New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-10-11
SOME HISTORIC HOMES.
OLD AND NEW LYME.

TREASURES OF A BYGONE DAY.
iFRoM Az OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT or TIT TRIBUNE
LYME, Conn, Oct. 9.-FrOm :hc car WIN
dow nm the Shore Lne between New-York and Boston
this appears 20 he only stopping place at one end OF The
long bridge which spans the Connecticut River Tut up
among the hills the spre OF the old COngreg ationa'
church marks tho spot whore are grouped many Ola
houses whicA teen the homes OF some OF The most
DISTINGUISHED families In this part OF the world, ana
whose sons have mao Lyme honorci as their birth
place. The oldest house IN Lyme, and QUO which has
important sig dicance because Of certain events IN the
DAYS OF tne Resolution. is the residence Of tho Hon
Charles Johnson McCIrly. LII. d United States Min
lister to Austria In 1871 for LONG time in the Connect
cut Legislature, Speaker OF tue House. lieutenant
oyerno: Of State and FOR years Judge OF tue
Superior Coart 1t was he who IN 1913 caiSed the
change in common law By whc! persons may become
witnesses in their cases. law which was attcrward
adopted in England, 1 had most charming visit a!
Judge sCurdy's home the other morning fonnd him
handsome Old gentleman with smooth face wearing u
short beard under his chin whichke his hair Is white
He EXTENDED TO me the cordial welcome no docs
"a everybody ant waen he began TO talk would not
have gdesso1 his age to be nearly ninety years rs IL IS
IN fact wish could pic.utc the room OF the antique
dwrIliu. m which we sat- and whose polished beams on
the low ceiling. if they could but speak, could reveal
secrets OF nearly two hundred years ago
Why in this very house" said Judge McCurdy, "Ny
grandfather entertained General Washington nsHt
ii Ws1
ON the night OF April o, lI7G. He was accompanied
by General Gate. ed several other officers, and many
,rouintnt men gathered hero 10 counsel with him. In
l77S General I.afayctt: also stopped here. and his
troop, II ,ted there in field In 1921 Lafayette
again listed Lyme aai was entertained here by my
father Lyme has also beer visited by benjamin
Franklin. aud upon Mceag House Hills you can sec
milestone placed there by of his men Franklin
had some s,zt Of contriyanco tho wheels Of his
chc.-o for measuring OF miles.
Judge MeCurdy weat to say that TILE TRIBUNE had
been read by his family since the first day OF It's
p1icati aad lac did believe that II had ever failed
10 print all that worth printing. But said he
while mach might &c sud about this old house OF ninc
and much Ia, been said about Lyme. there is one
incident o. the towns history witch DO not think has
ever been published. You remember Poes story, The
geautilul Cigar Girl Z Her tragic death caused much
oyeemeni ia Sew York, where she employed in
retail cisar store. sort OF deoOy. Poe atrrward
pub isheI details OF the affair under the name, The
mv.tcry OF Marie Roget Her real name was Mary
Cecilia Rogers ana passed the early part of her life in
Iyme and was welt remembered here, although the
matter was not referred to ia the prints"
Judge McC'urdy had visiting him his daughter, Mis-.
salisbury wife OF Professor Edward T. Salisbury, OF
Vale College ana she eyuccl mach pleasure IN showing
me about the cnriJIs old homestead. Onc corh not
bsln Going into rhasodies antique fdfnlurc
bcautiful and so well preserved Much OF IL Is old
rho bouse Hself and some CT Is" great deal older
.onnd table I'm Judge McCfdy'S sldy descended from
overnor Matthew Cs1swOld and around 1t have sat the
-, oorornors Of the family. curious cabinet, almost
too nav 40 polished Is its gilt and bright with Ms
hraSs was marked al an OF two hundred years
"a and buffet, containing q collection OF china.
Aesceudea from the time OF Dr. Theodore DiOdatI OF
london who was from the Italian nobility. III spite of
ais years Judge MoCardy takes lively interest IN tie
voslds affairs. and when 1 tasted some OF his home