The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1884-03-28

met, and the farmers were accustomed to
take the same precautions for the safety of
their property of this character as they do in
Virginia with respect to sheep. An anec-
dote strongly illustrating Booths primitive
conceptions of things on some points, and
his strict sense of justice, is related by n
neighbor. One night the dogs went on one
OF their sanguinary raids, and destroyed sew.
eral of Mr.. RS hogs. The news reached
Booths ears, and he came over Immediately
with the three culprits in leash. There could
be no doubt about their guit-the damnng
evidence was still upon them. Their master
was downcast-the crisis had arrived 1t was
drumhead court martial and no defense.
Booth admitted that the dogs must die. He
loved thepoor creatures, and, moreover, as
we know, it was matter of conscience with
him not to take life Still, his sense of JUS
tice was even more acute, and his fine coun-
tenance troubled and saddened, he turned
them over for punishment. Bring out the
wagon he said, gently, but in voice of in
describable sorrow. The remark was II lit
tie puzzling, but it appeared presently that
he had the idea that the prevailing form Of
executing animals was to run heavy farm
wagon over them. How he obtained this no.
ton was never known, nor did the contem-
plated measures of justice proceed further.
Booth suddenly bethought him that money
might, as it is sometimes known to do effect
| q stay of execution, and he offered hand
some sum. The injured person, however,
wanted no more than the hogs were worth,
| and consented TO q reprieve on that basis;
and 50, immensely to Booths relief, the case
"The Booth children are still pleasantly
| remembered in the neighborhood Of Bel Air.
They, and the family, indeed, were regarded
| with certain curiosity and ave. such MS
| in q rural neighborhood. In their childhood
| they were not permitted to attend the theatre
very freely, but the boys were graceful and
picturesque, and rather gave the idea OF nc
tors. They had a special skill in climbing
trees, which was little suggestive of the
pantomime. The greatest care was eXercis.
ed in their rearing 1t is mentioned as an
Illustration ofthe instructive regard they had
for the rights of others, that when Edwin
and his brothers went out cunning, as they
sometimes did in the absence of their father,
who discouraged such sport, and would not
as has been related, permit it on his own pre-
misses, they never failed to obtain leave from
neighbor to shoot over his property before
venturing to do so and at that time this sort
oftrespass was viewed as everybody's right
edwin was very much liked. These who
were his school mates at Bel Air, and after
ward in Baltimore, speak of his pleasing
manners and agreeable disposition. He was
apt in learning, and his taste i'm literature is
remembered to have run rather i'll the direc
ton of poetry and history. He was bright
and good humored, and elegant in his adj
dress, but even to early manhood much less
reserved than he has since grown under the
pressure of many cruel disappointment and
M M nj in
bent when very young, at Bel Air, were his
sometimes dcclaiming the more fiery passages
from Richard Ill, in imitation, no doubt,
of his father.
"In 1922 Richard Booth, the father OF Jun
ius Brutus Booth, arrived in this country
from England and settled at Bel Air Dur
ing his sons absence he managed the farm,
and proved very useful in that particular
He was tall, slender man, and dressed for
a long time in knee-breeches, and wore his
hair in queue He was little eccentric, and
is chiefly remembered about Bel Air for his
remarkable reticence. Every day he walked
to town and sat for an hour or two on the
porch of one of the hotels without addressing
any one, and then trudged home again.
Booths happest hours were those he
spent ut the farm, away from the turmoil of
his profession. His friends wondered how he
could endure the solitude of his retreat, but
he loved it. One of his dreams was to re-
move the old log house, and build pretty
cottage in its stead, for use when he should
have retired from theatrical life altogether
This hope was only partially realized The
dwelling is shown in the illustration, and is
in the Elizabethan style. The surroundings
are not much changed from what they were
since the family ceased TO occupy this quaint
and picturesque house. The dwelling itself
has received the addition of ow-window,
but is otherwise unaltered. Nothing could
be iancied more coy and homelike than the
interior, with its small rooms the light stream
ing through diamond panes, and its minia-
ture hall and stairway The old log house,
which stood for II long Time useless, alas
was much in the way, on the left by the barn,
some ears ago did its last service by furnish
ing tirewood; an end, considering his some
what Eastern philosophy, that Booth himself
would no doubt have approved. In the cen.
tire of the lawn stood formerly gigantic
cherry-tree, planted by the tragedian with
his own hand. In the forks of this monster
he made n seat, and, perched comfortably
thereon, il was his custom nearly always in
the afternoon of the warm summer days to
read and mediate The tree, however, grew
to be 81 enormous that il very nearly shut out
all the light ION the cottage, and the pre-.
sent proprietor, not without reluctance, had
it felled. The trunk, with its five amputated
branches, which gave IL somewhat the ap
pearance of huge human hand, is now plant
ed at the foot of the lawn.
"The tragedian selected his residence for
its solitude, and the old farm is MS much Sc
cluded from the world as ever. The great
woods have been little thinned, but this is
all. The present occupant, Mr.. Kyle, related
that in all his residence here he had never
been visited by but one tramp, and he seem,
ed to have stumbled upon the place by acct
dent. The stiffness is intense, even for the
country, and yet the spot is so wild and pref
ty that it is neither tr5ste nor dull A sharper
contrast to life on the stage, with its travel
glare and tumut, could scarcely be fancied
| and this sort of reaction and perfect rest was,
no doubt, what the actor sought
"The surrounding country is beautiful and
interesting and Hartford County contains
many historic spots which would repay a.
visit. About seven or eight miles from Bel
Air, near priesthood Bridge, Deer Greek, is
very old Jesuit mission house, of curious in
tcrest to the ANTIQUARIAN 1t age is almost
| undiscoyerable, but venerable resident
of the neighborhood states that his mother,
VINO died very old, often pointed out the
spot to him as the place where, in her
| girlhood, she had attended school. The cha
| pei as required by law in colonial times, was
| under the same roof as the house. Adjoining
| there lisa graveyard. Exactly under the door
step of the ancient dwclling, tradition relates,
| there Is u priest buried, q famous and holy
man in his day, whose name now no one re-
members.
"While Mr.. Booth was living at Fountain
| Green, as his nearest post office was called