The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1897-09-04

retain the events Of over 40 years, and that
he could give them as facts as many years
afterwards. They would be wrong The
writer is no more fond of wild creations of
the brain than the reader, The circum-
stances did actually take place in real life,
and the records yonder in our Temple of
Justice" will bear me out as to the reality
Of the most terrible of the events to which
l shall call your attention. But we are not
quite ready to write of the several fendish
murders which took place near this old
turnpike, and all within two or three miles
OF Elkton. We must make some little
research in order to link up here and there
before we can give ii straight, if you will
excuse the slang phrase. And so we will
take some minor events of the long ago.
The summer that was seven years old my
father lived just over the Delaware and
Maryland line, which point is only two
miles due east from Elkton. Years before
we got existence the management of the
Chesapeake and Delaware Canal bought
the right of way from point between the
two little cities to Lloyd's Bank, now
known as Baldwn's Bank This project
was for the purpose of feeding the canal
from the Big Elk Creek. They actually
dug the excavation from point to point
which made them several thousand dollars
poorer, and just when they were ready to
tap the majestic old stream and turn her
many miles from her natural windngs, the
owners of mills below that point got out
an injunction which restrained them from
going any further, and except what the
rains did to quench her thirst the old
feeder has been dry ever siuce. Now this
old feeder is demarkation on the old
turnpike between Maryland and Delaware.
This is our side, and the Diamond begins
on the other side but don't last very long
Now it was Just on the other side of this
old feeder that my father and his family
lived. One sultry day in June my father
told me to wash my feet that l must 90 to
Elkton with him.
Now young folks will be amused at this,
but old folks will understand why my
father gave me this command forty-seven
years ago. They know that poor peoples
children at that time did not wear shoes
only in bitter cold weather, not even to 90
to town, and the dear old mother used to
20 on her urchin's little black feet with
scrub brush before she would pack them off
barefooted to Sabbath School Now, see
the same little Old straw hat that | had
been turning over grasshoppers and butter
flies all the week would do because there
was no other. The same blue drilling knee
breeches that had worn many weeks had
to do for the same cause, but | could change
my little check shirt and did. My father
was Frenchman and had but recently
come from France, and consequently could
not talk English, nor did he learn in the
next twenty years that he lived afterward.
But as young as was had caught on to
my fathers French, and that is why he
generally took me with him when he went
away on business. l was his interpreter.
Very many times have traded horses in
those good old days for my father But to
be frank l will say that | have forgotten
the business that called the old gentleman
and his interpreter to Elkton on that par
ticular day in the long ago. But we went
humping over the very same old hore"
come stones which are still projecting inches
above the red clay all the way from the old
feeder to the creek Just little beyond our
lovely little city. Oar vehicle was an old
horse cart tngged along by an old l. ind
mare, but old Fan was as true as steel, as
the sequel will prove. There was no bridge
at Farr Creek at that time, nor was there
fGr Ill.,, .,~...S aEtr.. 'iar oil. io,din- 40.
about thirty yards north of where the
bridge now sets, and it was dangerous
crossing, when the river was swollen by
rains. The old blind mare took us softly
over in passing into town, for Old Farr
Creek wasn't above its normal depth.
But bark. The terrible mutterings of
thunder that are heard from yonder lurid
point, just around and ABOVE Elk Landing
and 'lreary old Cedar Point See! See ="
awful flasnings of the mysterious fires from
heavens terrible batteries. the sublimity
and solemnity of which is enough to cause
the most sinful heart to exclaim, as did one
Of old-"O, saw We him, whom my soul
desireth to love!'
My father, after having crossed the creek
began looking in the direction from whence
came the awful Hastings and thunderings
from the terrible artilleries, which are sent
Forth by heavens King himself
When we got as far as the mill lane,
coming into Elkton, the down pour Of rain
began, and amid the terrible flashes Of the
electricity of heaven. and the deafening
crashes and roaring OF the thunder there
from, it was enough to cause one to think
that the heavens and earth were coming
together | am sure that the downpour
Lasted all the afternoon, but abont six
O'Clock the storm abated, and my father
turned the old blind mare about and started
for the old feeder, and the little cat that
IaI nIn @n Be- -. l.