National Republican., 1882-08-04
A COSY NOOK
ON THE LOWER POTOMAC RIVER.
Washingtonlans "Down In Charles County, God
Bless You "-How They Arc Enjoying Them"
sci ves--A Visit TO the Old Strat.
ford Estate in virginia.

Navy Department. took little trip down the river
on q tug-boat. AS the boat made quite stop
at Lancaster's wharf on the Wicomico Bay
| the gentleman went to spy out the land.
| half-mi ramble though open fields and pine
woods brought him TO one Of those commodious
| farm. houses that dot the estates of Southern
Maryland. Attracted by the comfortable appear
ance he solicited board for his family and finally
secured accommodations for them. great charm
Of the place is the massive antique furniture the
| dainty chinn, and old fashioned silver, Others
heard rumors OF Pine Grove and this summer the
house is crowded to overfowing with people who
enjoy the pleasures afforded BY country life near
! salt water. The following guests from Washington
| have whiled away some of the hot weather there;
| MIR. aud Mrs. D. NJ. Goodacre, Mr.. and Mrs. ]. NJ
Edgar Mr.. and Mrs, 7. A. Allen, Mr.. and Mrs. q
Crown, Mrs. Shack, Mrs. Armstrong, the. Misses
| Deckie Cook, Emma B. Goodacre, Bertha J. Arm
Tsrobbg ProbSg Yonnp Bowles Charles Baker, James D.
| Dumford, Edwin c. BrandenbuIg, w, Spen er
Armstrong, John 9. Armstrong, Willie and clyde
| Allen, and viii Edgar.
| THE PARTY HAVE TAKEN ADVANTAGES
of wind and wave, and the kindness of o fellow
boarder, Captain Covington and his charming
snioyed cd many sails on the bosom of the Potomac
A trip of twenty-five miles down the river TO
Piney Point, with Captain Wise. met with the luck
that usually attends sailing expeditions-thatis tis, a
white ash breeze, varied by q squall and drench-
ing rain. Not discouraged, the party accepted an
|
famous stratord ettle, ten miles across the river
The Maryland sho e ie low at this point, but the
Virginia side owcs y high sandy az M p'SS S Varied rc
the sand at one OF these ravines, and few steps
brought TO the old Stratiori grist mill, which Is
one of the most picturesque buildings ever saw
1t is built of stone on the side of hill, and the
entire machinery is OF
THE MOST PRIMITIVE KIND.
The miller himself seemed like a Rip Van Wrinkle
who might have walked from a centurys sleep,
usually usually credited With his beard, long and
white, braided in queue, he harmonized entirely
with his Surroundings The dam must have with
stood many storms lor trees two feet IN diameter
are growing on it. The pond is complete little
gem in its setting of green- woods. Our Mecca is
the road wasl How the sun shone And every
step was up hill. We were delighted to catch a
glimpse Of the walls of Straford at last, and only
stopping to shake wild plum tree and admire
could name, and which are sturdy sons of British
sires, we hastened forward. Remembering how
tedious statistics are to most VIII bore the read
ers but little, but must beg some forbearance.
THE ORIGINAL ESTATE WAS ROYAL GRANT
| to General Thomas f. Lee, and consisted of 5000
acres. The house, which is an exact reproduc.
was built by merchants of London, at a repued
cost Of $4,000, about the year l740. " remained
in,the Lee family until the death of Mrs; stark,
years old AT her death she left the estate to
another branch of her family. General Robert E.
the estate 1t is now in the possession of two
brothers by the name of Stewart, one Of whom,
although still young, is prominent lawyer of the
Alexandria bar, II member of the Virginia legisla-
ture, and was a member of the commission which
decided the disputed boundary between Virginia
and Maryland. The other brother resides at
Stratford, is physician and unmarried. Both
owners were there the day of our visit and treated
us with the greatest courtesy and kindness, open
ing the house to our inspection as freely as ii we
had been honored guests instead OF perfect strang-
ers. The house is built OF
BRICK IMPORTED FROM ENGLAND,
| onl Of two hui1dinpc ponuantpd
by an immense square hall, the two main parts
projecting beyond the hall, front aud back Part
finish and are regularly mingled with the red
bricks. -Four chimneys rise near the center OF
each wing and are SSnhested tb oy Iadng iorm
, be seem The rooms are large and the ceilings
high. The high carved wooden maniel in the
parlor is particularly an elegant affair The piano
dates back forty years, and is finished in solid
( mahogany. The tone Is still rich. In one of the
brick outbuildlngs an old aunte was cooking the
Doctors dinner in an immense fireplace, using
cobs for fuel. The floor of the kitchen had been
tiled, but it is now very much broken up. The
house escaped destruction during the war because
THE TREES HID IT FROM THE RIVER.
Many shells were thrown in that direction by
passing gunboats, and 5OO-pounder in the yard
500 acres OF the estate are under cultivation, the
remainder being woodlands some OF the tim ber
very IN lsy esre n%der 9Gv Se
ing trees, supplemeniing it with one Of auG1e $
old Virginia hoe cakes, baked before the open
-
ing but too late to avoid the unfavorable weather
which, we believe, to have been caused by too
| freouent repetitionS of "a life on the ocean
| wave" by our JONAH The ride after the storm
| was delightful, and the tea table was quickly
| cleared Of the delicacies which awaited our re-
| turn. A few days after the captain announced
. that the Lizzie Lane, one of his sloops, was in
port, and invited the party to Lower Cedar Point
| len miles up the river. The party was increased
| by the captain and crew of the Lane, Mr.. Gait
r | and cousin of Mrs. Covngton. fair breeze
TOOK Us UP THE RIVER
in fine style, but the chief incident of the excur-
= sion was our homeward trip. The Americus from
| Washington, was at the Point with party O.
= pleasure seekers, and the captain, whose name
did not learn, challenged the Lane to IL race. Al
| though the Americus is Il full-rigged pleasure
yacht and one of the fastest on the river, we had
. | no mind to yield the palm uncontested, and sc
| we waited patiently until the Americus took hel
| party on board and weighed anchor. The start
was witnessed by crowds ON the beach and on the
steamer Jane MOseey, and both boats were heartily
cheered. The Lane took the lead from the start
and what a glorious sail 1t was! We had to si
| fat on the deck, and broad brimmed hats ano
umbrellas were forbidden. Every inch of can
Vas was spread and the prov cut The waves like
knife. The boat tilted to the leeward till the
. | waves washed over that side of her deck con
. stanty Silence was enforced, so that the COM
mands might be heard and quickly obeyed. The
Americus was left fur i'll the rear and the Lant
reached the wharf in just one and three quarters
hours. When we reached the Wicomico Bay the
- | Americus continued down the river. When ouI
tongues were loosed perhaps we did not make
= the welkin ring with cheers for the Lizzie Lane
| Perhaps not, but there can be no doubt of the
' lusty vgor with which we
Gave three cheers and one cheer more
y For the gallant captain OF the Plnaiore.