The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1882-08-24
"Oedarcroft." /"
A Visit TO the Home cf the Late Bayard Taylor

A Visit to the Home cf the Late Bayard Taylor.
In passing from Oxford to West Chest
er | made a detour from the main road
and visited Cedarcroft, the home of the
late Bayard Taylor. The place is in
charge of q courteous and intelligent
negro couple, who were busily engaged
in putting the house and grounds in or
der in anticipation of the arrival of Mrs.
Taylor and her daughter.
A farmer whose lands adjoin Cedar
croft, said that Mrs. Taylor and her
daughter were very kind and polite to
those who made pilgrimages to Cedar
croft. 'They are a good bit like Bay
ard, he said. ''He was kindness and
courtesy personiied, and master hand
to entertain by his talk and stories.-
Some folks thought good deal of his
lectures, but in comparison with his con-
versation, they were constrained and
unentertaining. Lying under the cedars
he would smoke his long-stemmed pipe
and talk about his travels, about books
and everything under the sun, in vein
that was charming beyond my poor
powers to express. He has often kept
me by the hour; and though am more
than ordinarily fond of music, I have
never heard song in my life which
was sweeter to listen to than the care
less, half-earnest, half-jocular disserta-
tions in which Bayard was wont to in
dulge, as he pulled away at his pipe and
sent the smoke wreaths upward"
Another neighbor said. II used to go
to school with Bayard He was always
fine fellow-chock full of spirit and
snap. He was never SO happy, boy or
man, as when he was doing some of us
favor. Yes" he added, refectively,
BAY was agood .neighbor; he did a heap
for the town, and when he died in Ber-
lin, Kennett lost friend"
'Your people about here" I ven-
tured, ''came to think, after while,
that he was considerable of a man, /
supposeP"
''Oh, yes. long at first, when he
was learning printin', and got to writ
ing poetry and wantin' to go to Europe,
folks thought he was kinder odd like,
but we got used to all that, and some of
us used to read his books. He was a good
neighbcr, and most of us around here
cried when he died"
1t was gratifying to know that Ken
nett was disposed to forgive the literary
transgressions. Ipassed on smiling,
and contrasted the different views of
Taylors whilom schoolmate and Thom-
as Bailey Aldrich. Amid the signing
of the cedars the latter's beautiful trib-
ute to Bayard Taylor came back to me,
and with full heart l murmured the
closing lines, and felt that they were
true:
And when the summer winds sweep over Ce-
darcroft,
He'll come again. can not make him dead.
Cedarcroft is advertised for sale. 1t
is picturesquely situated, and the house
"a substantial structure of unfinished
brick, built in 1S59-stands embowered
| among a grove of cedars. The house
where he was born stands directly across
the road from Cedarcroft, but his par
ents, who are very old, live in small
brick house at Kennett Square, few
miles distant. They have recently cele-
brated the sixtieth anniversary of their
marriage, and are still hale and hearty.
A modest monument, recently erected,
marks the poets last resting-place, in
Longwood cemetery, u mile from Cedar
croft.-PtitGdeiphi0 Press.