Orange buds a maiden wears
On the blissful wedding morn;
Snowy buds on golden hair
Tell of love and faith new born.
Ripened now the perfect fruit,
Fifty sunny years have passed;
Golden fruit on snowy hair
Tells of love and faith that last.
William Tuckey Meredith.
Mr. Meredith, a Philadelphian by birth, and also a banker in New York City,
is also one of our summer residents, his main interest in Morristown
coming, as he says, from the fact that his grandmother was a Morristown
Ogden. He served as an officer in the United States Navy with Farragut at
the battle of Mobile Bay and was afterwards his secretary.
Mr. Meredith is perhaps best known by his spirited poem, entitled
"Farragut", which appeared in The Century, in 1890, and heads the group
of "Various Poems" in Stedman and Hutchinson's Library of American
Literature.
Besides this, Mr. Meredith has written for The New York Times and other
journals and publications at various times. He wrote for The Century a
War article on "Farragut's Capture of New Orleans", which may be found in
Volume IV of the published series. A novel appeared with his name, in 1890,
entitled "Not of Her Father's Race", in which the "Fox Hunt" is, the author
tells us, a study of a bag chase in which he took part some years ago near
Morristown, although he has laid the scene in Newport. We give the poem,
"Farragut".
FARRAGUT.
MOBILE BAY, 5 AUGUST, 1864.
Farragut, Farragut,
Old Heart of Oak,
Daring Dave Farragut,
Thunderbolt stroke,
Watches the hoary mist
Lift from the bay,
Till his flag, glory-kissed,
Greets the young day.
Far, by gray Morgan's walls,
Looms the black fleet.
Hark, deck to rampart calls
With the drum's beat!
Buoy your chains overboard,
While the steam hums;
Men! to the battlement,
Farragut comes.
See, as the hurricane
Hurtles in wrath
Squadrons of cloud amain
Back from its path!
Back to the parapet,
To the guns' lips,
Thunderbolt Farragut
Hurls the black ships.
Now through the battle's roar
Clear the boy sings,
"By the mark fathoms four,"
While his lead swings.
Steady the wheelmen five
"Nor' by East keep her,"
"Steady" but two alive:
How the shells sweep her!
Lashed to the mast that sways
Over red decks,
Over the flame that plays
Round the torn wrecks,
Over the dying lips
Framed for a cheer,
Farragut leads his ships,
Guides the line clear.
On by heights cannon-browed,
While the spars quiver;
Onward still flames the cloud
Where the hulks shiver.
See, yon fort's star is set,
Storm and fire past.
Cheer him, lads—Farragut,
Lashed to the mast!
Oh! while Atlantic's breast
Bears a white sail,
While the Gulf's towering crest
Tops a green vale;
Men thy bold deeds shall tell,
Old Heart of Oak,
Daring Dave Farragut
Thunderbolt stroke!
Hannah More Johnson.
Miss Johnson, the niece of Mr. J. Henry Johnson, one of Morristown's old
residents, and the last preceptor of the old Academy, will be found again
among "Historians". She has written and published a large number of poems,
besides, and from them we select the following:
THE CHRISTMAS TREE.
Shall I tell you a story of Christmas time?
Of what Nellie found by her Christmas tree?
If I tell it at all, it must be in rhyme
For it seems like a song to Nellie and me
That ripples along to a breezy tune,
Like a brook that sings through the woods in June;
And yet it was dark November weather
When song and story began together.
"Papa", said Nellie, with wistful tone,
"When God sends little children here,
Do beautiful angels flutter down
As once when they brought our Saviour dear?
Don't they sing in the sky, where we can't see
And listen up there to Harry and me?
'Cause I prayed last night for the bestest things
Heavenly Father sends us, and Harry said
I might ask for a sister who hadn't wings
A dear little sister to sleep in my bed;
For my other one went away, you know,
To sing with the angels long ago,
And I want another to stay with me
A dear little sister like Daisy Lee.
So high, Papa! Look, don't you see?
Just up to my chin. Heavenly Father knows
'Bout her dress and her shoes and her curly hair
'Cause I told him all, and so I s'pose
The first little sister He has to spare
He'll send her down here, oh won't she be
A dear little sister for Harry and me!"
