The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1895-11-13
AT THE OLD MARYLAND HOMESTEAD.
Barwick Again Treading the Paths of
His Boyhood.
Changes Noted After an Absence of
Thirty Years-Now on His
Way Home.
H1LLsBORO md). November 7th.

H1LLSBORO Md, November 18th.
Eds Record Union: L was glad 10
get away from the negro and the mule,
the razor-back hogs, snuff dipping
women and the "p0h white trash of
Georgia l am penning this letter
within few feet of where | was born,
and also few feet from where my
m0ther-God bless her-lies buried in
the churchyard. What pleasant recol-
lections of childhood and manhood
days pass before ones imagination, at
times so vivid as to appear TO have Just
occurred few days ago. But many of
those recOllections are sad ones.
/ visited the old farm" three miles
away, where l used to tussel with the
rake and the hoe, and the pillow and the
harrow, some thirty years or more ago
The changes since then to the old
homestead" have been wonderful. : he
houses now are diiapidated and going
| to decay; fences are down, and all, or
nearly all, the old landmarks of bOyhOod
days entirely obliterated. The old IA
miliar tree which l used to climb for
| cherries has been leveled by time, as
sisted by the AK Of the now new owner.
But the saddest sight of all is the Oh
| family burying ground, where lie the
| naughty and the humble, the rich ana
| the poor, the sinner and the saint, the
| black and the white, in one unrecOg-
nizable mass of grass-covered earth.
Not a stone is left to tell where any
! particular loved one lies, and the worst
OF all is the placing OF cider mill anu
| press on he old burying ground, and
no doubt in afeW years more diStill1r2
will be established at the same place.
where the juice of the apple will pene-
! trate its way to the ashes of those
| buried below, while the drippings Of
| the more fiery liquid apple and peach
brandy will once more soak the ashes
OF those who in life were wont to ease
| their consciences by keeping soaked IN
rum, interspersed with religion and
| family rebellion.
l asked the gentleman who now owns
| the farm for GODS sake remove the
cider mill from the old burying ground
and obliterate the whole thing by plDW
ing it up and planting it to corn, wheat,
| oats or any other crop, for / would
much rather see it growing in grain
| than to be made a stamping ground for
a cider mill, which in time would be u
distillery of a more dangerous fluid.
! Would that I could get some wealthy
widow or rich old maid to make Bene-
! diet out Of me, that l might redeem the
!
| hands into which it has recently fallen.
! Please don't all speak at once, nor al
| ply at the Sacramento Weather Bureau
| office before December next.
7 am having a most enjoyable time
with my old schOolmates and their chill
dren. although find such lot Of hand
some and manageable old maids and
widows that I feel like taking the whole
! lot and settling down in Utah. ! am re-
naming on the eastern shore of Mary
! land longer than [ anticipated, on ac-
count of the severe illness of my sisters
husband, who is not expected to re-
/ cover.
1 expect to leave here tomorrow, the
! Sth. for Washington, and thence go
straight through to Sacramento, for l
badly need the beneficial effects of a
milder and dryer climate for my throat
! troubles. as / have been hoarse for the
| past ten days. caused by a too damp and
| chilly atmosphere. / remain over to-
night to witness a high-toned colOred
wedding to be held at the Episcopal
Church (white). The church will be
| crowded one side with whites and the
other with blacks, all intent on getting
! a glimpse of the dusky darling and her
somewhat lighter partner.
/ am rusticating and filing up on
Maryland biscuits, roast 'possum, pig,
oysters and pie, and if do not get away
Soon am afraid l will surely die. There
| being so many BarWicks in this locality
/ IL Spea king of myself they designate me
as california Barwick." a title proudly
! carried by myself for / have made sew
! eral converts to our State by the glow
ing Though TRUTHFUL descriptions
have given Of the Golden State of the
only Golden West. j. A. BARWICk.