Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1883-07-21
Fourth Of July I'm Mary.
land-Merry Making I'm
the Country.

| huoWH III dSnlDgCOn Society, cu-
tertained a large number of her
friends a. her country seat in Prince
Georges County on the 4th of July.
For weeks hopes ran high and ex'
pectations bright with the bellies and
beaux of Washington as to who
would be invited to participate in
the festivities of the occasion, as it
was well-known that Mrs. Best's re-
| cep.ions in the city were the most
| recherche given in the Capital.
When it was known that Mrs. Best
included in her reception the raising
of flag staff, and the display of the
American flag, including the read
ing of the Declaration of Independ.
ence, an Grafton, with recitations,
music and song, expectation ran
high and every one was anxious to
be present. Mrs. Best's estate is
on the Baltimore and Potomac Rail-
way, about 10 miles from the City,
near Wilson $ Station.
AS aurora frightened in the east
couples and groups of ladies and
gentlemen could be seen on the av-
enues and streets vending their way
to the depot where train of seven
coaches, and Douches' Brass and
String Band, were awaiting to con-
vey them to the objective point of
their happy expectations. The small
boy, with the inevitable fire cracker,
and the maturer brother with the
explosive bomb and shell, awakened
the echoes of the past; while the un-
washed baby with unkemt hair
with the unavoidable mother and
anxious father, the blare of the band,
and the shrieking Of the whistle
made the scene novel and interesting,
| if not hilarious. At $40 a. m. the
train moved from the depot to the
inspiring strains of "Peek- -boo,"
and in twenty minutes Wilson's!"
was called-when the excursiOnistS
| made haste to transfer themselves to
the coaches and carriages that were
in waiting to convey them to the top
of the plateau, the grounds of which
surround the hospitable villa of the
hostess. Maryland My Maryland
was rendered by the band beneath
the shade of the patriarchal oaks
that had cast their shadows for Gen.
| turtles over this time-honOred home
stead. After generous Maryland
breakfast, served in the grove, the
party gathered around the pole that
was soon to float from its peak the
! ensign of the greatest nation on the
| globe. To the delicate hands of
Miss Leelie Slyer, assisted by Mr..
James Kearny both of historic fame,
was delegated the honor of raising
the flag-the band playing the "Star
Spangled Banner" The company
then repaired to the lawn in front OF
the house where temporary plat
form had been extended from the
| portico on which the exercises of
| the day were to take place. After
Col. Il. III. S. Boyd, of Montgomery
| County, Md, delivered the Grafton
of the day. His speech was replete
with the requirements and duty we
| owed to the flag of our common
country-''as the emblem of a free
| and undivided people-the bright
star in the armament of nations"
He concluded with glowing tribute
to those who had so CALAMITY fought
| for a lost cause, that had now been
embraced in the ample folds of the
stars and stripes. Col. Boyd was
followed by Miss Leelie Slyer who
gave a graphic recitation of faux
Italians"; after music Mr.. James
Kearney gave humorous parody of
"Binghin on the Rhine,' viz.
Blackstone Island on the Bay;
Miss Susie M. Bowie, the talented
and universally popular soubrette,
rendered "Betsy and are OUT"
with "Money Nurk" for a finish
Mr.. Albert M. Sproeser recited the
"Blue and the Gray; Miss Brady's
"PianO Forte" sung by Miss Slyer,
Miss Bowie, the Misses Kate and
Efie Darling, Miss Allie Sanders,
the Misses Fannie and Katie Pow,
ell, May Wilkins, Capt. Peadre, Jas.
Kearney, Charles Harvier and Will
lie Roberts, gave great amusement.
BY request, Mrs. Best, the hostess,
then entertained her company by
ONE of her incompatible and humor-
Gus lectures on the ''Rights Of Wo'
man." which was received with
shouts of applause the band then
played HE Swallows Homemade
Pies"; concluding with a duet by
Miss Leelie Slyer and Col. Boyd, GA
Sigh to the Bonnie Blue Flag",
when the hostesslinvited her friends
to dinner-where wit, humor and
sentiment flowed as freely as the
sparkling wine from the glittering
glasses that clashed around the fes-
tive board. AS the shadows of the
evening grew apace the guests gath
i arad on tho no uilion uuhan fair