Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1882-10-12


ten by a friend and relative in Norris
town, Pa, we clip from the Boothbay,
(Maine) REGISTER. The letter itself has
peculiar interest to us, bringing to view
scenes made familiar in childhood as
the home of those held most dear in
memory, and that it will interest others
by its historical reference and the evi.
dence OF much improvement we transfer
it to our colums.
Thinking it possible letter from pip.
ing hot "Quakervania" nigh be read
able Just now in icy Maine-icy com
mercially, if not thermally-l drop you
few lines describing my summer visit
to "the shrines"-the battle ground at
Brandywine, where our gallant Wayne
cannonaded and fought the mercenary
Hessians, long and hot summer day,
September llth, l77l. This place Is
more sacred to me than Plymouth
Rock to you and as life carries me into
the "sere and yellow leaf my footsteps
connot be restrained over two years
from seeking the pleasant shades and
hills of the classic stream, near by, where
] was born and spent my childhood days,
Ii is a beautiful agricultural region now,
covered with verdure and growing corn,
the surface being a succession OF rolling
hills and fertile vallies with occasional
cropping out of boulders on primary
rocks of gray granite. But oh bow the
hands of progress and improvement
have marred l?) its sacred aspect and
surroundings. The log and most of the
frame houses are gone, with the timber
forests in which | hunted the squirrel,
rabbit and muskrat. The "worm' and
Swede enclosures give place TO the
thorn hedge, wire and stun fence, rs
you pronounce the last in Gankeelaud,
land as showing that all the wisdom
and progress is not in New England
nearly all the highways, which used to
90 straight over hill aud dale, between
important places, or more likely on
farm.lines or to suit the land owner :
fields, have recently been removed TO
the vallies, and along water courses.
Thus the face of the country Is chang.
ed, but it is the dear old home still and
contains a few lingering pilgrims Who
set out in life with your unworthy cor.
respondent But although you have
been over the ground yourself your
readers only know "Brandywine' in
history so | must narrow my remarks
from general DESCRIPTION to little Penn.
sylvania brag, but before doing so, will
add the fact, that during my weeks
justification visited "Ccdarcrotp the
manorial establishment Of BAyard Tay
lor, whose fame is doubtless familiar to
the people of Maine as all New England
And here | may point moral by say
ing, that knew young Bayard when be
started journal in PheonixvlIle, and
yourself as boy. was printers Din
his office.
Then tlS4Sl BAyard was ayouug rad
ical" and presun'ptlvely an anti.siaye-
ry and temperance man. But alas, how
the fine gold became dim by intercourse
with the world of literature and current
morals A young man under fifty, his
body rests in Logwood cemetery, near
by, undoubtedly victim to fast living
abroad His fancy planned and brick
built mansion, embowered in great for
est trees, wears a lonely neglected as
pect. 1t looks like the castle Of some
storied lord. who was called suddenly
away from his dream OF the iutuTc,
leaving all in dessolatlon
Precisely in the centre Of the detour
made by Sir William Howe, when he
fooled Washington, turning his right
flank at BrAndywine Sept. IL, lTII, on
the Percopson, connuent Of the river,
lives Stephen Darlington and vile, the
former in his eighty.third year, and she
lust an octogenarian. Here they have
lived nearly sixty years together and
reared a considerable family, on very
hiIly, but most productive farm OF about
one hundred acres.
This plantation kept free from vegeta
BILE trash, and fenced mostly with wire
fence. upon iron fastenings, for many
years has been devoted TO butter max
ing, the old couple being the constant
manipulators OF the ''guilt.edged' ar.
tcle, which he transports weekly to
Philadelphia, 80 miles distant, via the
Philadelphia and Baltimore T.. X.
NV earliest recollection Of the old
lady was when I saw her, n demure
damsel of eighteen years, barefooted, on
the flag stones before the spring.houes
OF her father, while lofty oak limbs
threw their shade aronnd her. This
WAS sixty years ago, and the locality
about four miles from her present home.
Two years ago, babe her good bye, she
standing (almost "a the described girl
in her husbands spring house, deIvIng
in butter as of old And now again
last week repeated my farewell on the
same SPOT. "a she and her husband ex-
cused themselves by saying, that they
cantinued at It, because they are used
to it. and still able to do it, he adding.
81 would not feel content to sell butter
unless have q hand in making IL"
The old lady is up with the sun, and
against the protest Of the children, is
still found assisting at the milking, as
also superintendent of the butter max
ing. lie, it is reported, does all his
plowing. "just because he feels like il"
and il a daily worker on the farm be.
sides. As may be supposed such indus.
try has made them wealthy; still they
work, because they say il is their "duty
TO make themselves useful in the line
Of their highest capacity" But there
Ia another fact TO his credit he il fine