The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1886-01-02

1
several years, producing fine crops both OF
wheat and corn. The mansion is now occu-
pied by Mr. John w. McFadden, son OF
MIR. Charles McFadden, who bought the
estate from Mr. Shultz, who purchased 1t
of Mr.. William Dallas. The latter gentle
man subsequently removed to Philadelphia,
and from there to Westminster, where in
1869 he built the fine large mansion on
Green street, in this city, now the property
of Mrs. Louisa S. Dallas, his widow.
Within sight of the mansion, and just
beyond the creek, Mr. McFadden laid out
a half-mile track for the convenience Of
training his horses, some of which were
fine steppers, and his son, the present pro-
prietor, still retains in his stable several
roadsters which have fine records, being
able to accomplish their mile in 2.3O to )
minutes. Mr.. McFadden also takes con-
siderable interest in the breeding of blooded
horses, owning a stallion of superior strain
and fine qualities. We may here remark,
en- PEASANT, that it would be well if more
attention were paid to the rearing of horses
in this county. Thousands of dollars are
expended annually by our citizens for
horses and mules, which money goes into
the Golfers of the stock raisers of Virginia,
West Virginia and Kentucky. This money
might Just as well be kept in the county,
for it is not good economy to expend money
for that which can be produced at home.
The county would be better off by thous-
ands of dollars annually if our farmers
generally would turn their attention more
closely to stock raising.
We are indebted to the polite attention
of Mr.. James H. Taylor for many of the
foregoing facts, and who, in the absence OF
Mr. McFadden, conducted us through the
mansion, the mill, the outbuildings, and
around the grounds adjacent to the build
ings. In passing through the house he
pointed out various mementoes of the oc-
cupancy of Mr. Dallas. Here and there,
upon the walls, hung a picture, which he
either painted himself or held in his pos
session. for he was fine amateur artist and
an excellent judge of paintings. In one
room were pair of sofas which had also
been his property. Mr.. Dallas, as is well
known, was nephew of Hon. George NJ.
Dallas, Vice-President of the United States,
elected in 1914 on the ticket with President
James X. Polk Mr.. Dallas was a gentle
man of generous impulses and social amen
tiles, and entertained his numerous friends
with an open-handed hospitality. Oul
guide and escort told us that he had known
as many as thirty five or forty guests to be
entertained at Trevanion at one and the
same time. Mattresses used to be placed
upon the floor, on such occasions, when the
beds would all be occupied, for the accom-
mediation of the guests, and the kind host
never seemed happier than when his house
was thus filed with visitors. When We
were ushered into the dining-room, which
is as long as the dining-room of many
hotels, the following stanza Of familiar ole
song occurred involuntarily to our memory
and it seemed especially appropriate at that
time, as the house had been closed up fol
months previous
feel like one who treads alone
Some banquethall deserted,
Whose lights are fed, whose gardnds shed,
And all but me departed.
He has slept beneath the violets for more
than decade of years, but his memory i
still green in the remembrance of the friends
associated with him in life, who may now
utter the refrain of that same old song, and
say
Oft in the Silly night
Ere slumber's chains have bound me,
Fond memory brings the light
OF other days around me.
Just below the mill stands quaint old
brick building, which, in the days when
Mr.. David Kephart was the proprietor, was
used as a distillery, and in which many
barrel of the 'o-be.joyfuP' was manufac-
tured and sent to market, and was source
of considerable revenue to the proprietor
Those were the days when it was not con.
sidered crime to manufacture or to deal
in the ardent. and when the worm of the
still was not considered fit emblem OF the
worm that never dies. There was no local
option in those days, and our virtuous fore
fathers never dreamed that such occupa-
tons would be set down as evil in the sue
eeeding generations But such are the
changes and chances which the whirligig
of time brings around What Judgment is
in store for us, of the present generation,
by those who shall come after us, none can
tell.
1t is impossible to visit place like Ire
vanion, which has been in the possession OF
successive owners, and been occupied by
generation after generation, until strange
eventful history clusters about it, without
the imagination being set into active play
to people it with its former tenants, or those
Of them, at least, more cOnspicuously
known and remembered. There is some
thing weird, impressive and undefnable in
vacant and tenantless house, especially if
a series of years have passed over it and
the web and wool of history have been woven
around it. Such is Trevanion, one of the
finest of the many notable estates in Car
roll county