New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-12-01
AUTUMN IMONG THE PIRI1iNc
NOVEMBER IN PLYMOUTlI-IN DOORS-TIlE NEW
ENGLAND WOMEN.

NOyEMBI.n IN PLYMOUTII-IN DOORs-TIIE NEW
ENGLAND WOMEN.
PLYMOUTH, Mass, Nov. 25-Lifc long shore
is full Of novelty rch simple, and nr xIautibe These
silver gray November days read like leaf from book
In this quiet neshbO the speech and traditions OF
generations gone may be scscd A. local idom has il,
in the everyday lie The heavy English table at which
this is written hundreds Of years O and its network
Of twisted legs Eizabcthan fashion, was the work OF
10 colonial mechanic The armchair OF Indian chntz
where sit has held Pilgrims before me- Imagine, II
you please, Iow-Lrowcd cottage. near enough TO the
bay afford CLEAN Of blue water through the orchard
buughs behind it, the interior flied with old
furniture, which rules the stately figure
Of the oldest man in the village, whose mciii-
DRY, he says, goes back $50 years, ied
by the memories of the old before him. Old ways are
cherished in this house; ncGhbors come In without
knocking which would be far formal from any OF the
familIars OF the family there IL much speaking OF Pa
thence and Nathaniel, Joab and Jcrusha, Bah and Dru
sllla. old names that smack Of Puritan lineage and
simple bringnSup. There il sending round OF ounce
pies and cider, chowdcr clam frittcrs, and " ;nudde
DO you know what "muddIc is in coast language II
IL the and sounds Of fresh cod st"wed up with pork
and i'll tsherDas style Beside these this is
the for that browning dainty OF the shore, fresh
Gods tongues fried ike stcrS, hut far more delicate
Theology il the fayoritc gossip Evening comes. An
tnn storms take possession OF the coast The blows OF
the surf along the beach, the trouble OF naked trees with
the gale, the hoalse gathering Of the deep, the
Knocking Of the wind 1T the door, are about and
bcst the bosc Indoors, tho mellow, bright, wood fires
social o'clocks, and n'ehbors come dropping
In, the armed with patchwork or trouser, to
stitch up while the delight Themselves with stories
beginning When was u boy" Calm nights the lights
Of tho Inackcrl fishers dropping for bait are seen
through the orchard bOughs while overhead the aurora
ngs rosy and silver fires presage OF storm and tidal
biphr i'm mo lnNyal
the Highest known for twenty years. Sunny days
it is warm and fresh a. Spring. You would
hardly know it was New England, to talk OF
gathering pebbles and sea-wced In November.
1t seems az II the life, the cxhlaration OF the
sca air forbade feeling cold And the coast dunes are
beautiful in the tinted air which lies purple over the
woods and rosy the sandlaccs Near at hand the
willow and cherry branches glow like yellow and blood
red flames the margin OF russell meadows. keylng
Autumn harmony with the brightsoaring
Bile blue above The gracious reverse OF seasons
counts the AMI colors Of April backward to us In
days wc harbOr and headlnds wrapped in sOftest
sunny mist the distance OF Italian pictures. and mild
the days after the equinox In Spring Out or doors Is
much better that it Is tedious talking about men and
There is staidncss and precision in this prime type
New England Villages which strikes one from the
West with hrcoInng reverence age and position But
il il related that some Plymouth travellers in Lcy!cn
could find neither recollection OF their anccs
tors The brghers Of Lcydcn had record OF an event
80 trivial the soourn OF the Purtans there, or the
preaching OF John Robinson. What was a past Of $50
years to the antiquity Of continental town that sent
armies against the Turks and stood centuries be-
fore the Puritans thought of 1t is good for Amer
cans their heads against the Old walls OF Europe
to learn how young ills country is But go years counts
for cycle here long enough at least to Danish the rich
woods from Plymouth shores, which now are so bare
that one would guess that the pines grew to the
fbo haa. lnsi fhlun red wears
Indians say that they used 10 hunt the meadows
where Plymouth Bay now Gibbs and flows; but before
the Pilgrims the ground sunk in great earth
quake and the water rushed in, forming the harbor
The bare ugly islads in sight joined the main land by
long strips sand within the memory OF those now liv
ing and feathered with pine, tho trunks Of which
are seen, by those who sail past under the blue
water. Fifty years ago, Capt Robe Roberts, one OF
the rich merchant captains Of those daysOne Of those
comfortably of mcn.who don't know how much prof.
crty they havc-Ofcred to build a long wharf at the
north end Of the harbor and break that his
ships could at plymouth II the town would take
half expense But the fathers Of the town were eau
tous and the chance lost of making 1t rival OF
Boston the Canton trade. Capt. Roberts took his
business of to ostonhc owned half Plymouth in those
days-and his fell under the accusation OF eating
$lCO bills his bread and butter as II rich mems sons
ever did eat nyhnY less than plum cake and goose
pie This Capt Roberts favorte Of fortune in the
first days OF independence. lie poor boy who used
to dig CLAIMS to sell; shipped as cabin-boy,
then went before the mast, and rose tn
he master OF "A vessel. While lying at French
port in the Rgn Terror about mobiles took passage
In his ship, planning to escape II he would wait for
them till evening They managed TO send much Of
their plate and valuabes board in large chests, and
their money to the captain Gallant Robe Rob
ers waited with anchor hove short till the last moment,
whcn feeling his own head In danger for aiding the
escape he set sail. La Guillotnc had rendezvous
with the poor Frenchmcn, whose golden louis plate and
Jewels fell into Capt RCbertss possession, other
claimant ever appeared for them At least such is tho
plymouth story. too romantic not to be accepted.
A delicate, fine flavor OF colonial gentility fingers
about certain streets and families In the old town. How
many Judges Generals, and Governors belonged here 1t
would take long study Of town records well as OF
black grayc-stoncs the hi to find ont; but there
must have be-, perfect court Of them when assembled
OF their descendants strange to say the women wear
the longest, and these DANES OF brilliant mpiexon,
firm step and steady, eyes, MI with admiration
VI the cc, l. Ui cOaet air and Puritan brngingup IL IL
refreshing att the crude rushing ceuuses TUNED ont
by whocsa.t from womeu's colleges nowadays. to find
women OF ooi crescent and culture. who content to
be- anablc witLom either fascinating. leading, rcpol
ling. II Is wonderful how they escape with 80 slight
smell of peianry upon their garments, consider
Ing the books they rcad-Burkic, Hallam.
aud The Coming Race. Plymouth ladies' look like
geutlewomen In their dress grave and modest but Of
inyucblc ncatncts, and finished always with the finest
linen cuff, and collars enbrolderes dear to the
heart Of wone but which Overdressed city girls seldom
think OF aording Equal rights taken for granted IN
such society aud for progressive tendencics-nuch
abused phrase which makes wsh ike crab. to
backward round with the world aud the Dreces