Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1897-11-25
OLD HISTORIC LETTERS.

& "ye bring to US who love and wait
Fond whisperings from distant shore,
| And as we listen to their rhythms sweet
They weave = spell to bind forever more. p"
The enthusiastic deliver among old
historic records now and then finds
himself 10 the presence of veritable ap-
partitions of peraonaaes whose faces are
seen no more save as they look down
through the lirnnings ofthe painter from
their lonely places on the old ancee-
tral walls, whose voices were silent lopg
generations before the time OF ais earli-
! est memories.
These are the apperitions A bundle
of letters, folded, tied and laid away,
when and by whom, by what careful,
loving hands no record tells us. They
rise up from old trunks, boxes. barrels
and musty shelves, in dust-strown lofts
and garrets. To sit down alone in the
quiet and open these bundles of mis-.
siyes, faded and worn, sometimes in
tatters and hardly discipherable is like
taking long journey back kward through
the vanished years, and holding pleas.
ant communion with the dead, and
learning somewhat of the lore of the
times when they were living, moving
actors on the worlds wide stage. And
we are glad to notice that an interest
is at length being fostered among our
people, the thousands of opportunities
have already irretrievably passed away
for the bringing to light of such OF these
precious historic souvenirs as have es-
capped destruction, and securing for
them preservation from further liability
to loss.
The societies of the Daughters ard
Sons of the Revolution have shown o
zeal in this direction at once worthy OF
commendation and general emulation.
Whatever relates to the trials, sacri-
fees, habits, manners and customs OF
the ancestors of the colonial days
whatever comes up to the surface IN
the course of more studious investiga
tion to throw new and more ample light
ON their home and neighborhood life.
takes on additional interest and fascina
tion for all classes of our people, an In
terest that will increase as the widening
wears 90 on, and as patriotic impulses
become more and more the incentives
TO action.
This letter that we take from bun.
die preserved with pious care through
all the mutations of succeeding times,
wa omen and read with feelings akin to
awe. 1t is dated June 14h, 1928. 1t
is to a correspondent IN London and
reads:
Dear Brother-We have not school
master in our neighborhood until no"
in nearly twenty years. We have now
Young minister living with US who
was educated at Oxford. took orders
and came over as assistant TO Rsy.
Kemp. of Gloucester. That parish is
too moor to keep both and be teaches
school for bis board. He teaches sister
Susie and me and Madame Carter's boy
and two girls. l am now learning prett,,
tv fast. Mamma and Susie and all
send love to you and Mary.
WAKEFIELD, VIRGINIA.
The writer of this matter of fact epis'
fla was no other than Mary Ball, the
Voung W Virginia damsel at the age OF
ssveniesp. @ and who ten years later was
10 10 find favor in the eyes OF Augustine
Washington, and become the mother Oh d
ths fnture commander in chief Of The
Continental armies and the first Presi-
Ssnt Of the United States of America.
w Not mnch is recorded Of the youth