Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1921-01-11
soUTHERNER AND AMERICAN
have entered into the history

have entered into the history OF
lie conditions that produced the Bel
COW knew as boy at leugth that
has probably weaTied the reader: but
It's history is so typical Of class Of
towns scattered throughout the South,
+ thar ii is hoped the historical interest
OF the narrative may overcome the
WEAKNESS for the student OF human
nature II was class Of towns be-
ginning with brilliant hopes of future
greatness, which hopes were gradu-
ally smothered one by one by the ir-
resistabia force Of circumstances, and
| tinaiiy. they settled down into being
nothing more than the centres OF gos-
| sip, trade aud political activity Of
their immediate vicinities Yet
witlaI. they are not commonplace.
and are as far removed from the ordi-
nary country town of the North and
West-a many in the South also
with their dead level of mediocrity.
as far from the hustle and push of
New York or Chicago. For they were
founded on underlying principles of
lristocracy and class distinctions, the
essence OF which has lasted over to
the present day; and the handsome
horses of the leading lawyers. doctors
and merchants of the county, and
sometimes the town house OF neigh
boring planter. stood up among the
humber dwellings OF the other i'm
habitants like lords among their vas
SAILS, and in these houses would be
ound the same open hospitality and
seady entertainment as in the country
houses of the large planters
Each town of this class weyld con-
tain one or two merchants whose
business would compare fayorably in
magnitude with that oi a prosperous
merchant in large city and their
collections wore far surer. several
.aMyers Of the first order and at least
one doctor who was the peer OF any in
his profession
Ii can be safely said that all the
merchants OF the class spoken of
above, who endeavored 10 continue
business under the changed condition
of things after the war. either failed
Or were forced to retire from hush
ness in a few years TO avoid failure.
hat no doctors Of the same type as
he old could afford to take the places
left vacant as the old ones dropped OF;
md that only some OF the lawyers OF
ne old town aristocracy still main
.ained thoir positions. but on pre-
,arious tenure, being iostled and
hustled by Younger and more active
men from lower order.
Ii was not until nearly tw@ years
after our return to Oak Hill that
really began TO know Bolcow myself
Of course, 81 had driven into town of
EN-, and knew the sons Of our friends
here. but never knew the town and
it's ways until began to ride into
school there every day
| was about ten years old at the
Time. and though at first feeling some
trepidatioD and little timid at the
idea of going off alone among SO many
new boys, was yet filed with secret
thrills of pleasure at the thought Of
how man-like Ii would be to ride off
by myself every day.
AS for learning from books, | would
have advanced far more rapidly at
home than at school: for Evelyn was
ny teacher there, and as | worshiped
her would have learned anything
In the world for her, and had already
advanced in lessons far beyond my
years. But old DIR. Hartshorn, my
self-appointod guardian, declared that
the rough and tumble life with other
boys, and their companionship, was
as much or more necessary for a boy
han learning from books: and. when
after the failure to re-establish the
old University, a very exceilently
recommended teacher opened priv
ate school in the old castle building,
he had entered me as one Of the first
scholars. =
II was great day. when mounted
on my pony. "Cephalus II. blood
relation. and almost double. OF the old
Cephalus Uncle Dick used to ride to
the hog-rahge | rode of for the Grsf
time on the six miles ride 10 school;
AID il was the beginning of four years
Of life OF happiness. Joy and free
dom from care almost as complete as
those child years before the war
xyxyvvr