Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-01-21

,ellencc OF tho masonry Of a century
.go.
II Brandywine Springs was more
popular with people OF the southern
states than later resorts farther north,
It nay have been partly because Del
aware was then within the slave
holding area OF the country. and that
Negroes here were regarded as chat
tells, as in other states Of the south,
and consequently II they should breale |
away they might be recapturcd and
returned TO their owners without op- !
position or contention.
Nevertheless, the Pennsylvania state |
line was but short step distant, and !
Brandywtne Springs was well witt Il
the zone of the activities OF Thomas
Garrett. the most radical Abolitionist
of his day, and OF his so-called under
ground railroad" which guided hun
dreds. even thousands. OF blacks to
freedom. This pathway to liberty, II
seemed, was not feared by the south
ern guests of the hotel. who came with
their personal sevants. and 1t Is not
recalled that any OF those slaves
sought or found their way out OF
bondage through Friend CARROTS
trail.
N is likely, however. that they later
related to others of their race in SER
vitude the way to freedom and through
il many of them may have passed. In
those days II was not unusual for the
slave owners further south 70 sell
one or moro OF the Negroes and
thus raise money sufficient for a
summer outing.
There are still many mental pictures
or the summers at Brandywins
Springs in It's halycon days. There
were dances almost every night, and
larger ones on Saturday evenings.
horseback parties through the pretty
valleys and over the hills. card parties.
informal teas. etc. A pavilion at the
foot OF the hill over the spring served
as an early casino where much Of the
sayety centered Here a band Of
musicians played afternoons and at
tea time In the evening. and later at
*NSAs A~A AAo A0bN2Ik. LIS p&vlllOI
was thoroughly shaded by the over
hanging trees by day and was attrac-
tive too. IN its tallow candle illumina-
ton by night, reports so.
The men and elderly matrpns
gathered on the long wide verandah,
of evenings. listened TO the music, and
discussed current news of the day OF
hA 80
men talked politics and reviewed the
latest old world news which Otter
arrived six or eight weeks stale.
There are still stories of gather.
ings in the fnconspicuous wine room
OF evenings and afternoons, and o
frequent calls for toddy ir which
sugar and water entered-not largel,
however and for juleps trimmed an,
Favored with mint plucked from alon,
The stream at the foot OF the hill
Possibly, too, these Southern gentle
men sab" may have been Introduce
to the subtle, seductive allurements Q
peach and honey" which never faile
10 enliven a gathering in howeve
: stinted portions IL was quaffed. Their
, are yet "reminiscences Of the newt
2 able quiet games that occurred at ever
g watering place Of those early day.
2 and of these days, as well-wher
!. the stakes were often high and wher
= watches and other masculine treasur
= were ventured in the hope of retire,
r ing earlier losses and breaking a ru
n Of hard luck which Is still no strange
f to the devotes Of what has becon
e known as the greatest American il
S door sport-draw poker.
o The women knit or did elabora-
needle work, the chief diversion az
: an accomplishment of the ladies
a those days.
: There are also pretty reminiscenc'
N of beautiful women in lavender al
! old lace with skirts that came demur
> ly to the floor, even with trains, al
"a costumes not infrequently decollette
"a slightly so. The colffure was bu
"a high from the crown of the hea
!, while the shoes were mostly peak
,o at the toes and OF many colors al
, shades. The maidens. too were q
tractive. Their hair was worn pla
and usually held in place by brig
bunch Of gay ribbon, or a fillet
ie green. and their skirts were mo
&c than three or four times the wild
" of the present day neither garments
"a the sex. From beneath their Gu,
IL bersome folds there peeped wide a
re much beruffied garments of white, I
Is called by name in public in those da,
40 Pointed-toed little slippers were lac
IS, in place with silk ribbons woven a
u intertwined gracefully and pictl
ts esquely around the ankles.
re, The early men guests We're +
d. dandies. They appeared to have be
he born IN black stocks. Their knick
nd bockers We're of rich silk or sal
its their hose Of the finest product Of
re loom and on their shoes shope buck
an exquisitely wrought Of sterling silly
nd They topped the picturesque costu
lie off with tall hat OF rough, iur
or- material and took their snuff fr
srtistically embellished boxes, VIII
sts they constantly kept In evidence d
oly ing their formal ION view peric
sss They carried canes, usually OF ebs
an with head OF silver or ivory. VIII
80, they handled with much grace.
hs, lads OF the period affected rou
OF .abouts, coats which terminated
KS, abruptly as TO awaken the thou
md that the wearer might have been
In tailed by vicious dog. They "
Ady gauche, ugly.
neF s-s-
ise, The seasons nt the springs bel
ex- In june and continued until Sept