"Yes, my Nellie", her father said,
One gentle hand on the curly head
With tender caress and whispered word
Too low for her ear, 'though a Bright-one heard
And passed it up, meet signal given
From love on earth to love in heaven;
"Yes, my Nellie, wait and see!
We are all in our Heavenly Father's care
And He'll send what is best for you and me
When we look to Him with a loving prayer".
The days passed on. 'Twas that happy time
When bells ring out with their Christmas chime;
There were people at work all over the land
Busy for Santa Claus, heart and hand,
And some in cabin and work-shop dim
Who wouldn't have work if it wasn't for him;
And Harry and Nellie?—There were none
In that Christmas time had a gayer tree.
Papa was at work at early dawn
And the children all tip-toe to see;
But the dark December day wore on
E'er the door was opened noiselessly,
And the light streamed out in the dusky hall
From a beautiful cedar bright and tall.
Starry tapers were gleaming there,
Toy and trumpet and banner fair,
The topmost flag on the ceiling bore
While the laden branches swept the floor;
While gay little Rover frisking in,
Led the children in frolic and din
As they spied each treasure and in their glee
Shouted with joy round the Christmas tree,
While Papa stood back in a corner to see.
"Oh! Harry", said Nellie, "I do declare
Here's a basket for me!" She opened the lid
And pulled back the blanket folded there
And what d'ye think was safely hid
But a dear live baby so fast asleep
That it never waked up with the children's shout
Till Nellie asked, "is it ours to keep?"
And kissed its hand as she stood in doubt.
"Of course," said Harry, "don't angels know
When God has told them which way to go?
That's our little sister we wanted so!"
"Little sister", said Nellie, "I'm very glad,
I know you're the best Heavenly Father had
And now you're ours and you're going to stay
'Cause the angels have left you and gone away".
"No, my Nellie", a voice replied,
As Papa drew near to Nellie's side,
"Let us pray they may watch over this little one
Day by day, till life is done,
That she may be glad through eternity
She was ever left 'neath our Christmas tree".
Miss Margaret H. Garrard.
Our gifted young townswoman, Miss Garrard, who has often entertained us
with her rare dramatic talent, has contributed, for a number of years,
articles in prose and verse to well-known magazines and journals, notably
to Lippincott's Magazine and Life. In Lippincott for June, 1890, we
find a very pretty poem embodying a clever thought and entitled "A
Coquette's Motto". In a previous number appears "A Trip to Tophet", which
is a sparkling and graphic description of a descent into a silver-mine at
Virginia City, California. In it occurs the following picture of the
visitor's surroundings:
"The next few minutes will always be a haunting memory to me. The long,
dark passages, the burning atmosphere, the scattered lights, the weird
figures of the miners appearing, only to vanish the next moment in the
surrounding gloom, all recur like some infernal dream".
We select to represent Miss Garrard, the first poem she published in
Life:
THE PLAQUE DE LIMOGES.
You hang upon her boudoir wall,
Plaque de Limoges!
She prizes you above them all
Plaque de Limoges!
Yet do your blossoms never move,
Although she looks on them with love,
And treasures your hard buds above
The gathered bloom of field and grove,
Insensate, cold Limoges!
Brilliant in hue your every flower,
Plaque de Limoges!
Copied from some French maiden's bower,
Plaque de Limoges!
But still you let my lady stand—
The fairest lady in the land—
Caressing you with her soft hand,
Nor breathe, nor stir at her command,
Cold-hearted clay—Limoges!
Would that I in your place might be,
Plaque de Limoges!
That she might stand and gaze on me,
Plaque de Limoges!
I'd live in love a little space,
Then—fling my flowers from their place,
At her dear feet to sue for grace,
Until she'd raise them to her face,
Happy, but crushed Limoges!
Miss Julia E. Dodge.
Though Miss Dodge finds her place naturally and kindly in the society of
our poets, all readers of The Century will remember a charming prose
paper of hers called "An Island of the Sea", beautifully illustrated by
Thomas Moran and published in 1877. Before and since that time, her pen has
not been idle, for short, prose articles have been scattered here and
there, in various periodicals, and it is difficult to select from the
number of thoughtful and delicate poems now before us, one to represent
her. The poem, "A Legend of St. Sophia in 1453", is full of spirit and
fire. It was written in 1878, when the advance of the Russian forces
towards Constantinople seemed to point to the fulfillment of ancient
prophecy and the restoration of Christian dominion over the stronghold of
Islam. The poem entitled "Satisfied" was first published in The Churchman
and afterwards placed, without the author's knowledge, in a collection
called "The Palace of the King", published by Randolph & Co. Among the
other poems are: "Our Daily Bread", "Spring Song", "Telling Fortunes",
"September Memories", and "To a Night-Blooming Cereus", which last we give
principally because, besides being a beautiful expression of a beautiful
thought, it was written under the inspiration of a flower sent to the
writer from an ancient plant in a Morristown conservatory.
