The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1896-04-25
The Old Battlefield Hotel.

Mr.. EDITOR II remember the ola
Battlefield Hotel quite seventy years
ago, with many pleasant recollections, and
some not so pleasant.
That used to be the old wagon stand.
1t was run by old Uncle Mosie Degroft.
From 2S until 30 there was an immense
business done on the Baltimore and Pitts
burg pixies. Look IN what direction you
NAV you could see covered wagons. |
have seen trains, or sections, mile long
many times. 1t was beautiful sight to
see long train of wagons coming from
Baltimore and another from Pittsburg and
passing each other. They went Winter
and Summer and it was regular business
for thousands of teamsters.
One peculiar feature was the hauling
of German immigrants; there were scarcely
train but what carried number Of these.
All that were able had to walk but the
smaller children and the old people rode.
The fat Dutch girls, especially, had to
walk and often they were not dressed IN
the highest and latest fashion. Their
dress consisted of short gown and petit
coat. The petticoat was so long that 1t
came down midway between the knee and
the ankle. The sleeves Of the short gown
or sack, as it was called, were cut Oft be-
tween the elbow and the wrist. Not a
shoe on their feet, and very seldom any
covering on their heads. Now is it any
wonder these German beauties became sun
burnt
The Germans sometimes had their own
teams, but their funny low-wheeled wag-
ons always looked very strange compared
with ours, and they were always overloaded
too. Going up hill two or three of their
stoutest women had to push the wagon,
while the able bodied men would walk
leisurely along side.
Many of the men were fine musicians,
and many pleasant evening | spent at
the old tavern, listening to music until late
hours of the night. Sometimes they would
get at the end of town, organize their
band, and march through town playing for
the benefit of the citizens.
The regular wagoners were jolly set of
fellows. Old Uncle Mosie had his fiddler
through the Winter, and the wagoners
would dance until the wee hours of morn
ing. | remember two of the tunes they
used to play. One was "0ver the Hills
and Far Away, and the other was ''Dev
lis Dream.
The hotel keeper always had a house
full. After the dance was over, the wag-
oners would bring their little mat and put
It on the floor, where they would sleep.
They would take up every available space
and then, sometimes, they would have to
sleep in their wagons.
saw as many wagons ON each side OF
the road as would occupy space of three
quarters of mile. A space was left in
the middle to leave wagons pass through.
But the more wagoners old Mosie had the
poorer he seemed to get The liquor was
free TO wagoners and they all drank; they
only paid levy meal and there was
nothing in that.
Among the wagoners was one, Jerry
Black | think he came from Pittsburg.
He was very fond of playing tricks on the
wagoners and also on others; but once he
missed it. On one occasion he had an
Irish family that he was taking West
They were driving along leisurely when
they saw hornets nest not very high up
in tree The Irishman said to Mr.
Black, ''What sort of critters live up in
that house Mr. Black answered
why little people live there. Then
asked the Irishman Can | 20 up to
see them? ''Yes, said Mr. Black, but
you must not rap very hard.
And sure enough he did climb up, but
he came hustling down very soon. Mr..
Black asked 'Pat, why did you come
down in such hurry ''Why be jabers,
| raped as aisy as | could, and little
fellow with jacket and little white cap
on came out and, before l could spake to
him, he gimme spat above the eye and
most knocked me down; and | thought
if that way they were going to treat a
stranger, | did not want their acquain-
lance. | believe there are no hornets in
Ireland
On another occasion Black missed his
VIC QdN anu AhO biASi
ers were driving along, when they saw in
the distance peddler in wagon coming.
Black said to his comrades, There comes
u peddler, we will have some fun with
him. When he reached them Black
stopped him and said Il want you to
get upon that rock and dance and | will
whistle > The peddler said he could not
dance; besides that he had to be at a GER
tain place that evening and had no time
to spare. But Black said to him, If you
do net get up there and dance, | will wag
on-whip you" Now Black was power
full man and with one of these London
heavy wagon whips he was not nice per-
son to come in contact with; so with that
kind of persuasion the peddler got on the
rock, and Black told him to dance while he
would whistle. After a while he said,
That will do
The peddler came down, went to his
wagon, got out one of the old-time horse |
pistols and said, ''Now it is your turn. =
Black laughed at him, but he said, II |
viii give you FIVE minutes to get upon the
rock, if you do not you are dead man.
Black saw by the flash of the peddler's
eyes that he was in earnest and he straight
way mounted the rock. Now, said /
the peddler, with drawn pistol in his
hand, dance and whistle for yourself
until | tell you to stop. The peddler
kept him there long time 1t was very
hot day, and Black was completely ex-
hausted; so he plead off and the peddler
told him he might quit. Tradition says |
that Black never asked Yankee peddler
TO dance on rock after that
4 curious character loitered about the |
tavern; he went by the name of ''Joe |
Glasseater. If any one would pay for
the glass and liquor, Joe would drink the
liquor and chew the glass.
In those days the glass of tumber was
very thin at the sides, while at the bottom
it was about half-ineh thick, 50 it made
very hard chewing for Joe.
To looker-on he appeared to swallow
Il L l.. III