Perchance the Indian climbed thy rugged side,
Ere the pale face subdued his warlike pride,
And bent him down to kneel, to serve, to toil,
To alien shrines upon his native soil. 
It needs not thee, O mount! to tell the story
That stained the wreath of many a hero’s glory;
But Nature’s mysteries must ever rest
Within the gloomy confines of thy breast,
Where wealth, uncounted, hapless lies concealed,
Locked in thine inmost temple unrevealed.

MRS. SARAH HALL.

Mrs. Sarah Hall was born in Philadelphia October 30th, 1761, and died in that city April 8th, 1830.  She was the daughter of the Rev. John Ewing, D.D., a member of the Ewing family of the Eighth district of this county, and one of the most distinguished scholars and divines of his time, and who was for many years Provost of the University of Pennsylvania and pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Philadelphia.

Miss Ewing’s early education was confined to learning to read and write, and in acquiring a thorough knowledge of housewifery.  In 1782 she married John Hall, a member of the Hall family of the Eighth district, and the newly wedded pair came to reside in the house near Rowlandville, formerly owned by the late Commodore Conner, and now occupied by his son P.S.P.  Conner.

It was while residing in this old mansion, surrounded by the picturesque scenery of the Octoraro hills, that she wrote the poem entitled “Sketch of a Landscape,” which no doubt was inspired by the beauty of the surrounding scenery and the fine view of the “Modest Octoraro,” which may be had from the porch of the old historic mansion in which she resided.

After a residence of about eight years in Cecil county the family removed to Philadelphia, where Mr. Hall successively filled the offices of Secretary of the Land Office, and United States Marshal for the District of Pennsylvania.  The family returned to Maryland in 1805, and resided on Mr. Hall’s paternal estate for about six years.

Mrs. Hall’s literary career commenced with the publication of her writings in the Port Folio, a literary magazine published in Philadelphia about the beginning of this century, and of which her son, John E. Hall, subsequently became the editor.  She soon attained high rank as a magazine writer, and, until the time of her death, occupied a position second to none of the female writers of this country.

Mrs. Hall is best known in the literary world by her book entitled “Conversations on the Bible.”  It was written after she was fifty years of age and the mother of eleven children, and was so popular as to astonish its author by the rapidity of its sale.

SKETCH OF A LANDSCAPE

    In Cecil county, Maryland, at the junction of the Octoraro creek
    with the Susquehanna, suggested by hearing the birds sing during the
    remarkably warm weather in February, 1806.