Atlantic Monthly Vol. 6, No. 33, July, 1860

my narrative for a while, in ord

ctory state, and I had given up all hope of further elucidation of it, wh

eries of patents, warrants, surveys, and such like learning, necessary to getting land or keeping what they had. The character and style of this book, in its exterior aspect, were as unpromising as it's title. It was printed by Messrs. Dobbin & Murphy, on rather dark paper, in a muddy type,-- such as no Mr. Dobbin nor Mr. Murphy of this day would allow to bear his imprimatur,--though in 1808, I doubt not, it

n two short marginal notes (the substance of which I afterwards found in Chalmers's "Annals") it was said that "he was noted in the Province for the murder committed by him on Christopher Rousby, Collector of the Customs,"--the second note adding that this was d

the tradition; the time, that of James the Second, conformed pretty nearly to my conjecture derived from the age of the hawks; and the nature of the crime was what I had imagined. There was just enough in this brief revelation to revive the desire f

ch led me in due time to a strange realization of the old proverb that "Murder will out,"--though, in this case, its discovery could

e inducements to persuade me to make an exploration of the whereabouts of the old city which was planted near the Potomac by our first pilgrims. Through the kindness of a much valued friend, whose acquirements and taste--both highly cultivated--rendered him a most e

Church of St. Nicholas on the Patuxent, near the landing at Town Creek, and we were to tra

ortable wooden building of the style and character of the present day, with all the appurtenances proper to a convenient and pleasant country homestead. Immediately in its neighborhood--so near that it might be said to be almost within the curtilage of the dwelling--stood an old brick ruin of what had apparently been a substantial mansion-house. Such a monument of the past as this, of course, could not escape our special attention, and, upon inquiry, we were told that it was once, a long time ago, the family home of the R

a sudden and vivid remembrancer to me of the old story of Talbot, and ga