Waterbury Democrat., 1901-05-02

reun' up to kas wsAst in de watah, a-swearin' an a-sHssiz' when de seine git hung on lag"
 Swearing and esrsiHgl' we ex- olain. Sturdy not They say that Washington never. swere in his life.n K Well, dunae," said the old darky. shaking his hand dubieusly. "Ireckon de gin'ral was mos like any yether man what ain' sicl1ly; an when de seine got hung ap, why spect he jes' nachally tosk on an Swore like any body else. I've seed right smaht os seine haulin' in my day, but neyah yit see seine took off hang without a pow'ful sight Q cussin'. Anyways. when de shad an herrin' season was done up dc gin'ral jes' have his seine boat fixed up for bawge, an in dat he come to ohu'ch. My ole gret-gran'- pap say he often seen him teclsin' snufs wid de preacher jes' by de do', an talkin' bout de crops wid de folks. Yas, sah, dat's a pow'ful ole chu'chs sho' huff
 Here was history indeed, and lit- tie later we were able to verify 1t, so far, at least, as concerned Washing- toms attending service in the little church, and hauling seine on his own fishing shore.
 This old church is surrounded by old csIored people and very old poor white people, who carry the traditions which were handed down to them through two generations, and they all agree that Gen. Washington frequently at tended this ohureh across the river from his home, because in some sea~ sons the roads were well-nigh im- passable, so that he could not 20 to old Pohiok church, nor to old Christ church in Alexandria. They say that whether the general was himself anxious to go every Sunday or not, his wife insisted upon it; and that is one of the reasons he would be rowed over the river to church in extremely bad weather when the roads were too heavy.
 Less than a gH2rtar of mile farther down the river road we came to the parsonage, and the European exploit CTS of ancient dwelling places cannot show anything more quaint or an- cient looking, albeit their houses are surely muck older. For the times of it's occupancy, tkis must have been 8 large, pretsntious brick house of the colonial paried, having a fine broad hallway throHgh the entire middle portioa, vary wide stairway, with galleries above. Tks brick walls are as sound as evsr, and it must have bee1 an elegant home century and half age, but the interior has been abNssd. vsry littls of the stucco work remains; just aaough to show that the walls and ceilings ware once beautiful- ly ornamontod by skillful worlmen. The paneling and laboriously hand cut scrolls decerating the walls are badly broken. But these, the arched cupboard in tho dining-room, and the folding inside shutters in the deep re- csssed windows, show that the par- sonags was expensively built. The rector must have had as grand home as he had in England, and his sur- roundings were much more romantic Besides he had the satisfaction, as he ate his shad, bass, lamb chops, beef and "eorn pone," of knowing that he was sure enough missionary to the heather. Under the circums tances, in this elegant home, how he must have enjoyed himself!
 One day in the near future, we will take day off and ramble down the Virginia side of the Potomac, and see some other quaint historic places.
 SMITH D. FRY.