The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1904-05-26
The Party Visits a Shrine of American Free
oom' and Shorty Tries to Buy a Box of
Paper Collars in Richmond.

| uoIus duU 0QOrty Tries TO BuY Box OF
Paper Collars in Richmond.
The rickety old engine had not gone very
far when there had to be another stop
made for repairs. Something had broken
ana 1t was so serious that the black.
smiths shop near by had to be resorted to
when it was found that it would be some
hours before the train would be able to
proceed.
What is the name of this place." asked
the Adjntant, looking out over the fields.
| Hanover Court House, sir" answered
the Conductor.
Hanover Court House, calculated
the Adjutant. Hanover Court House
Why, this is one of the most historic places
in the country. This was focus of pa
is where Patrick Henry made his cele
brated speech beginnns.-'Men may talk
peace. peace! but there is no peace:
Yes said 81, brstling up, and strik
ing an attitude, Il used to say that Il,
school-'The next gale that sweeps from
the North may bring to our ears the clash
of resOunding arms. Is life so dear. and
peace so sweet as to be purchased at the
cost Of chains and slavery!"
|
schooling, sure enough" replied the Ad
jutant teasingly. There have been times
when I've had serious doubts of it,
They had got out of the car and looked
eagerly around for the historic old place
which they had imagined would show NJ
as impressively as great city. ~.
Where is Hanover Court House"
asked Maria, sweeping her eyes over tho
wide street: h of fields to the distant, i'll
circling woods for steeple and tower ant
imposing buildings.
That is Hanover Court House; there
it is replied the Conductor, pointin.
along the muddy road to small, moss
grown brick building with weather
beaten steeple. That's Hanover Cour
House right over there, at the bend of tn,
road. That was built in 1875. of brick:
brought from England
MY Gracious.' said Maria much i'm
pressed; "but where's the town.
There it is-all there is of it," said the
Conductor CURLY. turning away to inspec
the work on the engine.
Hanover Court HouseT said the Adju
tant with evident disappointment as h'
scanned the meager array Of small build
ings. I've always heard these Virgins
countyseats didn't show up very impress
sively, but irsunposed Hanover Cour
House was eDnsidera BILE of a place. II
certainly ought to be for hist0rys sake, il
for nothing eise."q
This q co,,ntyseat." said ST contcmp
tuously; why it don't look big enough fol
n townshpseat.. Bean Blossom Township
if it ever took it into it's head to provide
an official residence for it's Justices Of the
Peace and Constables, would have more OF
a layout than, this"
Hanover e,Court House," echoed
Shorty. "Ruilrin 1885. Great Jehosephat
It's mighty little for it's age!'
Maybe things don't grow so fast out
here like theyfao iu our country meekly
limited AnnabeL'
Their minds ron more to politics and
rebellion than to the improvement Of the
country remsrked ST phlosophically
They are not 50 good in raising corn as
Don't, ST." and Annabel put her hand
over her husbands mouth.
Hanover Court House." said Maria
amazed. May be we don't see all of it.
Come on. Will; let's go down and look il
overt
Yes. lets. Perhaps some of the S3l
Pa. has carried off part of it,. continued
Shorty, with a nudge at Sergeant Hug,
| Eisenbeiss. who was walking along with
them. .They do say the people Of Vir-
ginia had to take in things of nights when
the SD Pa. was around"
thieves rs the rest Of the brigade" said
the matter-of-fact Pennsylvania Dutch
man. ''They neffer took anytings tina:
they didn't really need--only sl,ickens and
pigs. Some of the oder regiments would
steal anything in sight. whether they need
ed it or not Now them Goth Me. vellcrs
stole q grndstone once. and them 44th \
Y. vellers dug mp well and carried it into
camp. Our vellers were ali nice vellers
We didn't steal"
''Same old lie" said Shorty. "The fel
lows in your regiment were all Sunday
School scholars. while the fellows in the
other regiments were all pirates and high
| waymen, of course"
They picked their way along the sod nj
the side Of the muddy road, and finally
came to low brick wall, green with moss
inclosing a square. in the center of which
stood the Court House. The wall had Ger.
tainly been strongly built. It was of hard
burned brick. and as firm as the day on
which it had been finished. Though there
had been much movement Of the armies
around the place. and several sharp
diers on both sides had appar
entity respected the sanctity Of its
traditions. and it showed none OF the
customary ravages of war. Inside the in
closure were grand old oaks. probably
growing there when Columbus discovered
America. 4 small brick house. about the
size of Sis fathers smokeh0use, was
pointed out as the Clerks office. another
smaller one as the Sheriff's office. and 4
third as the County Jail
"Well. it certainly speaks we'll for the
people that they don't need a bigger jail
than this" said Shorty. ''and that the men
put in there would stay in such a place
as that. Any of our kind of toughs would
break out before the Jailers back was
turned"
Across the muddy road stood a long
rambling, Imprinted wooden building, q
tavern Of the old-fashioned kind. with
hitching posts in front badly gnawed BY
hungry horses standing there during the
long trials and political discussions which
their owners attended. The tavern was
built Of tulip wood lumber, weatherbeater
to a dull leadan ROTOR by the absence OF
all paint. and badly rotting at the joints
from a half-cantary's storms. They en-
tered from the worrh-eaten, decaying porch
to the office and ba7-room. which had once
been the meeting place Of Virginia's grea,
men, and where matters of the gravest
moment to the people had been discussed
and decided. ylt' was a forlorn, untidy
shiftless place. with the empty bottles still
on the shelves, ana the long counter OF
black walnut asailist which so many his
tOric persons Had leaned while cementine
their friendshipssover the flowing bowl. now
dry, dusty, ana desoate In the sleeping
rooms the windows were broken, the
n