Waterbury Democrat., 1901-05-29

The door has just closed upon his retiring figure, and hasten to gather into sheaf the stalks of ripened grain he has scattered around me during the last hour An American gentleman of unblemished reputation and strict integrity, as an honored guest at my fireside; but when to these noble graceS is added the dignity of eighty years varied experi- ences and memory as clear and sharp as the blue-black eyes which sparkle under his gray, shaggy brOws, he is a gem of a visitor, as rare as valuable Such was mine, and his talk, like the mirage of the desert, which reflects from the beautifully tinted sky back again to oness eye the pomp, circum- stance and host of the caravan gone beyond the horizon of vision, brought up almost into active life some of the scenes and incidents of near a century ago through the clear lens of hks un- clOuded recollections. It seems q long time since Charles Carroll of Carroll ton died, and still longer since. with one bold stroke of his pen, he affixed his signature and the name of his es- tate to that great document which, had England conquered, would have been the recorded evidence of his trea- son and the cause of the loss of mill lions. Yet I knew him we'll, said my visitor. MT Tendon. In my native town of Frederick, Md, many times, when 1 was a boy, 1 have seen him, an old man, with hair white as the silver knob of his cane, walking slow ly. We boys would step aside when he approached us, with the difference due king. He was a little man, his figure bent. his frame slight and mus cular, and his manner the gentleSt and most courteous. Well, child, there are no such gentlemen as when l was a boy. And the old mans gaze seemed introyerted as, with the end of his cane, he traced cabaliStic figures upon the carpet. to the meaning of which his memory alone had the key. Does that time seem very far off, sir? l ventured by way of bringing his thoughts back. No, 1t scarcely seems longer than last Christmas since a parcel of us boys were playing before Metard-s tavern, when we saw a pro cessi0n coming up town. Some men were on horseback, and their knee buckles shone like glass; others, in their best new leather brooches and blue coats, marched behind; the drum and fife were playing. and everybody looked excited but old Metard, who stood on the dOor-sill smoking his pipe, and looking monstrous contempt uous. What's coming. MT MetardT' We asked Only a green man down the Lancaster road" Away we went like a pack of hounds in that direction to meet q coach drawn by four black Z horses. with liyeried footmen hanging on to the tassels behind, and surround ed by a large troop of military as an escort. Inside the coach sat President John Adams, portly gentleman, dressed in pearl colored broadclotb and large powdered wig, who with his suite was travelling from Philadelphia to Washington, on the occasion of the removal of the seat of government from Philadelphia to that place. We followed the procession until the pres ident alighted at Mrs Kimbalfs tav- ern-the sign of the Golden Fleece where Major General Henry Lee re ceived him. And why was Mir Metard so indifferent to the approach of his president {? Umph Politics change, but human nature never. John Ad- ams. a federalist and poor; Metard a republican, which made a big diff ference in those days.
 .sYes, that happened seventy years ago. but it doesn't seem longer than the span of my hand'' 'sYet you have lived to see great changes ?'' 'Yes. in degree, but not much in quantity, Folks worked and suffered and died for ideas then, same as now As poor Frank Key used to say
 No need after novelties ever to run,
 There's nothing that's new beneath :1f the sun