The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1885-04-29
DIE altteliqsnGsG.
oaee No.. 30 anaa1 Four.ssnlh sIreel.
A Renaissance

1 I.
macadamized highway to connect til,
Ohio river and western" travel Will
Washington, It was considered 50 fine I
work that it was named 1.-THE Nationa
Road and the public men connected
with 1t made much reputation, and III,
contractors great fortunes. i.1
The wife Of one Of these used to com,
for the winters to Washington, driving
from her home near Wheeling in he
coach-and.iour. After the death 0
her husband she came less often and II
diminished state, but always with con
scious Importance.
She had special interest in me, and al
ways repeated for me the story OF hel
saving my'life; how /, as three-year.olC
chile, had ION our way to st. Louis) beer
seized with such q violent attack OF crout
that my father had turned of the high,
road into the nearest house-which wa.
hers how she instantly ran with me Il
where some boiling water was being uset
and gave me the saving hot bath-ant
how our people rested with her until Il
was again safe to take me on the journey
From which came our established atten
tons TO AlrS. Crugar whenever she was In
Washington.
Although she was not a congenial per
son she had a very-clear mind, was re-
markedly well upin national matters, and
understood the reasons for our country's
development. She was otherwise well
read also; but singularly without any
sympathies. She had had no children,
and thougha uay old woman when was
ilfst grown she was perfectly healthy and
hard and clear.
She had passed out OF my mind until we
were in Wheeiing West Vfrgtnia) in the
carly days OF the war, where 1 had the
surprise to learn she was still living and
as clear headed as ever though quite a
hundred years DID,
Her resolute living alone, with no one
at all in the house-even the servants
locked out at sunset-had given ground to
certain distant relations TO petition for a
guardian to protect her and her property.
The old lady was asked TO come into open
court and prove her capacity. She came
off with flying colors. It was made sure
she was not only distinct rs regarded the
past, but as her memory Of passing events
was questioned she triumpqantly told the
Judg4 OF q husiness.scandal with which
his family name had lately been asso-
ciated |, and was allowed to go her way IN.
molested.
We were told 1t was risk to make the
visit, for she was a few miles out OF town,
in ayllilly country; but was ina light
carriage, and accompanied by the General
and q party Of officers on horseback; min
who knew how to look out and what TODD
1t was lovely May weather and every
thing in beauty, but no work was going
on, for all the men were in one or the
other army; you can't think how sad 1t
Is TO see war in possession OF homesteads
Coming out on the high, close hills, we
crossed a gay sparkling river and found
ourselves In meadow belonging to "The
Stone House." All roads and paths were.
lost in the unohe ked growth Of many
years and the long grasses smothered the
'sounds ot!wheels and horses as We drove
quito up to the door. A long-closed door.
The broad slabs OF stone making its once
handsome steps had sunk like old grave
stones and lay pwry upon each other.
1t was o ,well-bnilt house OF dressed
stoRe, verylarge and solid, with the usual
detached kitchen and long row Of NEGRO
quarters From these poured out a
sbining,faced, fat, smiling black crowd
cid and young-scary young ones holding
onto their mQmRies and peepiDg around
at our group Of uniformed Ofiicefs-'Lin-
kum's sojorp." They scattered so when
first spoken TO that followed up wo-
man with heavy baby and made her
comprehend We only wanted TO see Airs.
Crugur.
sole Aiis'gn
"Yes. Go in and take this card. Tell
her she saved my life when was baby
and had Group mighty bad, and l want to
She was afraid to venture In but We
made her, and she ran back, radiant; We
were to come in.
Going back to the front door we found
s0le Mis-" bad hsd i unlocked for US
and tho slantipg sun sent its yellow light
upon the thick, thick dust Of the broad
log hall,
In a large library lined With books We
found, seated there, the old LADY, who
knew perfectly all about me and under:
stood Why gsmsd men rode down her
glen. She talked Soptsriuily Of the con-
ditions that caused the war and Of one In
,evitable rosnle; but all with no interest or
feeling, merely knowledge.
&, She was carefully dressed In rich black
satin With cap OF beautiful old yelloyed
lace, with Its big bows Of orange and red
ribbons on top, and broad strings Of the
fame tied under her chin the inevitable
false hair, dark, MSS framed in with rich
lace Quillings. Her age told In tbeskin
OF face and hands which were like crinp-
ed parchment, but the lips were firm, and
the eyes, deep,set in wrinkled lids, were
still dark and keen
She had in her hand ayolume al the
'Spectdtar, which she said was writing she
liked. Her old b6oks were the only kind
she cared for, "But I know all that's go.
ing on she said; II take a New York
daily paper 1.-THE Tribune 1t was, as we saw
by the pile on the table beside her and
the Wheeling paper" And when she
wanted other information, II send for my
l.wytr."
She never loft the house and let no one
come into 1t but for hertew personal wants
by day. Broths, eggs and milk, made her
food; a bowl Of milk and some bread was
beside her on small table-her regular
supper she said, alter which, at SIX O'Clock,
she locked the door and remained quite
alone all night.
fGBpt" LACKED, Suppose you are ill7"
"Well, but l never am, Maybe you
think might die here all alone2 So |
might. But l have been alive over a hun.
dred years and my time mast eome-and
I might es swell BIO alone then for nobody
can keep itoif"
She remembered her duties Is hostess
and saidit mightplease 1.-THE youngpeople"
to 90 up stalrsI there was a ballroom there
and they might N]anee Il they liked.
cts twenty-five years since cared
TO 90 up there, she said. ''sometimes !
send the women up to clean but don't
know II they do
tShe looked after them with some inter:
esf than said disnnnfoyinply. nThAy are