The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1908-02-20

plies as could not be so produced
were bought at wholesale in the
city; thus they had small need of
a local store. The one at the
crossroads, where was, and is, the
postoiiice, served every purpose.
About this were the blacksmith
shop and perhaps a half dozen
houses and the church; such CON
stltuted the towns. The court
houses were the centres. Here
was done not only the county
business, as is usual in such places,
but the affairs of the community
were settled here, both political
and commercial. One fall court
over in Virginia is known as "the
hog court, for at this season and
place the crop of hogs is sold. At
Leonardtown, from which l am
writing the spring term is known
as the horse court. In the CEN
tire of the village is a spot dignifi-
ad by the name of 1.-THE green. 8"
Here at the court held in March
all the best horses in the county
are paraded. Many change hands
and not little liquid rye is dis
posed of.
We have just held an institute
at Prince Frederick, the county
seat of Calvert county. 1t consists
of the courthouse, a substantial
brick building, a couple of law
yers offices, two newspaper offices,
two stores, the hotel, a blacksmith
shop, possibly a dozen houses, a
white and a colored schoolhouse-
always seperate, and the Colored
children usually taught by color
ed teacher-a brick, vine covered
Episcopal church, quite ancient,
about which the forefathers of the
hamlet sleep, and more modern
Methodist Episcopal church. This
constitutes the only large" town
in the county and is a fair type of
many others.
At the best session of the insti-
tute we had ninety-nine present.
This represented the intelligent
farmers from within radius of
twenty miles, and would be equal
TO an audience of eight hundred or
nine hundred in the thickly popu-
lated states of New York, Ohio or
Pennsylvania.
LeOnardtOwn, above referred to,
is in the extreme south of St.
Mary's County, on Bamton Bay,
running in from the Potomac about
seven miles. 1t is one of the old
est towns in the United States.
On my first visit home, some ten
years ago, before it had been some
what modernized as at present,
one might we'll imagine that he
was set down i'll an old English
town of the seventeenth century,
from the type Of architecture and
the appearance Of the buildings.
Moore's Hotel, with its peaked
roof, small window panes, and
the first floor only step above the
steeet, was fair type, and enjoy
ed the distinction Of having been
the greatest hotel of Southern
Maryland, noted not only for its
cuisine, but because here have
been entertained some of the nota-
bic men of the state and nation.
Alas in its latter days like Icha-
bod, its glory had departed. 1t
has recently been torn down and
more modern structure has taker
its place.
The latchstring of the people al
ways hangs out, and they delight
to entertain. Their homes may
not be so well heated nor have as
fine carpets on the floor nor as fine
modern furm ture as those north of
the Mason and DiXon's line, for
they are poor, but you will be
warmly welcomed and given a
comfortable seat near the fire. You
will find the table loaded with an
abundance of food; always two or
more kinds Of hot bread, one of
which is sure to be corn pone,
made from uubOlted meal and with