The Valley of Virginia 



The old cedar tree standing by the fence could have told a tale ; 

 for in its closely clipped branches were a lot of dried beef tongues. 

 At the very last minute they were discovered in the smokehouse, 

 the army was in sight, and they were hurriedly pitched into the 

 cedar tree for safe keeping. To a casual observer, they were only 

 brown leaves drifted down from the oak tree. 



When the news came that the Northern Army would pass Folly 

 the next day, Mrs. Cochran got up in the wee sma' hours of the 

 night, and waked her housekeeper. The two silently collected all 

 the silver, including the service, basket and spoons, brought over 

 from England, put it all into a wooden box and between them 

 carried it down into the garden. They dug a hole in the soft earth 

 of the asparagus bed and buried it. What was their joy the next 

 morning to find it pouring down rain, thus obliterating all trace 

 of freshly-dug earth. 



These and many other old tales are brought to light only for 

 the sake of history and to tell to our children and grandchildren. 

 Time has so mellowed the recollections that they seem a part of a 

 dream, but enhance the human interest of this old garden. 



Annie Cochran Rawlinson. 



[333] 



