The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-06-21
: ROCKVILLE FAMED AS THE ORETNA GREEN OF WASHINGTON

particular-save one. It seems strange
that suci vcII-regulated community
should be withou, an essential which is
TO be Iound in almost every other town
OF its size. This essential. too. is re-
garded by all right-minded people as a
fixture, a necessity TO the well-being OF
any village. Rockville, however. IS with
out it. It can only be referred TO the
criminal negligence OF the town OH
Gals.
Lacking in One Essential.
Rockville has no haunted house. Think
OF it, Here Is town with a superb
civil war history and yet it cannot show
a single vacant old mansion with a
slated moss grown roof and wide lawns
overrun with weeds. No shadowy
Confederate officer In a faded gray uni
form with an empty sleeve beckons i'm
patiently from cobwebbed windows No
lights fit to and fro about deserted
houses to the terror Of small boys out
on apple-stealing forays. There is no
uncanny brick dwelling. standing we'll
back from the shady street, with close
suffered windows and damp green walls
as IL blighted with the guilty knowi-
edge of what had gone on within. No
untenanted mansion has a great brass
lined keyhole that the boldest school
boy is afraid to shout into. The thing
is preposterous. Poetic justice demands
of Rockville to lose no time in setting
up a haunted house that tourists may
leave the town properly impressed with
it's age and Importance. The absence
/ Of such a building, however. shows
how active is the business man Of the
little town. No shelter is allowed to
remain without a tenant and unrent-
able houses are thriftily pulled down
Southern to the Core.
Rockville is Southern in sympathy to
the very core. Gentlemen walk It's
streets today who are the very type and
essence of Southern courtesy Every
moment. even in the hard. practical at
fairs of business, you find the most
delicate, old-fashioned gallantry shown
to women. The towns war time mem
cries are many and varied.
It is said that Wade Hampton stopped
one night at a house on Main Street,
just below the court house, the same
house where r. Ross Perry, sr.'s, grand
father was born. 1t was then the prop
erty OF one Louis Shorty, a stanch
Confederate.
well, sir" said the dashing Hamp-
ton, you know what orders we are
under in this country. We must take
two fresh mounts from every farm house
that has horses about it. Now. you're a
Southern man and I needn't ask you the
second time for them"
81 do deelar'," said the farmer. II
don't see one mite o. difference tween
: you uns and tn Yanks, sub. One takes
tn niggers and t'other takes tn bosses
Wade Hampton's Advice.
! "wen. Mr.. Shorty, you must be gen.
erous when it is a question OF support
, ing the Southern cause 1 was Obliged
! to At out my company from spur 70 chin
strap. Yet there was a plenty of men
in il richer'n I was. Think ub what
we're sacrificing. and jest make up your
mind 20 give up your bosses with good
grace. 'cause-we'll take en- any now.
Feeling ran extremely high in the lit
/ tie town during the war times There
! were not more than four or five Union
men living there at that time. but they
were bold enough TO say in public which
u side they were on The Southern sym
= nathfzers called them Union shriekers."
? one fine morning, during the hottest
= part of the war. the townspeopie were
Z surprised TO see a Confederate flag flying
o / at the staff of the court house The has
r few there for several days. but was
finally hauled down by mysterious
y hands