its beauty, or with book in hand, sitting in some sheltered nook, with a broad stretch of the scenery before him, gazing dreamily at this wonderland.

His favorite haunts were the hills near the water tower, Rattlesnake Run, the old Barley Mill Dam, the pavilion or some leaf covered and shady rock on the abrupt hillsides. I have heard him say that he never tired of its scenery, that it was to him a constant feast, an old familiar friend.

Unobtrusive, sensative, quiet, almost shrinking in his nature, he combined the gentleness of a woman, with the firmness of a keen, strong nature. He was a genial companion. With a well stored mind, his conversation was always interesting and instructive. There was a warmth in his friendship and a staying quality in his attachments that made his friendship worth having. Contact with the world had not hardened him; on the other hand it had made him tender and sympathetic.

Pennock Pusey has left a record of a good man, an honest man, and one whose life was spent in right lines in doing his duty to God and man.

RECOLLECTIONS OF THE CORNER OF MARKET AND TENTH STREETS IN THE CITY OF WILMINGTON,

-BY

PENNOCK PUSEY.

Perhaps the most marked characteristic of advancing age is its proneness to dwell upon the past. The fondness for recalling early incidents, and repeating old stories is proverbial alike with persons who have led adventurous lives, and those of the commonest experiences.

Moreover we need hardly approximate the Psalmists, "Three score years and ten" before feeling the force of that law of nature, that the further the inexorable years thrust us into the future, the further our thoughts reach back into the past.

It is as if one sought a solacing appeal from the bold realism and disenchanting verdict of cold, hard experience, to the bright promises of youthful hope, and the remembered joy with which we entered upon life's career.

It is therefore scarcely a cause of wonder that with advancing years one is apt to mistake the fondness of ones memory of his individual early associations for a matter of general public interest.

And you will accordingly understand, I trust, my reluctance to comply with the request for written reminiscences of the building lately demolished on the opposite corner, and promptly pardon what I may say that may be deemed beneath the dignity of history, or unworthy of remembrance.

For while that old building is closely linked with the very earliest recollections of my childhood, it can scarcely claim to be invested with much interest of a general or historic nature. But while this is true of the building itself its immediate environments embrace an area or locality long and pleasantly connected with the settlement and growth of Wilmington. Indeed the intersection of Tenth and Market Streets may be fairly deemed one of the historic corners of our city. In former times it marked the junction of what was known as Kennett Road and Brandywine walk as Market Street north of this corner was then called.

The southerly angle was the original site chosen by one of our earliest religious denominations in the year 1737, and

where the "First Presbyterian Church" erected its first ("The venerable structure" in which we

edifice in 1740. are assembled.)

Diagonally opposite on the north point stood the famous. cottage and shady yard known as "The Willows" where once resided the great heiress and beauty "Miss Vining," a witty, accomplished and attractive lady, and who in colonial days had devoted admirers among the officers of the three armies, who corresponded with "Lafayette," and was affianced to General Wayne, and whose reputation as a lovely and entertaining lady extended so far that she was invited to visit the French Queen at the Tuilleries.

Another of the four corners marked the boundary of the area occupied by the reservoir of the improved Water System, an elevated and sightly area embracing the whole block now occupied by the Court House property; this, while commanding an outlook to the broad Delaware and noble easterly landscape was the highest point within the limits of our then restricted town, facilitating the distribution of Brandywine water throughout its extent.

At the fourth of the four corners stood the lately demolished brick building which is the specific subject for our present consideration. While most of the remainder of the square was occupied by the large yard and buildings, stables and sheds of the once famous "Clayton's Tavern' its Ninth Street boundary a part of the site of the present Equitable Building, having been occupied by an irregular line of rather dilapidated buildings, the easterly end of which was known as "Rankins Corner," where the Rev. Corry Chambers school was kept and where began the military instruction which was later known as Hyatt's Academy, and which I

believe developed into the now existing great military establishment at Chester, Pa.

Diagonally through this square once ran the continuation of what is now Delaware Avenue, which in its southerly course instead of bending into Tenth Street at Tatnall Street, as at present, continued on in the same way cutting through the front of the lot on which "Eden Hall" now stands, and running diagonally across the squares eastward of Orange Street, and directly in front of the old stone dwelling now standing out of line and back from Orange and Tenth Streets, at the rear of George F. Robinson's saloon, which accounts for the odd position of that ancient structure whose quaint appearance and irregular attitude have long been a subject of common remark.

Passing through this square as stated, this old thoroughfare crossed Market Street just above the Equitable Building and constituted one of the boundaries of the church lot whereon was first erected the hip roofed building in which this society holds its monthly meetings.

The area of this lot is just one acre and in the old deed the description of its boundaries began at a stake standing in the east side of Market Street in Willington, in Christiana road (which was first called Christiana road, afterward Kennett Pike) and runs thence 481⁄2° east to another stake in said road on west side. The lower tower of the subsequent church standing exactly in the centre of the abandoned road.

The home known as "The Willows" has been mentioned as occupying the diagonally opposite corner (where lived the historic and winsome beauty Miss Vining) stood back from both Tenth and Market Streets, the frontage of the lot over