TO A NIGHT-BLOOMING CEREUS.
O fleeting wonder, glory of a night,
Only less evanescent than the gleam
That marks the lightning's track, or some swift dream
That comes and, vanishing, eludes our sight!
How canst thou be content, thy whole rich stream
Of life to lavish on this hour's delight,
And perish ere one morning's praise requite
Thy gift of peerless splendor? It doth seem
Thou art a type of that pure steadfast heart
Which hath no wish but to perform His will
Who called it into being, no desire
But to be fair for Him; no other part
Doth choose, but here its fragrance to distil
For one brief moment ere He bid "Come higher"!
Charles D. Platt.
Mr. Platt, the faithful principal of our Morris Academy, has of late, "at
odd moments and in vacations," as he says, written verses of local
reference and others, upon various subjects, which have been published in
our local papers and elsewhere.
Born at Elizabeth, N. J., Mr. Platt lived there until 1883. He was
graduated at Williams' College in 1877, taught in the Rev. J. F. Pingry's
School in Elizabeth for six years, came to Morristown and took charge of
the Morris Academy in 1883, and has retained that position to the present
time.
Among the poems which refer to local interests are "Fort Nonsense," which
we give in the opening chapter on "Historic Morristown"; "The Old First
Church"; "The Lyceum" and "The Washington Headquarters", which last will
follow this short sketch, as embodying so much that is interesting of that
historic building and its surroundings.
Other of the poems might, perhaps, for some special qualities, better
represent Mr. Platt than this; there is the excellent and gay little
parody, which we would like to give, of "That Old Latin Grammar". "The Wild
Lily" is charming. Then there are "Memorial Day"; "Easter Song"; "Modern
Progress"; "A Myth"; and "John Greenleaf Whittier", the last written and
published upon the occasion of the poet's death September 16th, 1892.
Besides these, there are the "Ballades of the Holidays" which form a series
by themselves, dealing in part with the subject of popular maxims, and
including poems for Christmas, New Year's Day, Discovery Day and other
holidays. We give
THE WASHINGTON HEADQUARTERS, MORRISTOWN, NEW JERSEY.
What mean these cannon standing here,
These staring, muzzled dogs of war?
Heedless and mute, they cause no fear,
Like lions caged, forbid to roar.
This gun[A] was made when good Queen Anne
Ruled upon Merry England's throne;
Captured by valiant Jerseymen
Ere George the Third our rights would own.
"Old Nat",[B] the little cur on wheels,
Protector of our sister city,
Was kept to bite the British heels,
A yelping terror, bold and gritty.
That savage beast, the old "Crown Prince",[C]
A British bull-dog, glum, thick-set,
At Springfield's fight was made to wince,
And now we keep him for a pet.
Upon this grassy knoll they stand,
A venerable, peaceful pack;
Their throats once tuned to music grand,
And stained with gore their muzzles black.
But come, that portal swinging free,
A welcome offers, as of yore,
When, sheltered 'neath this old roof-tree,
Our patriot-chieftain trod this floor.
And with him in that trying day
Was gathered here a glorious band;
This house received more chiefs, they say,
Than any other in our land.[D]
Hither magnanimous Schuyler came,
And stern Steuben from o'er the water;
Here Hamilton, of brilliant fame,
Once met and courted Schuyler's daughter.
And Knox, who leads the gunner-tribes,
Whose shot the trembling foeman riddles,
A roaring chief,[E] his cash subscribes
To pay the mirth-inspiring fiddles.[F]
The "fighting Quaker", General Greene,
Helped Knox to foot the fiddlers' bill;
And here the intrepid "Put." was seen,
And Arnold—black his memory still.
And Kosciusko, scorning fear,
Beside him noble Lafayette;
And gallant "Light Horse Harry" here
His kindly chief for counsel met.
