This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1918 edition. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER III THE OLD HOMESTEAD Another Three Years Were Spent Here, Making Billy About Nine When He Left Before Billy was seven, his parents moved from the valley of the James River to the western part of Bedford County, twelve miles from Liberty later called Bedford City or Bedford, where he lived until he was nearly nine. This was also a farm and full of wonderful things, which Billy tried his best to learn all about. And the house was very interesting because it had been the home of Billy's Father and Grandfather. "Happy the man whose wish and care A few paternal acres bound, Content to breathe his native air In his own ground. Whose herds with milk, whose fields with bread, Whose flocks supply him with attire; Whose trees in summer yield him shade, In winter, fire." Pope. 32 The house stood on the brow of a hill which sloped down to little streams or gullies on three sides, while on the north was the barn and between it and the house the corncrib, cherry and pear trees, henhouse, pig-pen, blacksmith shop, and buggy-house. A big walnut tree shaded the house and its long branches reached to the ice-house and smoke-house and almost to the row of bee-gums under the peach trees. Over the ice-house was the lumber-room, where the weaving was done on the big loom. Below the ice-house there was a clump of wild plum trees where the robins built their nests. The catbirds built in the privet under the nectarine trees on the way to the spring. A snowball tree and an arbor-vitae stood near the front door, which faced the morning sun and looked out over the orchard. The house was still more wonderful inside, with all its rooms and old furniture and feather beds and linen bed-spreads and homemade chairs and pewter dishes and spoons and pots and pans...