grand
old forest trees are as dear to them as are the
sunny meadow lands dotted with cows and
sheep 1t is amusing to hear their regrets if
some vandal comes from a distance and buys
a farm and "clcars up piece of woodland.
They say it is to be hoped that the land
will not pass out of the hands ofth old fam
lilies and be planted into potato and tomato
patches. One of the grandest sights | have
seen for years saw last week from the top
Of IL high hill, overlooking n great eX cnt of
n, al nt woodland a
sloping sunny meadows, the Chesapeake, like
veil hanging dim along the horizon farm
houses by the hundreds scattered over the
broad country, surrounded each by little
village of white washed uut-buildings, clean
and attractive to look at. There is the stone
milk house with its hard earthcn floor swept
clean, so clean and its snow VIII tie walls
smelling of lime, and the row upon row of
SHINING pans with 4 thick yellow consistency
therein that they call cream They give YOU
Il saucer of berries, or apple sauce, or sliced
pineapple ut meal time and pour half a pint
of this yellow consistency over it. One
grows to like the taste of it after a WHILE but
have been so accustomed to having my
quart of milk brought to the door, clear and
blue white, and having only little suspicion
of ecru tint gather after several hours upon
its limped surface, that | feel naturally lit
tie suspicious of such n foreign element as
seems to be in such popular favor here. The
spring house, too, is the most attractive place.
Out from bank of messy stones springs a
water spirit, dancing, bubbing, singing n
glad little song like baby cooling itself to
sleep then it settles itself into clear, bright
pool over pebbly bed, and over this treasure
of prodgal nature is thrown Il little gabled
roof 1t is poor kind of farm that has not
u spring house in its domain.
1t is a fortnight to day since left the Kan
sas heats behind me. / fancy how the rest
of YOU are sizzling. | sigh for you when |
sit down among the other boulders of Laurel
brook, and thought of that majestic avenue
called Minnesota crosses my mind. How
broad, and straight, and dusty, and shadow
less it seems o. for the shadow of Il great
rock, or grand old forest tree in its arid
tract! | see in my mind bped here and
there scudding across the street-car tracks
under the friendly cover OF an umbrella, and
vet don't suppose that one ofthose sufferers
would change places with these old Maryland
farmers if he could. Such is the nconsist-
ency of human nature" They undoubted-
" agree with Polly Mariner that "natur' has
its charms, no doubt, but as for goin' around
and pokin' ones nose among stumps and
trees-it's mighty tiresome-and I'd a sight
lever see folks, for there's variety and fresh
ness in folks that amt found in natur'."
| spent day in Washington on my way
home, preferring few days of stop over
in that city of bloom and triangular parks to
staying in Baltimore.
Il do not know of n more beautiful city than
Washington in the summer time. The streets
are broad and clean, the shade trees are abund
ant andthe numberless little parks and the wei
kept grounds OF the public buildings are bright
spots ofbloom and fragrance. Unjust tell yor
about an old colored man here who has nc
well defined ideas ofgovernment, but is very
loyal to the chief executive. 81 jest tole yor
if President Garfield dies dar will be wal
STATED right heah in Ha'ford county" Why
there would be war he could not state, bu
he had an idea of bloodshed One old dar.
key voted the Democratic ticket in Bel All
last spring. He might as well have died, fol
his neighbors and compatriots won't let hin
attend church, and refuse to associate will
him.