The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-01-25
A NEW YORK new YEARS.
Merry Making Lady ChuIchII's Grand
mother Attended.
Indtato, Received While She Was En-
gagged In Mixing Of Bread.

Lockport. Jan. Glow the grand
mother OF Lady Randolph Churchill at
tended a New Years house party ia
Central New York more than hall
century ago is told by john i. Murray
OF Lockport MI Murray is close ON
to four score years is stlll engaged IN
the practice OF law, and Us the Oldest
attorney in Niagara county. Re was
born I'm the Pompey Hin district, on
ondagI county, which was settled pN
New England farmers who promptly
mortgaged their unsettled Farms IN OH
der To found an academy. Sald MI
Murray:
"Thr New Englander who settled
Pompey Hiu went up on 90 the noun
tam, passing by the felule valleys n"t
so much because they wanted 10 k'l
nearer Gld as because they desired 10
avoid the deVilish malaria In the loN-
lands. And 50 IL was that Pompey II 4
was TILED TO the top while the lever
meadows I'm the valleys lay balloW iot
years after the settlers came into thal
section. Steep hills and stones were
she features Of the landscape | am told
that one day my father was driving by
the homestead of one, Hiram Smlth.
Hiram was occupied. as most P0mpey
Hill folks were -fouwhs or thelr
working hours, picking up stones I'M
field. stopping his horse father cr.cd
banteringly: Why. Hiram, where dla
you get enough stones to lay your hull
farm out I'm four-acre lots with fenres
around 'em higher'n the walls # Jeil-
cho and 80 wide that they'd be higher
yet IL they tumbled down. Smiln
raised himself up from his ask. ana
strengthening out his back with ms
hand, replied warmly: Why, you ole
fool can't you see where l get en-.
Father responded with "A chuckle: no;
l haven't missed any.
al this time ! recall with no little
pleasure New Years house party, AZ
the present generation would call an
old-fashi1ued holiday gathering OF
kinsfolks and other friends for good
time. held on POmpey Hill more than
a half-Century ago. My aunt the
grandmother OF Lady Randolph
Churchill figured prominently in the
festivities. ON the south side OF the
hill. which is the highest arabic land
i'm New York state. being more than
2O00 feet above sea level was what was
I'm the old days called the Murray dis
trict. Four families three Murray
brCf hers. and the Jerome family into
which my fathers sister Aurora Muir
ray. married. held the district, IT con-
sisted of a qusdrangular inclined plane
about one mile each way. with farm
house at each corner. a road connect
ed the four houses that is bv driving
round the block II was a cold after
noon on Dec. 81. The greater portion
of Onondaga county which We could
see from our house looked like an inn
mense mantle OF white. dotted here and
there with woodland spots, SO. that 1t
resembled vast cloak of 'ermine,;
Father came In from work early ana
told mother he was In favor of having
the folks over 10 spend the night so as
TO see the good old year out and greet
the new coming in. The suggestioSspSe
ceived unanimous appreciation, so we
soon had the team htched on TO the
big sled and we were blowing our way
quickly through the snow round the
block. The first place we reached was
Jerome's. | declare to goodness, 10 use
a homely expression. | shall never for
get Aurt Ories look ~ despair when
we presented our invite tion 20 the New
Years party TO be accepted forthwith.
Her sleeves We're rolled up. and her
pump arms were concealed TO the ell
bow In dough
SAID she: T don't see how we can
K come: it's my baking day and that :
the most important If the week at this
house with its roomful Of children
Father solved The problem by tell
ing her 10 roll all her bread I'm to a
clean sheet and throw il into the sleigh
promising her that the boys would spliI
the wood and bake it IN our oven az
home This was done. and Aunt OriC
Jerome made one OF the New Year,
party az our house. II showed so hard
the night and next moruing that the
party had 20 STAY ~rntl we could
shovel out the roads. SO we had ~ cal
Aunt Orie's bread, Her granddaugh-
ter, Lady Randolph Churchill, never
ate better"