Minnesota weekly times. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1859, 1857-04-04
TUESDAY, MARCH 81, 1857.
NEW BOOKS.

The two voluminous volumes before us, con.
tanning ''Recollections of q Life Time, or Men
and Things Have Seen in Series of Familia,
Letters to Friend" embody vast amount Of
historical information, and cannot fail to nteres,
a very large proportion of the American people
To hold friendly chat with Peter Farley, is like
walking down the aisles Of Time, and opening a
conversation with hale old gentleman, who TO,
nearly half century has visited our fresides and
sported with our children. He has interested the
young mind of many one who now treads the
platform of Manhood, and his genial smile and
heart of sunshine will long be remembered by a
host of ardent admirers. Who would not be glad
to hear his history-so full of interest, of incl
dent, of the thousand "reminiscences of the histo-
ry Of our country and of the stirring times in
which he lived? If to talk with dead author
is pleasure, how much more of pleasure is it
to talk with living author-one We have known
from our earliest boyhood, and who tells Us Of
the things that have passed under his own obser-
walton?
Mr.. GOODRICH informs US that he was born in
the town OF Ridge6eld, Connecticut, on the 10Th
of August, 1898. He was the sixth child of ten
children, two of whom died in infancy eight liv-
ed to be married and settled in life. His father
was minister in the good town where he was
born, with an annual salary of el2O, or about
$4O0 of our currency. Like all ministers of that
period, he preached and worked, worked and
preached, and by dint of hard labor, with the ef-
forts Of his good wife, contrived to bring up the
family of eight children to respectable positions
in life. Young Goodrich gives, as within his
the great Importance attached to the 'meeting-
house" of those days:
A traveller arrived in the town just at eventide,
and being uncertain of his road, inquired his way
to Barkhamstead.
"You are in Barkhamstead now," was the reply.
"Yes, but where is the center of the place ?''
sit has MT got any CENTER" e.
"Well,-but direct me to the tavern"
"There amt any tavern.''
eyes, but the Westinghouse ?'
"Why did MT you ask that afore2 There it is
over the hill"
The Westinghouse was the most conspicuous
object in the whole town. Without meeting
house, the place was too Insignificant for even
passing notice. And in the same proportion as the
Westinghouse was looked upon with reverence,
so too was the minister who preached in it.
Our author commenced his school studies at
the age of six years, and describes the school
teacher as Ga maiden lady of so years, short and
bent, of sallow complexion and solemn aspect.''
He remembers the first day he commenced going
to school. There were seventeen scholars, boys
and girls, some of whom he has since met, and of
the remainder he says:-
"Others are Of the gray-haired old men of the
town the names of others have seen inscribed
on the t0mbstones of their native village. And
the rest-where are they?" E
Seated upon the high bench, with his legs
swinging in tho air, terrible silence reigned
around. Soon the children were called up, one
by one, to say their letters. HIS turn came. The
book was placed before him, and the good old
lady, looking over her spectacles, inquired :.
"What's that? 1.. :
CA"
''Stha-a-t?"
ssBo. 5 ?.
ssSna-a.a-t?'
&C." 3.
ssSna-a-a-t?"
CD" ["Sna-n-ny."1
He couldn't 60 any further. Again the ques-
ton was asked him, but the letter swan before
him as big as ssfull moon." The third time he
was asked-"Sna-a-t?" He Indignantly replied
-"why don't you tell me what it is? did MT
come here to learn you your letters" While our
author says he has recollection of this it is af
frmed by the school-mistress that such reply
was actually made by him During the Summer
the remainder of the alphabet was learned, and
at the age of ten years he could read and write,
and had made some progress in arithmetic. 7.
Passing over many interesting little episodes,
we come to description of his native town:
ga general mass of hills, rising up in cres-
cent of low mountains and commanding wide
view on all sides. The soil was naturally hard,
and thickly sown with stones of every size, from
the Unreasonable rock to the pebble. The fields
were divided by huge stone walls, and the surface
of most was dotted with gathered heaps of stones
and rocks, thus clearing spaces for cultivation,
yet leaving large portion still encumbered with
its original curse" M n
We think every who has resided in New
England, will at once recognize this picture rs a
truthful one. What marked difference between
the soil of New England and that of Minneso.
ia! &
At this time there were but four weekly news.
papers published in the State, and but three
subscribers to these in the town of Ridee6eld.
and "yet the town ranked high in point of intelli
gence and civilization" What would the old 70.
gies think, who lived in that age, could they come
up from their graves and read the news in thr. !.
daily morning papers published in st. Psnl p
The world does move.
I'll
We havea charming little picture before us.
representing the author at t..e age Of tan years
sitting upon log wheeling, with his little sister
oy nis slde,-her .onnet thrown back from her
auburn locf,., her dress carelessly tossed of Of
the wy foot and well-formsd limb; her eyes
sparkling with delight as she listens to the pratte
of her brother whose keen-edged knife curls of
the soft pine, adording him apparently great do,
light. Just beyond, peeping out;from the foliage
of the trees, is the old staid farmhouse and near
BY gurgles the ripping brook. Sweet, innocent,
happy childhood. We seek not to disturb Thy
fragrant-laden hours, but in referring to the pic.
ture We desired to give that little boy an oppostu
| nifty to defend his occupation, useless and idle
though to many it may appear. Says the author,
whiting is conducive to spirit Of industry
it calls out the inventive powers of the mind ;
hence we find that among the New England peo.
plea greater number of inventions are produced
than anywhere else in the world. The desire te
do something-to be constantly busy-is dis
tinguishable trait OF the New England character
- thefollowing ansedots viii fully illustrate: =
/ Yankee in Pennsylyania had applied to q
| Quaker for work.
81 win furnish thee With work and nav the