Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1861-08-21
LYNN
ITS WITCHES, PIRATES AND TREASURE SEEKERS.


Bustling and busy, prosaic, but furnishing
the scenes and materials for many a tale of
fiction, and made up of wonderful tumble of
shoe manufactures, fortune telling ,and pirate
haunted glens and rocks, sober reality and
romance, sea beach and forest-few places in
New England affords more of interest to the
curious traveller. Were it not for the bright
eyes and demure faces OF tho really pretty
girls ono meets, a walk through tho business
streets of Lynn would be dull in the extreme.
One sign duplicates another, simply varying
names, and changing the black letters on one,
to white, or gold, or shaded, on othcrs,-near-
ly all have the same import, and Indicate a
grand depot of one branch of New England
trado. Even the pleasant and shaded side
streets have little shops adjoining many Of
the houses, with, perhaps, a sign that seems
to have strayed from the grand army in the
business streets, and, getting lost, stuck des-
perately to the fence or shop corner. There
are frequent piles of n-blackened scraps Of
Ieather-the sidewalks and streets are strewed
with it, and the air seems to be tinctured like
that OF great boot and shoe store.
Here was born, suckled and reared. this
branch of industry in America-and its pro-
geny are now scattered Yankee fashion all
over the bread land. Here, too, was erected
the first iron foundry, and built the first fire
engine in tho country. But statistics inter-
est the general reader as little as manufac-
tures the mass of travellers. Lynn furnishes
much of attraction to both, apart from and
beyond either statistic or manufactures.
High Rock is almost the first object that
attracts the attention on entering the town.
Ii is owned by the weil-known ssBand of
Brothers. the Hutchinsons, who have their
residence on one side of it. On the other
aide, under the rock, dwelt the far-famed
AOll Pitcher. Once, there was no person in
America that did not know of her-no breeze
nf fha "A hiatt ApnD ant sha toll Of mr.
starry flag that had not caught her name from
some ones lips. 1t was familiar as that of
Washington, with which it has been, (and
most incorrectly ,)associat,d dit was the theme
of many sailors yarn spun in the forcastle,
or used TO enliven the tedium of the midnight
watch. The roof under which she lived still
shelters indigHent humanity-the room in
which she died is still shown to visitors, to-
gether with veritabie relics. including the
cap that covered her black locks, and the tea
cup from which looked forth futurity to many
bright-eyed lassie. One looks at the crack
ed and carefully preserved piece of ware al
most with veneration. To the imaginative, it
possesses Glendower's arts like the sunken
casket of the Eastern tale. 1t peoples the
room in the early twilight with forms long
since gone to rest beneath grassy mounds,
and under the flowers. 1t brings to mind the
early history of New England, strongly tine
tured with superstition and intolerance.
From its shallow depths swarm forth sturdy
farmers, seeking the aid of the Seeress, in
recovering mislad pocket-books or strayed
cattle-the bashful country youth, twisting,
nneasily, in his chair, and awkwardly twrling
his fingers and hadkerchief while the tea
grounds assume the fateful shape, and await
Ing half In dread, half unbelief, the words of
the oracle. We can see the trembling form of
the half-frightened, half-iaughing maiden,
hardly daring to look at the aged face bend :
b6, ram of fhp "A
now pregnant with fearful meaning. The
little table that she ate many meal from (since
nscd as q wash bench, bnt now preserved with
the other relics,) stands in the room and fan
cy groups about it the forms of Robert and
Mary Pitcher and their family. Ruth, the ra-
Ren-hared, black eyed daughter, ga perfect
beauty, as harnsome as picture" as she is
aescribed by those who knew her-and other
daughters and sons, whose defendants rank
Today among "The most respectable psople
in town."
Those whose memories reach back so far re-
member Moll Pitcher dying in 1914, at the
age OF 10, with hair whose raven blackness
was unbroken by silver thread, and an eye
tui OF the fire of strong nature. None are
nSihg who remember her as Mary Diamond /,
OUT that she possessed considerable beauty is
Seiiauthenticated. The muslin cap, however,
nrings us nearer than all the rest to ssAunt
mohy." One wonders, the fingers press
t"e fabric, II no scorn of her credulols dupes
ster ever throbbod in the busy brain beneath it..
human joys, cares and sorrows, each throb-
oeo and beat beneath it-seorns and jeers,
perhaps, saddened the heart, and wet the
.heek 1t toucbed-the cares and fears Of wife
aad mother-the great unwritten history Of a
uuman heart-and all brought nearer, softeued
2! years and the grassy mound Of the chnrch-
Ssrd, by the ancient piece of muslin. Near
all that has been written of her has no foun-
ds'ion IN fact, and the world knows Of her on