Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1909-02-11
THE OLD HOMESTEAD.
BY J. o KNOTT

Tucked snugly under the hills
which border upon the Potomac,
where the river opens into broad
e1panse and forms what looks like a
lake mile long, and in whose bosom
the tall trees of Maryland meet the
willows and sycamores Of Virginia.
stood the old homestead, sheltered
from sight and from storm. The
winds that roared in the forests back
in the valley, passed with soft whistle
and diminished force through the
pines which grew upon the brow OF
the hill Just back of the house. Rich,
grassy bottom lands, fringed with riv-
er willows, the river itself, and the
Blue Ridge mountains. constituted the
outlook from the front porch. A stone
wall surrounded the yard, just out
side of which stood hospitable horse
rack, that was never without at least
one occupant. A huge woodpile'
much OF it cut "stove' size, was hard
by the kitchen gate. A spring of
clearest water gushed out from be-
| meath a rock on the hillside, with suf-
6cient volume to turn mill, but for
years flowed musically over an idle,
moss. covered old mill wheel.
The house was built on steep
slope, aid the kitchen was in the base
ment. The kitchen was the center Of
interesting activities and convivisi as
semblsges. The presiding genius was
an old white woman. whose age none
could tell, and whose term of service
with the family was likewise matter
of considerable uncertainty. She
"had always been there" 80 the peo.
pie Of the nelghborhood said. In her
more advanced years she had help
er, and these two formed that part of
the household known as the girls, "
for the word servant" was never used
in that home. And there was no
"servant problem" there, either.
What a hospitable kitchen Its
floors, long before the days of pear
line, were secured with white river
sand, and its bright tin cooking uten.
sils. each piece in it's place and glitter
ing after late sandbath, lined the walls
the portraits of the culinary de-
partment. Happy idlers lolled about
the door during rainy days or in the
intervals Of work at noon or at even
ing composed of the men who served
in the many interests of the farm and
other industries of which the home.
stead was the center, but neither their
chat nor jokes interfered with the
well trained maids who wrought in a
kitchen with system that was al
most automatic.
Promptly at half-psst eleven in the
morning, the dinner horn blew, to the
music of which dog howled DIS
NAL accompaniment. At this well.
known signal, 60 great wac the conf
dence Of the neighbors in old Linney's
punctuality, Ill the clocks and watch.
es were set, in case any had run
down or any one doubted the reliabil
ity of his chronometer. Just as
prompt to dine as to give the signal.
the hours for meals varied not min.
ute, no matter who were present to
eat with the family. Company never
disturbed the order Of the home, not
even the preacher and his whole fam
lily. The cheerful and scrupulously
clean diniug-room with long table.
sufficient to accommodate the guests of
a small hotel, was the scene Of much
merriment, for family characteristic
was to take time to eat and to reserve
lighter matters of pleasant sort for
table talk. If the cooking savored
more of Maryland than of Virginia.
warm bread being not so much in ev.
idence, and lamb taking the place OF
ham. Maryland ancestry could have
been plead, and the health of the
family pointed to in justification of
their dietary course. A large family,
yet not death and scarcely any aick.
ness in nearly two generations
The sitting-room, just over the
kitchen, was a model of plain com
fort and peaceful quiet. l can shut
my eyes now and seem to enter its
peaceful walls, while the tranquility
of that room acts like a sedatise on
my nerves. In winter FIRE, with
huge backlog, burned in the open
fireplace. The floor was covered