"Mad Antony" was here a guest,—
Madly he charged, but shrewdly planned;
And many another in whose breast
Was faithful counsel for our land.
Among these worthies was a dame
Of mingled dignity and grace;
Linked with the warrior-statesman's fame
Is Martha's comely, smiling face.
But look around, to right to left;
Pass through these rooms, once Martha's pride,
The dining hall of guests bereft,
The kitchen with its fire-place wide.
See the huge logs, the swinging crane,
The Old Man's seat by chimney ingle,
The pots and kettles, all the train
Of brass and pewter, here they mingle.
In the large hall above, behold
The flags, the eagle poised for flight:
While sabres, bayonets, flint-locks old,
Tell of the struggle, and the fight.
Old faded letters bear the seal
Of men who battled for a stamp;
A cradle and a spinning-wheel
Bespeak the home behind the camp.
Apartments opening from the hall
Show chairs and desks of quaint old style,
And curious pictures on the wall
Provoke a reverential smile.
Musing, we loiter in each room
And linger with our vanished sires;
We hear the deep, far-echoing boom
That spoke of old in flashing fires.
But deepening shadows bid us go,
The western sun is sinking fast;
We take our leave with footsteps slow,
Farewell, ye treasures of the past.
A century and more has gone,
Since these old relics saw their day;
That day was but the opening dawn
Of one that has not passed away.
Our banner is no worthless rag,
With patriot pride hearts still beat high;
And there, above, still waves the flag
For which our fathers dared to die.
Mrs. Julia R. Cutler.
Mrs. Cutler's graceful pen has already contributed to this volume the
sketch of Mrs. Mary Lee Demarest and also another to follow of Mrs. Julia
McNair Wright. Her pen has been busy at occasional intervals from girlhood,
when as a school-girl her essays were, as a rule, selected and read aloud
in the chapel, on Friday afternoons, and a poem securing the gold medal
crowned the success.
Living since her marriage, in the old historic house of Mr. Cutler's
great-grandfather, the Hon. Silas Condict, fearless patriot of the
Revolution, and President of the Council of Safety during the whole of that
period that "tried men's souls", it is little wonder that the traditions of
'76 clinging about the spot should nurture and develop the poetic spirit of
the girl. It was in 1799, after Mr. Condict's return from Congress that he
built the present house familiar to us all, but the old house stands near
by, full of the most interesting stories and traditions of revolutionary
days.
Mrs. Cutler has written many articles, often by request, for papers or
magazines, and verses prompted by circumstances or surroundings, or
composed when strongly impressed upon an especial subject.
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, 1791, SESSION HOUSE AND MANSE. MORRIS COUNTY SOLDIER'S MONUMENT, 1871.
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, 1791,
SESSION HOUSE AND MANSE.
MORRIS COUNTY SOLDIER'S MONUMENT, 1871.
Before us lies a lovely poem of childhood, entitled "Childish Faith",
founded on fact, but we select from the many poems of Mrs. Cutler, the
Centennial Poem given below and written on the occasion of the Centennial
of the old First Church.
CENTENNIAL FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
The moon shines brightly down, o'er hill and dale
As it shone down, One Hundred years ago,
On these same scenes. The stars look down from Heaven
As they did then, as calm, serene, and bright—
Fit emblems of the God, who changes not.
Only in him can we find sure repose
'Mid change, decay and death, who is the same
To-day as yesterday, forevermore.
Through the clear air peal forth the silvery notes,
Of thy old Bell, thou venerable pile,
Thou dear old Church, whose birthday rare,
We come to celebrate with tender love.
One Hundred years! How long; and yet, how short
When counted with the centuries of the past
That help to make the ages of the world:
How long when measured by our daily cares,
The joys, the sorrows that these years have brought
To us and ours. "Our fathers, where are they?"
The men of strength, one hundred years ago,
As full of courage, purpose, will, as we,
Have gone to join the "innumerable throng"
That worship in the Father's House above.
Their children, girls and boys, like the fair flowers,
Have blossomed, faded, and then passed away,
Leaving their children and grandchildren, too,
To fill their places, take their part in life.
How oft, dear Church, these walls have heard the vows
That bound two hearts in one. How oft the tread
Of those that bore the sainted dead to rest.
How oft the voices, soft and low, of those
Who, trusting in a covenant-keeping God
Gave here their little ones to God. A faith
Which He has blessed, as thou canst truly tell,
In generations past, and will in days to come.
