Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1904-10-05

fol road, most Of II splendid macsd.m.
aud large part beautiful river road
skirting the Shenandoah and shaded
with overhsnging trees
After crossing the beautiful Shenan.
dosh NJ Csstleman's Ferry. the road
again led along the river TO Mr.. Wilson's
house. We did meet with an acciden,
that was not altogether desirable. for.
having left Charles Town late in the
evening, we reached MIR. Wilson's broad
acres al dusk. and with the great over
hanging trees lining ,he road on the
river side and his magnificent corn
the tailest have ever seen. on the other
side, the road bed became so indis,inct
that we mistoOk fallen limb for 8 rut
in the road with the result, that our
buggy gradually overturned and we were
deposited gently on the ground. After
we had FighieL the buggy and found
that no damage had been done other
than the loss of some cigars and MANY
matches, we proceeded on our way.
Night had come on quickly and VIVA,
with the trees and the giant tassellns
corn and the road being unfamiliar. 4,
seemed TO US we should never reach the
house nor yet the end OF the corn field.
IL seemed that the whole world was
growing corn. corn. corn, snd that the
corn field would stretch TO the ut,ermost
parts of the earth. When we finally
reached our genial and animated host.
our first inquiry was, How long Is that
corn fields" and it was hard TO believe
his reply, only a mile and a half
The house stands on an emiuence
overlooking the Shenandoah and abou,
three hundred yards from its banks
The house is built With thick brick wall
plsstered white on the outside. II was
evidently Plas,ered by its owner TO con-
form TO the style OF the times. since the
bricks are hard and well burnt. Ii was
built by General Parker shortly after he
acquired the tract at the close of the
Revolutionary war. All is in good state
OF preservation and is so bull; As 10 lsst
Tor centuries 10 come General Parker
was a grandfather Of Judge Richard
Parker who presided al the trial ofJ,.bn
Brown. Judge Parkers law ofiice-in
good repair-stsnds in a corner Of the
yard. His book cases are there intact
From the front porch, imposing with
It's large round pillars and carved and
trelted woodwork, one enters the great
hall This has an easy ascending stair
way which runs in its winding 10 the
third story Of the house. The ceiling OF
this hal seems At first glance-the stair
way giving that efYect-to be as high ss
the Congressional Library dome orsome
other great building, though I after
wards found il TO be but IA feet The
great front door leading into this hall.
with ITS frame work reaching from floor
TO ceiling is ten feet wide and sr,isticsl-
~ carved; thanking this door are two
narrow windows deeply recessed. while
3 half circle window adds its light from
above. Three other doors lead from
this hall-one To a small pOrtico on the
south, the others TO the parlOr and the
living room; all Of these doors are mas
siveiy built with hand carved panels and
about them all, in heavy tracery. is flow
cred carving, all the work Of some
patient master hand wrought a hundred
and more years ago. The kew 10 the
main door is an old massive iron kew
eight inches long and with handle so
large that one can insert three fingers
into the loop. All the doors are fitted
with the most curious brass locks and
knobs and the keys Of all are as large as
though made for some old dav castle or
fortress. The doors with their CARVING
AS indeed is all the other woodwork in
the house-are painted white.
The furniture of the hall is in mission
style in Flemish oak; a settle atands
under the winding stair and A large
table is freighted with the latest maya
zines and picture weeklies. On the floors
now in their summer garbing-are the
skins of animals, one q mountain lion
another a huge wild cat. These. Mr.
Wilson will tell you, were caught in the
'front.' yard, unless you happen to know
that he brought them from the west. On
the walls of the hall are grouped weap-
ons of warfare picked up by him in his
travels or in antique shops: there are
civil war carbines, swords and sword
Dayonets, pixies, the old army Colt his
distinguished father carried through the
war when Confederate soldier boy
tomahawks, bows and arrows. bits of
old armor and japanese short sword
with heavily carved bone scabbard
Looking again-amid veritable arsenal
on panelled shelving at the first turn
OF the stairs-you will see the familiar
cat-rifie, Winchester repeater. heavy
Marlin and couple of double barrelJed
shot guns. The papering of this hall is
OF tapestry design and pictures the hunt
OF stag through dense green woods.
Many pictures are hung about-hunt
scenes for the most part and large pen
and ink sketches made by different
artists illustrating some of MT. Wilson's
published work.
The parlor is a room some twenty. va
ieet square with fourteen foot ceiling.
a large open fireplace, trimmed with
marble and with marble hearth set in /
a white carved mantel and large recessed
windows reaching from floor 10 ceiling
make this q beautiful room. It's paper.
ing, also of lowered tapestry, is particu.
larry attractive
Yet another door of the hall opens
into the bright and coy breakfast room.