The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1883-11-24
THE TWO NELSON HOUSES.

81 think there's no prettier trade than
mine. Pve been at work in my business
for forty years, and now every where that
drive about among our hills, within a
radius of a dozen miles, pass houses, and
barns and churches that have built.
And | love to see them. 1t seems to me
as If carpenter has more to show for his
work than many men have; and if it is
well done, and stands the weather, and
gives good satisfaction, it is great pleas
ure to hun, as he goes along in years, to
see 1T in his houses, and to think thew are
going to stand and be a credit to him long
after he has passed away.
naturally, notice good many things
about houses, for when Pve built one keep
up an interest in it afterwards.
Zone very singular thing l have noticed
is how house will get good name or a
bad name, just like q man or a woman
Something will happen in his house. or
about it, and years and years will pass and
still the story will stick to it; and never
mind how it changes tenants, people will
point at it as they go by and tell its story,
why, there's good two-story house at
North Easton that is empty most of the
time just for that reason Tenants saw if
gets to be beyond endurance to have people
stop as they pass and point to this window
and that, and talk and stare. The people
IN the house know just what they are tell
ing. And knowing the story myself, |
can't wonder; for it was an awful thing
that happened there. The house will never
outlive it.
"Then there's the old Sampson place. on
the river road; it has stood empty theseten
years. Nobody would live there for love or
money.
"The story is that man went by there
late one night and saw old SIMPSONS wife
at one of the front windows. 1t was pitch
dark, and yet he declared that he saw her
md N.AlN e., -. 1
snow, against the darkness. And the next
week the news came that she had died sud.
denly where she was with the old man.
away down in Florida. And there's always
been talk, but I mustn't wander all over
the lot.
What set out to tell you was the story
about the two Nelson houses. The road
that leads across from Standish town TO
the Flume village is one of the prettiest
roads we have in these parts. 1t runs so
white and smooth with the grass between
it and the fences nibbled short by the cows.
and part of the way the pastures spread
out on each side with clumps of bushes and
elm-trees through them, and the rest of the
way there are heavy chestnut woods. 7
tell the neighbors that they might travel a
good way off, and find no prettier road.
In the whole mile-and-a-half there are
only two houses; they stand close together,
One is large, new house. The other is n
low, old,iaShloned cottage, with long two
story higher than the main body of the
house.
"The houses are in pretty strong con.
trast, and everybody who drives by asks
about them.
"Ten years ago this summer, the old
house, and the old farm-barn behind it.
stood there alone. always used to think
then that 1t was pleasant-looking spot.
Take 1t on bright, fresh morning, or on n
quiet fall afternoon, and that cleared farm.
stead in the woods always looks cheerful.
The land rises a little there, so that YOU get
a view across the country. You can look
clear over Standish town.
1.-The house was built in ITO. There is a
notch cut in the post of the front door,
where they stood up the men that enlisted
in the Revolutionary War to measure
them. And old Jonathan Nelson's gun,
that he carried to Bunker HILL Ive seen il
many and many's the time, when I've been
there as boy. They were always proud
enough of that.
AT this time was telling you of, the
farm was owned by two brothers-rather
youngish men-John Nelson and George.
Their father, old Captain Elias Nelson
mad died without leaving a will, and the
place fell to these boys, in equal shares.
George was younger than John. He had
been to college and was lawyer up in the
city, and he had only came down here for
the summer months, with his wife and his
two or three boys. John lived here the
year round and carried on the farm. There
were some ninety acres of land in all
thirty or so in moving and tillage, the res
in pasture and wood land.
THE soil isn't anything extra there, and
think John had hard time of it. He
wanted to do his best for his children, Civ
ing them schooling all he could; and ]
guess he didn't make much Roadway.