How many servants of the most high God,
Beneath thy roof have uttered words divine,
Taught by the Spirit, leading souls to Christ
And reaping, even here, their great reward.
Many of these have entered into rest
Such as remains for those who love the Lord.
Others to-day, have gathered here to tell
What God has done in years gone by, and bear
Glad testimony to the truth, that in this place
His name has honored been.—'Tis sad to say
Farewell. But 'tis decreed, that thou must go.
Time levels all; and it will lay thee low.
But o'er thy dust full many a tear shall fall,
And many a prayer ascend, that the true God,
Our Father's God, will, with their children dwell,
And that the stately pile which soon shall rise,
Where now, thou art, a monument shall be
Of generations past, recording all
The truth and mercies of a loving God.
Oct. 14th, 1891.
Miss Frances Bell Coursen.
The rhythmic, airy verses of Miss Coursen, full of the spirit of trees,
flowers, the clouds, the winds and the insinuating and lovely sounds of
nature, charm us into writing the author down as one of Morristown's young
poets. The verses have attractive titles which in themselves suggest to us
musical thoughts, such as "To the Winds in January"; "June Roses"; "In the
Fields"; and "What the Katydids Say". We quote the latter for its bright
beauty.
WHAT THE KATYDIDS SAY.
"Katy did it!" "Katy didn't!"
Doesn't Katy wish she had?
"Katy did!" that sounds so pleasant,
"Katy didn't" sounds so bad.
Katy didn't—lazy Katy,
Didn't do her lessons well?
Didn't set her stitches nicely?
Didn't do what? Who can tell?
But the livelong autumn evening
Sounds from every bush and tree,
So that all the world can hear it,
"Katy didn't" oh dear me!
Who would like to hear forever
Of the things they hadn't done
In shrill chorus, sounding nightly,
From the setting of the sun.
But again, who wouldn't like it
If they every night could hear,
"Yes she did it, Katy did it",
Sounding for them loud and clear?
So if you've an "awful lesson",
Or "a horrid seam to sew",
Just you stop and think a minute,
Don't decide to "let it go".
In the evening, if you listen,
All the Katydids will say
"Yes she did it, did it, did it!"
Or, "she didn't". Now which way?
Miss Isabel Stone.
Miss Stone, long a resident of Morristown, has published many poems in
prominent journals and magazines, also stories, but always under an assumed
name. She will take a place in another group, that of Novelists and
Story-Writers. She is represented here by her poem on "Easter Thoughts".
EASTER THOUGHTS.
Sometimes within our hearts, the good lies dead,
Slain by untoward circumstances, or by our own free will,
And through the world we walk with bowèd head;
Or with our senses blinded to our choice,
Thinking that "good is evil—evil good;"
Or, with determined pride to still the voice
That whispers of a "Resurrection morn."
This is that morn—the resurrection hour
Of all the good that has within us died,
The hour to throw aside with passionate force
The cruel bonds of wrong and blindness—pride—
And rise unto a level high of power,
Of strength—of purity—while those we love rejoice
With "clouds of angel witnesses" above,
And all the dear ones, who before have gone.
And we ascend, in the triumphant joy
And peace, and rapture of a changèd self
That now transfigured stands—no more the toy
Of circumstance—or pride, or sin, to blight—
Until we reach sublimest heights—
And stand erect, eyes fixed upon the Right—
Strong in the strength that wills all wrong to still,
Will—pointing upwards to th' ascended Lord,
Bless, aye, thrice bless, this fair, sweet Easter Dawn.
Rev. G. Douglass Brewerton.
The Rev. Mr. Brewerton was pastor of the Baptist Church in Morristown in
1861, and during the early years of our Civil War. He was very patriotic
and public-spirited and founded a Company of boy Zouaves in the town, which
is well remembered, for at that time the war-spirit was the order of the
day. He wrote a number of poems which were published in the Morristown
papers and others. Of these, the following is one, published January 30,
1861.
OUR SOLDIERS WITH OUR SAILORS STAND.
A NATIONAL SONG
RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED TO THE VOLUNTEERS OF BOTH SERVICES, BY ONE WHO ONCE
WORE THE UNIFORM OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
Our soldiers with our sailors stand,
A bulwark firm and true,
To guard the banner of our land,
The Red, the White, the Blue.
