Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1859-06-07
From our opn Correspondent.
Boston and Portland.

From our oon Correspondent.
Boston and Portland.
i After witnessing the somewhat noisy proceed
Iings of the Tract and Anti Slavery societies, and
ATTENDING several other anniversaries, OF which
can at present give you no particular account,
left New York for Boston In the evening of Fri
day. May Is. on the steamer Connecticut
The boat is fine one, but found that going
that way by night is not so pleasant as coming
from Boston to New York. Instead of good
nights rest and liberty to get up at your leisure
you are reused at one o'clock to take the cars at
Alleoris Point near Norwich. We reached Bos.
ton about seven, and stepped across the street
to the United States Hotel, which is opposite the
Norwich depot. Although not first-rate house
except in size, it is very convenient as tempo.
rary stopping. place, especially to those who 60
or come by the Norwich & Worcester Railroad.
After breakfasting and getting shaved, left my
baggage at their house and spent the morning
in perambulating Boston, the old part Of which
is the most labyrinthine city in America. The
whole physiogomy of Boston 10 diverse from that
of Philadelphia and New York, and decidedly
more European. You see that its foreign sup.
plies are drawn directly from the old world, and
not obtained at second hand on this side of the
water The Common is still the most delight.
ful city-park or green that have yet seen in
the country. It is now in all the glory OF its
freshest verdure and most rural freedom from
| dead levels and all artificial stiffness. went
according to my habit, into the Supreme Judi
cial Court, where bill for divorce upon the
ground Of cruelty, was trying before Chief JUS
tice Shaw, man of singular but striking aspect.
Here enjoyed my favorite amusement, the
I .-o.. avor,;not;op of ra1uotant witness who.
in this case, was the cruel husband, who, in an
swer to his wife's counsel, positively swore that
be could not tell within fifty years how long since
he had seen certain person, though he after
wards told all about it when Intercepted by the
Judge.
After very good dinner at the United States
was conveyed to the Portland depot in Hay
market square. The part of Maine and Massa-
chusetts through which we passed was very IN.
interesting although not without clear tokens OF
prosperity. The monotony and quiet OF our
Journey was destroyed, about half way, by the
irruption of half dozen youths, who | at irst
took for college students or precocious school
bows. but soon found from their utterly illiterate
and SLOPPY conversation, to be clerks or store
bows either from New York or Boston, going to
spend Sunday in the provinces. Their snobbish
cockneyism and conceit would have been intol-
erable but for their good humor and intense
self satisfaction. Of their wit and airs cannot
even give q sample, bat may have occasion to
refer to them again. An agreeable contrast to
these yankee cits is constantly presented to the
traveller by the quiet manners and obliging dis
position of the plain, substantial, middle-class
New Englander, who Is unquestionably one OF
the most pleasant of all casual companions
Sensible, full of information unobtrusive yet
communicative, not at all tnqulsttaoe, he Is just
the person to encounter for few successive
hours on the road or at public house. | sat
by one of this class on the deck OF the Connec-
ticut for some time and derived some curious as
we'll as useful information from him. Among
other things he spoke of having sailed upon the
boat several years before with party OF Nor
wepian emigrants removing westward, among
whom violent dispute arose between man
and his wife, in the course of which the husband
either fell or was pushed by his better-half over
the side into the water, and, although attempts
were made to save him, nothing but bis cap
could be recovered. The woman now began to
mourn the loss, not so much of her husband, as
of all their money, which he had about him, and
in consequence hat was handed around and
collection made exceeding the sum which she had
lost. The same gentleman informed me OF the
hours at which the trains set out tor Portland,
but discouraged me in reference to the hotels,
saying that the city was regarded as denclent IN
that article. This led me to inquire at the ho-
tells in Boston, all of which recommended the
United States at Portland as the best, though
none of them affirmed it to be very good. was
therefore agreeably surprised on my arrival to
find it one of the most comfortable places have
lately stopped at Without the least pretence to
show or fnery, and though disfgured by the
scaffolds used in decorating or repairing its ex-
terror it afforded me an excellent bed and table,
with the utmost civility from servants and pro-
prietors. On driving up to it when arrived on
Saturday evening, found the open square in
front of it completely filled with dense crowd,
in the midst of which band occasionally gave
vent to familiar melodies. While at my solitary
supper was told by the waiter that this gath
sring was in honor of the Irish patriot William
|Smith O'Brien, who had reached the house not
long before me, coming from the opposite direc.
ton, and was about to make speech in reply
to the crowd and SCI enade, / hurried out into
the street and found him standing on the roof OF
the porch above the front door, but being unable
to distinguish what he said, l assembled to my
room and from the window which was very
near his stand. point heard the last part OF SEN
sible but plain and somewhat stammerDg ad'
dress, entirely free both from Irish and Ameri-
can extravaganza and thus confirming what bad
already heard or read, to wit, that Smith O'Bri.
en- though descended from line of Irish Kings
and the hereditary foemsn of the Saxon, is in
character as well as education, a thorough En-
Illshman, so that in Canada he could not even
understand the gasconading oratory, OF his TEL
low.countrymen, and is said to have cut short
his visit to Quebec in order to avoid their vio-
lent congratulations. He would probably have
reioiced in a similar escape from the attentions
of Brooklyn clerk or shopman at the table
d'hote in Portland, who was making the u
sual parade Of liquors, practsed by that class a..
mone US. and endeavoripg to force his wines and
ses on the distinguished stranger, after which
he asked him whether he had been to church,
and told him he had heard very good sermon
from Congregational minister. How interest.
ing this was 10 the Irish Catholic may be infer
red from his answer congregational" That is
that isl don't exactly understand" Our
wine-drinker then undertook to enlighten him
on this point, characteristlcally adding: I'VE
have great many churches in this county
the city where live is called the city OF church
est has more than hundred-and we pay
our preacher more than you (the Irish Papists)
d. Henry Ward Beecher gets eight thousand
year. Even that magic name seemed to fall
without effect upon the dull ear OF the patriot
and martyr. and the conversation dropped.
too may say that 1 heard not only one but TWO
good sermons in the Congregational churches
Of Portland upon that day, one from the Rev.
DIR. Dwight, and the other from the Kew. Or.
Caruthers, native Of Scotland who has long
been settled there. The Rev. DR.. Chckering,
whose reputation have long known, did not
preach, bis church being closed TOR repairs. In
going to and from church, and on Monday
morning saw about as much as desired OF
Portland, which is very picturesque and pleas
ing city. In addition to its noble harbor and