Page:The Granite Monthly Volume 6.djvu/99

 THE BADGER HOMESTEAD.

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��houses, and green woodlands, stretch away on every side, and bounding the horizon of this glorious panorama are the mountains, misty, dim and distant in the shimmering noonday light.

The garret is full of treasures, if one could linger long enough to find them all. Here are the relics of three generations, wardrobes, old weapons, and chests packed with ancient articles whose history, in many cases, borders upon the romantic. Here are dies that were worn when Jefferson was in the White House, and Burr and I ianiil- ton filled the nation's eyes ; calashes that fluttered to the breeze when Webster was in his cradle and Marie Antoinette was queen of France, and rusty old fire-locks that gleamed bright and new at Bennington and Stillwater. The bric-a-brac hunter would here find his paradise.

We descend to the hall and pass out of the antique portico into the yard once more. It is still, and cool, and shady under the towering elms whose branches toss their arms around the two tall chimneys. These elms are almost a hundred years old, having been transplanted by Gen. Joseph Badger, jr., in 1784. Several horse chestnut trees and spruces adorn the front yard. At the south end of the house is an English honeysuckle, a magnificent vine, that ascends to the attic window, covering nearly the whole side with greenness.

The mansion and the adjacent build- ings were all built by Gov. Badger in 1825. No expense was spared in their erection. The governor was a solid man in more respects than one, and he builded solidly. He was the squire of the neighborhood, a man of authority, and moreover rich in lands, in cattle, in silver and gold, like the ancient patriarch. Twenty-two cows were milked every summer on his farm, and one hundred and fifty sheep, six horses, eight yokes of working oxen, beside young stock fed in his pastures. A dozen swine were slaughtered annually. Six field hands were regit - larly employed, and three domestics

��assisted Mrs. Badger in the house. His income from his lands, his stock, his mills, was large. Probably there were not ten other men in New Hamp- shire that were as rich as was William Badger when he served as chief magis- trate of the State.

The barn is over one hundred feet long, and can hold tons and tons of hay. It has a solid foundation of split stone, and an excellent cellar. The hennery and hog-house are separate buildings. \ walk laid with broad stone fhgs leads to each one. The liog-h mse has a floor of solid stone, ami the feeding trough itself is a hollowed stone. In the latter building is a huge potash kettle, that has done good s--r\ ice in its day. Each year that Mr. Badger was governor, his rieighb >rs and townsman collected and escorted him to Concord. The crowd was breakfasted by his excellency, and this ketiie each time was boiled full of potatoes. This picture of the huge kettle full of steaming tubers, the tables set on the lawn, the feasting crowd in home-spun or store clothes, the picketed horses, the running and going, reminds Dae of a scene at a Highland castle as depicted by Scott, .viien a clan is assembled to march against a neighboring clan, or to attend their lor' 1 to i-'.dinburgh.

The 1 tatc at present is somewhat reduced, and consists of about three hundred acres. One field contains sixty acres, and is nearly as smooth, as a floor, — only two rocks upon it. The governor had two children by his last wife who lived to grow up.

The eldest of these, Co!. Joseph !'» id- ger, is the present owner of the man- sion and estate. Col. Badger was born in 18 1 7, and graduated a: Dart- mr.ith in 1S39. In 1842 and 1843 he served upon the staff of Gov. Hubbard, with the title of colonel. He has represented the town at the General Court on two occasions, but though much respected by the com- munity, he has led for the most part a
 * tiet, retired life, upon the old home.

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