The forts that frown along the coast,
The ramparts on the steep,
Are held by men who never boast,
But true allegiance keep.
While still in thunder tones shall speak
Our giants on the tide,
Rebuking those who madly seek
To tame the eagle's pride.
While breezes blow or sounding sea
Be whitened by a sail,
The banner of the brave and true
Shall float, nor fear the gale.
While Ironsides commands the fleet,
Shall patriot vows be heard,
Where pennants fly or war drums beat,
True to their oaths and word.
Then back, ye traitors! back, for shame!
Nor dare to touch a fold;
We'll guard it till the sunshine wane
And stars of night grow old.
Thus ever may that flag unrent
At peak and staff be borne,
Nor e'er from mast or battlement
By traitor hands be torn.
Mrs. Alice D. Abell.
Mrs. Abell has for several years contributed poems and articles to various
papers and magazines. From the poems we select the following, which was
copied in a Southern paper as well as in two others, from The New York
Magazine in which it first appeared:
BEHIND THE MASK.
Behind the mask—the smiling face
Is often full of woe,
And sorrow treads a restless pace
Where wealth and beauty go.
Behind the mask—who knows the care
That grim and silent rests,
And all the burdens each may bear
Within the secret breast?
Behind the mask—who knows the tears
That from the heart arise,
And in the weary flight of years
How many pass with sighs?
Behind the mask—who knows the strain
That each life may endure,
And all its grief and countless pain
That wealth can never cure?
Behind the mask—we never know
How many troubles hide,
And with the world and fashion show
Some spectre walks beside.
Behind the mask—some future day,
When all shall be made plain;
Our burdens then will pass away
And count for each his gain.
George Wetmore Colles, Jr.
The following is by one of the young writers of Morristown, written at Yale
University and published in the Yale Courant of February, 1891:
TO A MOUNTAIN CASCADE.
To him who, wearied in the noontide glare,
Seeks cool refreshment in thy quiet shade,
In all thy beauteous rainbow tints arrayed,
How sweet! O dashing brook, thy waters are!
Sure, such a glen fair Dian with her train
Chose to disport in, when Actæon bold
That sight with mortal eyes dared to behold
Which mortals may not see and life retain.
To such a glen I, too, at noonday creep,
Leaving the dusty road and haunts of men,
To quaff thy purling, sparkling ripples; then
To plunge within thy clear, cold basin deep.
Alone in Nature's lap (this mossy sod)
I lie; feel her sweet breath upon me blow;
Hear her melodious woodland voice, and know
Her passing love, the eternal love of God!
HYMNODIST.
John R. Runyon.
Our fellow townsman of old New Jersey name, whose enthusiastic love for
music, and especially for church music, is well known, has manifested his
interest in this direction by compiling a collection of hymns known as
"Songs of Praise. A Selection of Standard Hymns and Tunes". It is published
by Anson D. F. Randolph & Company, and "meets", says the compiler, "a
universally acknowledged want for a collection of Hymns to be used in
Sunday Schools and Social Meetings".
Says Charles H. Morse in The Christian Union of August 20th, 1892: "If
music is a pattern and type of Heaven, then, indeed, are those whose
mission is to provide the music for our worship burdened with a weight of
responsibility and called to a blessed ministry second only to that of the
pastor who stands at the desk to speak the words of Life".
To compile from various sources a collection of hymns acceptable to varied
classes of minds, requires much discernment, great care and large range of
knowledge on the subject, as well as a comprehension of what is needed
which comes from long and wide experience, study and observation, in
addition to natural genius.
NOVELISTS AND STORY-WRITERS.
Francis Richard Stockton.
Although born in Philadelphia, Mr. Stockton belongs to an old and
distinguished New Jersey family, and he has, after many wanderings, at last
selected his home in the State of his ancestors.
Within a few years he has purchased and fitted up a quaint and attractive
mansion in the suburbs of Morristown, overlooking the beautiful Loantika
Valley, where in the Revolutionary days the tents of the suffering patriots
were pitched or their log huts constructed for the bitter winter. Beyond
the long and narrow valley, the homes of prominent residents of Morristown
appear on the Western limiting range of hills, and are charmingly
picturesque.
This home Mr. Stockton has named "The Holt" and his legend, taken from
Turberville, an old English poet, is painted over the fire-place in his
Study which is over the Library on the South corner of the House: