The Cecil Whig., 1848-07-15

l
to make our "guess'' of its agricultural
qualities. A soil thin, cold and sour, but
lily requites the sturdy toll OF the farmer,
and the rude appea rance of the scattered
farm houses assures us that wealth dwells
not with these sons of the soil. The
stone fences are falling with neglect; the
houses are brown with age, and the pane
less windows and broken doors OF many,
inform us that their quondam tenants
have gone elsewhere to seek fortune,
and left the homestead to go to decay.
Eighteen long miles, through an unin-
teresting country, brings us to Meriden,
midway between Hartford and New Ha-
ven, a fiourishing village devoted to the
manufacture of iron and tin ware, and
ivory combs. The town is scattered,
with here and there a place OF passing
beauty, but generally affording little to
| please the eye of taste. The scenery is
fine, abounding in forest crowned hills,
and the perpendicular faces peculiar to
trap rock. From Meriden we strike
eastward, to Middletown, crossing high
range ofhills, with beautifully variega-
ted scenery to please the eye, and beguile
the traveller of his WEAKNESS. From
Mount Lpmentation we catch our first
view of the Connecticut, winding
through the meadows below Middle
town.
This range of hills we learned takes
its name from the fact that in the early
settlement of the country citizen OF
Weathersfeld, lost in his search for cat
tie, was bewildered in itsrocks and woods
and was sought for by the inhabitants
"with great lamentations" Speaking of
Mount Lamentation reminds me of a gen.
uine son of Connecticut once met on
the monument in Baltimore. Standing
on the deck and looking out upon the
city below he exclaimed "that looks
nat'ral," as if sol,loquizing, 1T minds me
Of the mountains to hum" "Ah," said
l, "sir where is that!" "In Connecticut,
you may Of hearn tell of Meount Lamen-
tation." eyes SIR" "Well this minds
me of it, only the meountains are great
deal higher and light straight up"
"Mount Lamentation is in Berlin, is it
not sir!" ayes but the Mlddletown side
is great deal higher" 81 have been
on that side of the mountain sirn SAID /.
Our friend from Connecticut was seized
with sudden fear lest "his lantern
wouldn't hold out till he got to the bot
tom," and suddenly left.-The fact is the
mountain is high and commands fine
view;-but nowhere is the face very
steep.
Eight miles from Neriden brings us to
Middletown, a city OF some six or eight
thousand people, as near as could judge,
beautifully situated OH the banks Of the
Connecticut. l. is laid out with some
degree of taste and contains some hand
some buildings OF red sandstone from the
quarries on the opposite bank of the riv-
er. Here is a young, but flourishing col
lege of the Methodist denomination,
numbering some 40 or $50 students, and
rejoicing in the high sounding title of
Wesleyan University, though University
there is none except so far as the lowest
department of a University may entltle
it to the name. At Middletown we spent
the first night of our pedestrian tour, and
after walk of some 26 miles needed no
soothing anodyne to WOO the embrace of
good sound sleep The Hotels are good
and their terms quite reasonable. Early
next morning, with our good oak staff,
we were on our way towards Hartford,
having the river on our right and the
hill on our left, forming between, beau
tiful and highly cultivated valley. The
eastern bank Of the river is composed al
most entirely of red sandstone, of fine
grain and easily quarried, and Portland,
Glastonbury and several other small
towns are largely engaged in this branch
of trade. Eight miles from Middletown
we reach the ancient town of Wethers-
field, associated in the minds of all with
onions. Of this town we had heard
strange stories, and we looked at its old
meeting house with some curiosity to
know whether it were in reality huge
string of onions, tied up by the ingenuity
of the Weatherfeld damsels. But We
can assure your readers who may have
heard the same story, that Weathersfeld
steeple is not built of onions, but is bona
fide wooden one of very respectable di>
mensions This town as all know is
largely engaged in the cultivation OF on
ions, for which its rich soil, and flat sur
face peculiarly fit it. At this season of
the year nothing is to be seen but mead
ows OF waving grass and plots of onions
varying from quarter of an acre to
many acres in extent, and kept as clean
and free from weeds and grass as the best
cultivated garden, and that too by hand.
The onions are planted in the seed, in
drills twelve inches apart, and require
for three months, constant wedding and
attention. This is done by boys and
girls, while the Fathers and older BROTH
ers are at sea or engaged in other pursuits
| ,u,y from home. The onions are Dull-