The state journal., 1884-01-12
THE UNDERGROUND RAIL
ROAD.
"reminiscences of an Old Com
hBEafnr
RADNOR-CHAPTER |.
THE RADNOR PEOPLE.

chapters am fully aware that they read
like a long sequel to what may turn out
10 be small book; yet in the very nature
of the case it was quite as necessary to the
facts TO be conveyed as the details of
the stories themselves.
Radnor is put as the caption TO the
succeeding chapters simply because
it was the scene Of the Incl
dents related in them, and from its
location and the character Of its people
it gives fair example of the influences
that controlled in the formation of the
public sentiment that made it impossible
that the Slave holding South and the free
labor North should dwell together in
peace.
Radnor is the extreme northern town
ship of Delaware county, in this State,
bordering on the northeast on the NIer
rinns, in Montgomery. and Trcdytfrinn, in
Chester counties.
As the names of all the townships
around it, as well as Radnor itself, indi-
cate, the region was settled by immi-
grants from Wales, and if that were not
sufficient to indicate their extraction, the
names of the leading families at the time
Of which ! am speaking would settle the
question LOWS, Richards Abrams,
Sitter George, Leedom, Pugh, Brookes,
Palmer, Morgan, Childs, Worrall, Maule,
Harding, Kimhcr, Akin, Blackfan
Cleaver, Bartleson, tell more than tones
of family mystery, ofthe origin ofthe good
people of Radnor. They were still, at
the time of which | am writing, not so
far descended from the men who
crossed the seas, but many among
them retained lingual notes peculiar to
the Welsh tongue, indicated in the cut
ting Of the tails OF some words off short,
and still more in the peculiar Welsh tenn
per, which some have defined as obsti-
macy, but which is really only tenacity
of purpose carried 4 little towards the
verge of excess.
Dear old Radnor How, over the long
vista of years, my heart goes back to
those scenes. ! smell the clover blows
as the wind bears their fragrance to me
in fancy again, and hear it gently breath
ing on its way; | see the dark ranges Of
her rustling corn, and the green and
golden sheen of her waving wheat fields;
while like echoes come back to me the
sounds of happy voices from the rose
covered farmsteads, nestled among the
orchards. Again | see the farmer and
his wife greet with cordial friendliness
the strangers who have come to live
mong them.
81 am glad to meet thee, and hope the
acquaintance we shall make with each
other, will be pleasant, =
These are thy boys are they Well,
thee must let them come over and get ac-
Quainted with Hannah and Evan. They'll
have high times there. My boy and girl
are great players and will enjoy their
new friends. Would thee like to Gomez"
the good woman said, as she laid her
hand on m y head and bending over
until her sweet face shone upon me from
the depths Of her sugar scoop drab bon
net, with eyes dancing bright with kind
ness and merriment. and with an air of
mock secrecy added, 1--WE have apples in
our orchard ripe already. I'm sure thee
likes apples does thee not?''
Thus Squire Lewis wife. Dear aunt
Susan-whO grew into all hearts that APP
preached her.
Is it any wonder she captured me the
first attack, or that | never rebelledi or
that she lives in my heart among its
tondest memories or that to me the
ground is hallowed where she lies ; or
that her sons and daughters have ever
been to me, whether in their useful lives,
or as with some ofthem honorable deaths
on the battle field. something nearerthan
others?
Then again having captured me she
turned her batteries on mother again.
1--WE are plain people here, and like
thee / am sure we will be friends, but
we must know each others names. Mine,
is Susan, my husband Is Abner Now
what is thine and thy husbands Cathe-
rine and John Now Catherine, thee
must bring John, and come over to spend
the evening, then we will be neighbors
Be sure and come soon. | must go now,
the men will be wanting their supper
And the good woman flashing like
sunbeam, sprang into her wagon,
gave the reins Jerk, and come Dol,
w." and the little fat, round mare trOtted
OIL, frisking her tail and bobbing her
head, as ffslie had caught something of
the sweet humor and jollity Of her mis-
tress.
Thus our first call in our new home,
and from that day Susan Lewis was ours
in all loving neighborhood and kind
ness-the color soon began TO deepen
III lily dAAA hhSA
Susan and Abner came along on First
day, and said, Catherine, would thee not
like to go to meeting with US? If thee
would jump in. we kent seat ON pur-
t,ose for thee, thinking thee might like to
90, mother took her seat with alacrity.
Was it any wonder that mother went
every First day, though she was reared a
Lutheran, that she came home once
deeply moved by sermon delivered by
George Truman" and that within a
year she was received into the society OF
Friends as full member, on conviction?
But it is not my province to give char
acter sketches of the good people OF Rad
nor; were it so, there would be plenty of
material, as there is in all neighborhoods,
from which to portray the oddities of our
fellows. So far as it is essential that they
should appear, they will do so as they
act in the story.
II was about the year 1880 when we
became residents Of Radnor, end | was
then in my sixth year
BECAME pupil at the school at "Rad'