Connecticut western news., 1873-01-31
COrrespOndemces

EDITOR NEWS Familiar with Salisbury and adjacent towns more than half cen tury since, every fact and circumstance and even mention of some of those Iocali- ties awakens d lively interest, and although most of the inhabitants then knew~I shall know no more forever and few remain of whom 1 have any personal knowledge antt fewer still that would recognize my name. and though in 6oyhood subjected to severe trials and privations and although forty years of pleasant residence in this place have endeared it to mo. yet there is almost romantic interest abiding in those scenes in the midst of which was introduced into this wonderful existence, which rather augments than diminishes by the lapse of years. Is it strange then, apart from it's intrinsic merit, that when the New York dailies, the quarterlies, the magazines and local papers are laid on my table, I instinct ively pick up the CONN. WESTERN NEWS first for perusal. It is not the people alone, or principally perhaps, that have such a hold upon my heart, but the scenery the objects and the early associations herewith. Every hill, valley, mountain and molehill, every rock and riVulet brook and pond. field and fence, tree and shrub, meadow and orchard, may, every thistle and mullen by the roadside in those famil- far places have to me peculiar and endur- ing interest. The old houses Qhe older and more decayed the better) are more precious to me than the splendors of mod ern architecture. Indeed think like the. ruins of Haddon Hail better than the grandure and glory of Chatsworth. But there is an exception to my intense liking, even in Salisbury. The old Ore Hill, with it's deep pits and mountains of vile yellow dirt, and especially that stupendous abomi- nation that impudently projects itself right down into quiet rural vale. and the vru- lent washings spewed oyer beautiful mead ows, destroying the charm and value of a whole neighborhood. All these Iconfess spoil a vast amount of romantic liking, and for moment badly damage my aesthetic notions; but how vast the value of the products of Ore Hill in all the past Who would have thought that old Salisbury would ever catch and domesticate rail- road? But 10, it is there, and very ex- ceeedingly modest and civilly behaved road too, with far less of impudence and pre- sumption, both in it's course through the town and in it's daily conduct, than charac- terize most roads, Everything is most eff fectually realized by contrast, and the Asnhf -tI tl,.. cutting through and over the hills to Cha pinyille, and the clipping down past Bark my-teeth, halting modestly in the rear of the churches, then sweeping around the hillside and over to Millerton, thus fitting over the space like the shadow of a cloud, when every foot of the way had been hundred times wearily, wearily measured by tired footballs, it was thrilingly delight ful. Keenly on the alert to catch and identify the flashing .panorama on either side caught myself in vain endeayor to keep up with the rapidly moving train. A week of constant transit in midsummer would scarcely suffice to exhaust the pleas ure of this little domestic trip. The re- ports of your correspondents in the differ ent towns are often interesting, notwitb- standing the paucity of material at the1r command, and they contribute much to tie life of the paper; but to me the scraps of early Salisbury history, little occurrences, and individual experiences in the past are highly gratifying. The letter of Pope Bushnell, for example, which appeared some months since, was worth years subscription. think readers generally are interested in that class of communications, and you have doubtless many readers in those old towns as we'll as in distant parts that would drop you communications of that sort (who might not volunteer them) if you would call them out Nobody ex- poets condensed reports of the worlds do- ings in local paper, but your selections are to mo very readable and interesting.
 Most cordially yours,
 MYRoN HAMLIN.
 Penn Yam, N. Y., Jan. 18th, 1873.