New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-08-27
OLD EDENTON.
WHERE THE COLONIAL SOCIETY OF NORTH
CAROLINA DWELT.
LIFE OF THE STURDY CoLoNIsrs-THE WINE Or
THE sCUPPERuoNG GRAPE-DRIVING THE
BRITISH FROM THE "NoRIh


TIE scUPpERuoNG GRApE-DRIvING THE
BRITISH FROM THE NORTH
STATE SOIL.
To the majority of young Americans there are
only two chapters in the history or their cou"i''
both coming under rather urid headhnes-lhe ~
luton and the Late Unpleasantness.' But "ine
the genesis OF the Nation may be the uioiio''
Fourth" there is a period antedating 1t "hich ue'
serves n greater amount of consideration 'hah 'n'
average student bestows; though certainty ~
would fully understand and appreciate inc spun
which animated that first patriotic chapter Oh ue
great serial he must first acquant himsell wiz"
the personages who lived, moved and had 'ie
being in those Introductory pages, ana the 'ai'e'
conditions surrounding them 49,
Nearly all OF the States are ahead OF Nortn oaio
lima in the preservation or their Vaiuaoe "i' :,
material, but careful examination or the recoiu'
that are still extant prove her to be second III iii
portance and interest to none. One or the very
first settlements was made within her poruers Wy
Sir Walter Raleigh, and in 1885, on the lslahu ..
Roanoke was born Virginia Dare, the frst chi'u
born Of English parentage in America Out ~ -
west and north of this island that the coioi.'
settled in the largest numbers ana puht 'hei'
homes. many of which still stand as monument"
to their taste and hospitality.
| On the northeastern shore OF the Aloeiiaiie
| nestles the quaint old town of Edenton. IL was
founded in 1715 and named for Charles Edeh, hos
| Governor of North Carolina from liz 10 i'-''
though from It's natural beauty and frlitfuhess us
name might well have had more sacreu uelN
ton. Lying in the midst of region remarhapie
even in those DAYS for its fertility surrounded by
winding creeks and possessing fine harpor' lhto
which empty the rivers Chowan ana hoahohe u
deserved be called the garden of the state Or
as writer has already styled it, the grdh"S
Of the province" Having a direct outlet to the sea-
/ It naturally became the market town ana shippihs
} for he
early I'm the history OF the country 1t possessed d
society OF wealth and culture. Far from peihS
| refugees from the mother country, OF low anu
/ untutored class they were men whom their p'o-
ceutors might strive 10 emulate III every par
| ticul.r and women whose lives wore models OF
virtue refinement and high-born courage Long
/ hofore the Revolution the country had reached
high state of cultivation; noble forests ana I'M
penetrable swamps were interspersed WIN roih''s
farms lavish In their yield for 0oth man ana pets''
Fi.h and game furnished sport ana revenue w'ie
| tho native vine produced wine TT for the gods
The Scupperhong grape Is Indigenous 10 '"'' PAL
OF the State and poss sses iiaVor po'h rare anu
! delicious II grows very peculiarly, beng trained
over an arbor built like the frame TOT io" "a'
roof and bears its fruit singy, not III ciuS'el' a"
the ordinary grape From II Is maze SWEET '
| lou wine There is q very large and snarled on
vine on Roanoke Island when Is sal" " ""'' 49,
PLANTED by Sir Walter Raleigh
thug II was that while the homes or the coi-
onis,s lacked many convcniences and almost al
luxuries and embellishments, their comforts an"
Measures were unelualled, ana procured WIZ" wv
o,st imaginable effort or expense. The total lack
of artincality in their surroundings seeileu W "
fuse a similar naturalness and simplicity INTO the'r
/ social life and leave an inlelible impression uPo"
the characters formed under its ennophhg iiiue"''
/ AZ this early date the population OF Edeh'oh mum
boring some four Ave hundred, consisted NANNY
/ -, mon uho had received thorough educations IN
nj and MAJ
! large fortunes. among whom the common 'ie VI
soIfexile and constant intermarriage formed pohd
| which strengthened day by day. unth forever
/ welded by the final struggle for liberty.
Az the stranger sails into Edenton Bay-saia d!
many TO rival that of Naples-with the broad es-
,,,c Of HAYES on one side and the long white mouse
| , s,o,irg lawn OF Albania and the island home OF
po,pbrol, on the other it Is not difficult to imagine
! that the cleaning white roofs and WHO iohhse pe
fore him still shelter the County men Oh 'hoSe va!
with their knee brooches and cooked mats ana INV
stately DANES bepatched and bepowdered. Drawing
/ nearer the illusion Is strengthened by the glimpse
~ long market place in the centre or the mann
.rcot IN. sight OF faded bun courthouse
/ ,,ontinq on a beautiful. od-fashoned green. ana
toralzin views OF color and life through the o'oa
ono, halls of the houses that stand near 'he WA
,. odcc There is an odd and delightful irregu-
I,rltv about this arranS cmcnt; some Oh uie muses.
/ facing the bay and standing on uptoe' IKE Sou,'e
! o,d inoulstive children dangerously near the
brink Will, the larger and older edihces remain !"
dcniled secluson far up among ue s"'uoo'
,h4ir backs turned implacahly toward the tapping
tides that vainy try to kiss the mem Oh their green
robes. am, .o. 81,
rbesc houses face on the most beautiful street OF
/ 49,. ,.ui,co vhch with It's stately. arching el'ns
/ ,,,r,.os ire ROYAL name of King. Pausng TO look
through the tall gates 1T the almost tropical growth
Of roses peonies and japonicas and the EMPOWER
ing vines of wisteria, clcn1tis and MADEIRA fancy
eos,lv picturcs the erstwhile mistress OF all 'h's
i,eIrcss STRIVING between the prim box borders in
her scrnt short wasted frock and broad straw hEt
| with its Iute-strlng trimming. followed by snla
/ black siaye who carries the shallow basket into
which she drops the victims Of her garden shears
/ Won may follow her to thc tall ledge over Wlich
| she chats with her handsome neighbor-the same
/ ,o,,, man perhaps who wrote to England that
! 'thc pumps made in this country spoil the SILK
stockings" also that the hat sent him was very
/ nrcttv though the silver band was rather show
! and perchancc YOU may even be allowed 10 peep
! into the summer housr whore this colonial maiden
retires To read all over AGAIN the tiny glaze-paper
/ note that has been sent her with book entitled
| .The Art of Loving" in which the writer declares
Tint il is most convenient presenting the Art or
of Loving to one who 20 fully possesses the Art of
! plea sing" How quantity simple IS the phrasng of
| those Old letters, How phlcgmatc and formal they
/ s.arn IN this day OF "aGjectlves de luxe!' What
| would ninetcenth-century girl think OF lover
! who at the most ardent period Of his courtship
! ended his letter with 'love and compliments as
proper. and. believe mo. honored lady. most humbly
! and affcctonatcly yours
! The climate OF North Carolina has greatly
! changed OF late making It both colder and health
| ter Until within tho last ten years Edenton was
subject 10 an annual scourge known hemor-
rhagic fever. from which recovery was almost nope
| leys and many the shining marks aimed at by
this rcmorsee.s disease. Smallpox and fever and
| ague were common visltants, and during the sum-
mer and fall II almost fatal TO remain In the
towns along the coast. writer of that time says.
I'VE literally die daily and if | do not fly soon. |
! fear | shall And habitaton too permanent 10 be
! changed" At the same time the air was delight
| fully mild and soft. which is vouched for by a
! letter dated February o. 1888. in which the writer
tells his anxious spouse that his thin coat has done
him no sort OF prejudice
THE early settlers of the eastern section visited