The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1903-07-18
"REMINISCENCES.
PAINTING THE TOWN RED.
Another Chapter From The Elusive nemory Of An
Old Resident Of EIkton.

In his last chapter of Rambling RecOl-
lectionS. the writer INDUCED Il little dis
sertation upon the tcklcncsS Of memory.
He didn't intend it as in any sense an
implied apology for the unreliahility of
his own "reminiscences upon which he
sets no fictitious value. and would have
no one appraiSc above their actual merit.
If they afford any one of their readers
n few moments qualification they will
have fulfilled their mission. since pos
Sibly their writing affords their author
more pleasure than their reading affords
others.
However that may. he doesn't propose
to convert whatever retcntvenrSS of me-
mory he may possess. into ghost raiser.
or train his memory like tomb Srarcher.
through the Shadowy past. lifting each
shroud that time has cast DER buried
hopes. but simply to use it in recalling
the scenes of hoyhood which the cares
and responsibilities of manhood are so
well calculated to efface.
Heaven lies about us in our infancy.
sings the poet. and the world lies ca
about us when we grow to manhood says
the cynic
1t is an old maxim, that none grow so
old as not to remember where they hide
their gold, which means that. none of us
forget what concerns us most, or what
we most wish to remember.
The recollectionS of most of us how
ever are commonplace enough. and per-
tain to the homcly every day life in
which most of us only share. Few in
deed have been participants in great
events. and necessarily we must be con-
tent to chronicle the little
events that make up the lives of most
of us.
Sixty years have wrought many
changes in the general physical life of
ElktOn, and yet possibly no part Of the
town would be 50 readily recognized by
former resident aS the immediate cen
ire of it. in which is located the old
Rudulph Homestead of which we have
so cursorily spoken.
That part Of the town has two land
marks, that are aS distinctive today as
they were century ago. the Rululph
house and the block Immediately oppO-
site. 1T must not be forgotten. that when
the Head of Elk was originally laid out,
1t was not supposed that any buildings
would be erected on what is now known
as the South side of Main Street. The
subsequent growth of the village how
ever, possibly exceeded the expectations
of its original founders. and what was
intended as II wide levee or highway
overlooking the river. in the demand for
buildings III the business portion of the
village led to the use of the hillside for
building purposes, and the consequent
closely built portion of the town us we
now know it.
rom 1he hrlck pniIuils now owned
anu "'cuPien ny VIZ '' RANK raM"r'
u lhe prlch store mouse ana "WrihhS
no" owner ana occupied ny MIS- Lucy
H. Lt"ehporE' mas always perh an nm
pofthIt section OF the business ph1 or
E!h'"n'
IN 'hc carry history Oh any town. or
during ltS village days the poSt-oihr"
hatoi'llE pec"illes the centre d III" ana
acllNHE. r"r many years previous I"
lot'' curing tne lncu'ii"'hcE OF ,"l.
Anail Nhalh' the f.lk'"h poSt-ol1ce had
pee" localru Oh MINI street IN the
irhiiie puiluihE 10" orcupie" ny "ail'r
Mercy II was upon tne porch OF mat
n'lioihs' Una! 'he la'"l ua"oul'er pc
tween the Ehltor OF the wing ana the
hhitor Oh lie 'ecll democrat occurred
III the lortleS' Next uo"f |" the post
ONCE heorSe II, Joyce WI" was 'he
hecoru 'n'k Ill the once "I the 'lerh OF
'he ,mcui' ,""i' i''", ''nlrH So" an
was 'lerk OF the ,nur'' anu harry ~
Miner heglSter Oh w MS Inc ADJOINING
buiialhg was at one uhie the seat oil an
E'ktoh industry long since abandoned
me liahuiac'ure Oh I"r hats ny hahu'
brown NAT lact"r! WIS located there.
MS aye Na'S anu furnaces were located
III 'lie cellar ana lhe "eep taoieS on
Which the I"r was whipped lii'" tiie leit
pooieS ID 'n' mus ~ H'!'hils h'"NH
cat S"t cor" SET III nanSihS ir''he WIN
Il snort wooden handle, We're located on