Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1885-09-07
DoWnthe Peninsula
II THE SANDS OF SUSSEX - a
PROsPEROUS FARMER-SAW.
MILL II THE WOODS.
THE HOSPITABLE PEOPLE

THE HOSPITABLE PEOPLE
After supper on Sunday evening Mr..
Ellis WAS visited by his neighbor, Mr..
Harrison Messick, who was sccompa-
nied by his wife, two Of his children,
and two boys indentured TO him from
Home In Philadelphia, and 1t would
have been impossible for any one, with
out being informed, TO tell which we're
his own children or which the adopted
ones. They were ell dressed alike, and
- far "A could be seen there was not
the slightest difference made between
them.
1t was very evident that Mr.. Messick
was not Benjamin RigRin, and that
these orphan boys have been extremely
fortunate In falling into such good
haDds, and securing such very excel
lent home. Mr.. Nessick is one Of the
many prosperous farmers Of this section,
and . striking type OF DelawAre's yoo
men. His broad and we'll titled acres
are spread AZ far As the eye can reach,
while his large and productive peach
orchards have yielded ample returns
and Wed with his i'm mense strawberry
and blackberry fields in repaying the
toll and labor expended upon them, snd
the ounce trees are bending with their
golden fruit. The exterior Of his house
tells of the comfort and happiness that
reigns within, while on every hand
there are evidences Of what can bs
obtained from mother earth by persever-
| ing toll.
, !, An invitation to spend some time
with Mr.. Messick b ad. moet reluctant
ly, TO be declined as promise had been
made TO start early the next morning to
visit another friend, some seven miles
distant. The evening was spent in q
very p easant manner, and H. was late
when Mr.. Ellis, with bis family and
guest, retired. Another comfortable
nights rest, undisturbed by any Of the
alarms so frequent in cities, was fol-
lowed by an excellent breakfast, that
was enjoyed with an appetite starpened
by the pure air, and perfect freedom
from the many annoyances OF every
day life. Shortly after y o'clock Mr.
John w. Nj. Truitt, brosher-in law to
Mrs. Ellie, drove up 10 the house to take
the visitor home with him.
The party was accompanied by Mr.
and Mrs Ellis in their carriage, and
after an hours drive reached Mr.
Truitt's residence. On the way small
house was POINTED out, where man
named Smith Kitchens resides. He
Is 90 years OF ag", was born on the place,
and Is still able TO feed the stock and do
other II, ht work. His wife&ied some
years ago, and his Son, who was born
on the place, resides there with his wife
and tills the land. Mr.. Kitchens is
certainly q remarkably instance Of Ion
gevity, end the healthy climate Of Sus-
sex county. Another interesting object
was an old water mill, that from its
appearance has probably stood for a
hundred years. But time Ia doing its
work, and it is rapidly going TO decay
The hands that built it, and formerly
iground the grist for the farmers of that
lday, have long since Inoldered In the
sileot tomb, and for many years the
old mill has stood idle, while piece af
ter piece has been torn down by winter
lstorms, or yielded TO decay and fell In
1.-The waters beneath.
Mr.. Truitt's residence was reached
shortly before 10 o'clock, and the visi
itors were welcomed with that cordia
hospitality for which Sussex county l,
NOTED, and which causes even q stran
ger to fell that he is at home aDt
among friends. A dinner was spread
tel, and to which full justice was done
About the middle Of the Afternoon
! Mr. M q. Truitt, an uncle of the host
and who lives aoout half a mi.e dis
tant drove oyer, accompanied by his
wife, and very pleasant afternoon WA
spent In which reading.from an amusinI
book, and expe riments with galvani
battery belonging TO the scribe, played al
Important part. Before they took thei
de parture, promise was exacted tina
Mr. j. w. M. Truitt with his famll
and guest would spend the next aftel
noon at their house, and partake o
their hospi,alities.
: Toward sunset Mr.. and Mrs. ELI
| started for their home, after a cords
Invitation to the newspaper man to b
r sure and visit them soon again, and t
come pre- pared to stay longer. Ate
L supper, the party gathered in the com
Portable room and whiled away til
Ievening hours In reading and converse
tion until bed time, when another goo
nights rest was enjoyed. Newspapt
men are, Of course, proverbial for reti
ing at early CD hours, but the peopl
in this part Of the country can bes
them all hollow, and the consequent
was the scribe was up before the sui
. refreshed and invigorated by his lou
y nights rest. The morning was speI
4 around the house, and in visiting M
z Truitt's steam saw mill about one mi
u distant in the woods; for, although /
owns a splendid farm he does not till
himself, but rents the grounds 30 th,
be can devote his entire time TO II
mill. and the vast piles of boards In IL
vicinity of it shows that he has not bee
idle.
After an early dinner, the horse WI
harressed to the carriage and spler
did ride of several miles taken aroun
II through the country. AT one place,
. house with q number of cut. building
l. was seen, where q man resides VINO M
4 a still, and yearly makes large quaint
y" ties of apple and peach brandy. ID
father was engaged In the business
the same place, where 1t is now carrit
on by the son, whose grey hairs sho
that he too Is getting old. Before u
war, apple-jack, as 1t Ii called, sold J,
80 cents to 81 q gallon, but now, VIII
the tax ON the still, and the addition
tax on every gallon manufactured, 81
the cost of license to permit him
sell 1t, the price is So q gallon, which
1t the smallest quantity he IL allowed
sell, and it cannot be drank on u
III 1t ia said that he has some liquor
hand that was made twenty years ag
c. for which he demands $l2 per gallo
i, hut 1t Is pretty safe to say that L
III much of it is sold.
r. After returning to Mr.. Truitts re'
ldenc. the horse and carriage were p