The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1895-01-03

pFcach 70 the s'Fsst house, ana ended Il
the grayelod drive that belted tho nobll
lawn--frum I'VE 10 sovon acres AZ cIoun
clean swnrd, dotted with IN and os(lar,
and terra0ed from end 70 end. Here STOOD
the sturdy domictie, Erond and eousra
built Of brickn brought over fruu EnaIsnd
n the ships that came for tohacoo. 4 VA
thanked On sach hand with oillces Ard
strung out to tia worry odne of tho wood
with cutbuiidines-- kitchen, dairy, ~
house. overseer's Lodge and the s.qusrtsr''
Tor the dusky colony Of sIavea This latter
might be either . group Of cablns or q
angle spacious tenement Of logs or stone.
ahording one big sitting room helow,
noorod with earth and rude dur,nftorIoa.
bunked and blanketed above On tho
ground nocr the negroes loved to III
around tho great hearth, with their feet to
the drc. and to sleep that sleep Of In
souciant bcatitude which was broken only
BY the familiar cry Of warning. Some
fool niggor's heel a-hurningr'
In the distance was the clumsy wind
mill for the grinding Of the maize which
was presently TO flnd itself transformed
and famous In coquetries Of Johnny cake
and pone. and hapjacks faffsred with
golden butter, and beyond, between the
willows by the creek, glinpsed and glanced
the rippling silver Of the bay, with its
sleepy coses and inlets dotted with canoes
ana barges, and with the slender spars OF
PUNCHES In among the cuddling little tales,
where Sambo tonged for s.eyesheters" in
the sun and the larger fisher took his fnny
treasures from tho weir.
Here was q land flowing with mint ju.
leps and blooming with delectable dam
sells. Mistress Rcbeccn Lloyd, beautiful
and gracious, ey1lSRl the newcomer with
winsome con N the broad piazsa.
and the grizzla1 .sdtier, who had .'toted''
his young missus around SO long TINT
there were still times when he forgot him
self and chilled her honey" brought You
the beguiling beverage on silver salver
engraved with tho family arms and was
distressed II your straw refused to draw.
That broad piazza was burned, with the
rest OF tho noble house Of Wye, on March
~, 1851, when British marauding party
looted the plantation nnd tho mansion
and carried on pinte, iewelry mud watches,
swords, spurs, sashes and cooked beavers
nuns, turbans and tippets, wigs and en-
proidercd waistcoasts, plumed hats md
cardinals, the whole splendid plumber az
bravo apparel and dainty bedeckipes.
Tho fnir Rebecca has long since been
ohoired among the angels, and the erizzied
butler sleeps with his toes turned up to
the mint. but when crossed the lawn one
kindly day in December was greeted as
graciously by Rebscca's later kinswoman
and conducted into the great hall, which
never yet, whether In the parent house or
IN this, was big enough for the hospital
tiles 1t has harbored. The grand old mac
or house gave it's body TO the flames, but
It's soul survives In the later mansion,
where Its traditions Of courtesy and kind
ness arc piously cherished
Near the site Of the historic domicile, a
fragment OF which still remains, stands
the beauaiful'structure, impressive by its
proud simplicity, which invites the way
farer today In the name Of eight genera
lions OF Maryland worthless who have kept
house there since Edward Lloyd !, the
Puritan, In 1868, set up his son Philemon
TO be lord Of the manor Of Wye and master
or Wye House-inounabula majorum. The
main building OF two lofty stories, includ-
ing the ball, drawing room, parlor, din
Ing room and chambers all of noble pro-
pr~tions, Is connected by corridors with
ono storled wings, which arc the library
C. orc N asMsslsthe domestic offices on the
ether prsselstine 4 pleasjnE faclSie u 900
fecks @ook fna But upon tho lawn and the '
leaiy sayena s sfind over sthe woods TO Wye
river and the bay. -
In Governor Lloyd ,s.ihnd there was a
certain stewara, On InitifI, at. wye, one
Captain Anthony ofist Michasiss, at one
|ime master Of n bay craft inffseservice Of
be governor This man was thu l,wner Of
likely negro boy who escaped frd1n bond
and by his remarkable pod ere, no
rements and address became Known to
world as Frederick Douglass In 1881
Douglass, being then marshal Of the
trict of Columbia, was moved to re-
the scenes Of his childhood and his
~ and ono day found himself on the
OF Wye House, whore he was re-
by the sons of Colonel Lloyd, their
being. absent, with that courtesy
is extended to every stranger who
nis way thither. When he had made
the motive Of his visit, he was
led over the estate, from spot to
y he remembered and described
heir childish associations hero a
hero hedge, lane, a field, a
called them by their names or
hem by some simple Incident,
be glowing heart of the man
go out to the place as he PASSED
to ghost as In dream And
nge thing happened Stand
nusing for awhile, he said slow
anRe who talks in his sleep,
Rpdswas whur me- and
trap rabbits. ,, Mars
prs SON. Was il the
Il pathetic sense Of
Y Of the situation,
tremendous sig
1ife oompacted
Pa1asa Of