Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-08-28
Rusticating Among the Hills,
[CoRREsPoNDENcE OF THE sPY.l
BATH Nh Anr. d. Is,

DAIht W I1ss mug Soy lol4s
This village imagine is unknown to most Of
the world, aud even to the post Office people,
whose duties require some degree of familiarity
| with the names at least of places unheard of by
most Others. | conclude that this is so from the
| fact that none Of the communications by mail
that were promised, have yet reached me. In
response to my inquiries the good lady who pre-
sides over the post office tells me that mail mat
ter addressed 10 this place, except from some of
the towns quite near, generally goes first to
Bath Maine and finds its way here, if at all,
| only as an afterthought. l would assure al
postmasters who may read the Spy that there is
| village and post office here to which, though
perhaps rarely, letters and papers are some
times addressed, and there may be as now, people
who are disappointed at not receiving them.
OF our journey here need not say much, as
| the route is often travelled; but few railroad
routes in New England offer more attractions in
the way picturesque and varied scenery. Noun
tains, lakes and rivers present constant sue
cession of charming views, of which the eye will
not soon tire. Nashua, Manchester and Con-
cord are the chief towns through which we
passed; but as we were looking for the country
and the mountains, we did not occupy ourselves
much with towns Near one OF them-M Manchester
| think-a chance acquaintance pointed out to us
handsome house upon a hill as the home of
Matt Head. A good glass showed us stately
gentleman on the porch, but as he was dressed
in the ordinary garb of civil life, refused to
recognize in him the imposing parsonage, whom
having seen only on occasions of military cere.
Ynonial cannot from tha nua;nt lint
becoming uniform of the Amoskeg veterans.
Wespent one night at Plymouth, at the Pem-
gewasset house, very good specimen of a
large, wei conducted watering place hotel. 1t
is thronged with visitors, from various cities,
who display their toilets, dance and enjoy the
fresh mountain air, and find it no doubt invig-
Grating as well as pleasant. Here one is within
view of the White mountain range, and smaller
hills, affording charming prospects, are within
easy reach in all directions Between Concord
and Plymouth the road passes for some dis
tance along the shores of Lake Winnepesaukee,
one of the most beautiful of mountain lakes.
Pleasant glimpses Of the lake scenery are
caught here and there from the car windows;
but often, just as some charming view begins to
reveal itself, the prospect is interrupted by a
fringe of bushes or tight board fence ten or
twelve feet high, which makes one feel much as
we suppose the little boys do on the outside of
q circus tent
few hours ride the next morning brought
us to Bath, the sleepiest of New England vii
lagos. Even the railroad, which so often brings
new life, hustle and enterprise to rural neigh
borhoods, seems to have added to the languor
nd EStI Of IN.
casional rattle of trains and screams of locomo.
tiyes increase by contrast the charm of the sue.
ceeding stiffness. Bath, am assured by one of
its inhabitants, is the most aristocratic place
of its size in the state, and l can easily believe
it, if aristocracy implies abstinence from labor
The proverbial Yankee restlessness and activity
is absent here. The only sign of present human
haDitatlon to be seen during most of the day is
the little group Of loungers about the village
store. Early in the day they begin to gather,
their number gradually increasing in some
mysterious manner; you don't see where they
come from, but as you look that way again.
after glancing aside for a minute yon find that
another chair or vacant place on the step is
occupied by sedate parsonage, who sits silent
ly, like statue of incidence, among the group.
At noon and at five O'Clock they dispense as
silently, suppose to fOrtify themselves by eat
ting and drinking, against the heavy burdens
of the afternoon and evening. Their lives are
not altogether montonous, however, for at ir-
regular periods they transfer their conclave
from one store TO the other-the village has
TWO at least-and from the latter to the hotel
Inc changed aspect of the village green, as
seen from these different points and the slug
glSh rivalry in securing the most comfortable
sea's when the change is made, give l suppose,
inooerate but suficient variety to the occupa
tons of the day.
| oone work. presume, must be done here, in
TACT nave seen little in progress; but il is
done in a leisurely fashion, as if fine chief oh
ject were to prolong as much as possible tbe
rare sensation of being usefully occupied The
malign genius of base ball has invaded even ,h,s
serene retreat, and every evening on tbe r,ne
triangular village green few boys assemble
and knock ball about rather languidly. re-
member reading somewhere that a party Of Eu.
Fopean tourists, cruelty grahhed their luminosity
H..