Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1877-03-30

Correspondence Of tie EenaeJee Journal.
Boston, March 2sth, 1877.
How much may be seen 10 even a short stroll
about the city, was demonstrated quite recently,
on one of our brightest days, by spending several
hours in various places and then recounting our
experiences. So many places suggest themselves
as claiming attention, that it is sometimes difficult
10 choose the most desirable. Business took us
first to City Hall, where, in the interim of waiting
we looked about little, as one of the party was
stranger and had never seen the building 10 which
| the machinery of the "hub" is kept in order We
first wandered into the Aldermen's room, and were
then kindly shown into the Council Chamber
which is necessarily much larger. Passing out,
we observed on the right capacious room which
we were told was sort of lobby where the men,
bers RECALLED themselves in the leisure of their
erous duties by smoking. cigar lighter had
just been affixed to the chandelier, clearly demon
strating that the city fathers do not practice the
Spartan virtues Of self-depia; such preparations
for comfort, suggested the youth who sighed
to be married, that he might have the back legs of
his chair sawed OIL, his slippers nailed to the wall,
| and tobacco lying around loose. With glance
at various departments of the Blu ilding, hasten
ed to the Post Office, and found that the pro-
cess Of mailing two cent package is quite be-
wldering, and makes the unintsted feel quite
like "innocents abroad" You read a notice
packages weighed at the next window you
60, as you suppose to the next window, but find
you are mistaken; finally you get the right one and
have your package weighed, then make new
journey for the stamp, and at last, with sigh of
oil az III hu x,;tk A.
| have really accomplished something. The expert
| ence is much the same in getting money order
| cashed, and you are passed from department to
department with so much gravity, that you begin
to wonder if you are at a funeral, and if the sad
looking individuals behind the screens are chiefs
mourners. You will scarcely recover your cheer
fulness till you get out of DOORS when You nstu-
rally begin to wonder if post office clerks railroad
officials, &c , are bound by solemn oath to per-
petual solemnity, or if by some mysterious dis
pensation of Providence they are really different
from ordinary mortals. We looked about the
post Office little-went into what is called the
carriers gallery, where we could look into vast
apartment, where many people seemed to be very
busy sorting and examining mails. Under this
room is another Of equal size, from which mails
are sent; farther up is the .sub.treasury, pension
office, and various departments Of this fine build
ing. which will eventually cover the whole square
From the post office we went directly to the Old
South to look at the relcs;whch have been loaned
for exhibition, and are various and interesting
There are pictures Of Washington and his wife
bed curtains that he has slept under Git is surprs-
ing how many places he has slept in,) slippers that
his wife had worn--high heeled, pointed slippers
AS far from sensible as any worn at the present
time. Their, are swords nnumerable said to
have done service in the revolution, besides tat
| tered flags and banners of the same period. There
is also the bullet that was taken from Warren's
body, pictures of his skull, piece of the blood
stained shirt of one of the Lexington minute men
| who fell in that memorable fight, watches, jewel
ry, glass and silver ware, and crockery and old
furniture of all sorts. The collection of news
papers, books and manuscripts all yellow with age
| is quite large, besides needle work. wonderful to
behold. One surprising piece of such manufac-
| ture, represents Adam and Eve in marvellously
modern costumes, considering their generally &C.
cepted antiquity, sitting under the apple tree.
Ewes dress has long pointed waist, and Adams
looks like ally old fashioned gentlemans, suggest
ing country tailor. The apples are of size to
| make you seriously consider the likelihood of
their falling of, and iDjuring the persons sitting
| under the tree. The animals which are seen in
the foreground, evidently belonged to the prehis-
torc period,-certainly to no known age Of the
world. 1t is really pathetic to look at such efforts,
| considering the time spent by our worthy and in
| dustrious ancestresses in doing them. We are as.
sured of one thing, certainly, in looking at these
relics. and that is that we have made some prog
within the last century. Strenuous efforts are
being made to save the old edifce, but the work
is slow. 1t is expected that the grand ball, to be
given in Music Hall next month, the proceeds of
which are to aid the preservation fund, will be
success.
Monday evening, the Wagner festival was inau.
gurated at the Boston, The Flying Dutchman
being the opera, and notw ,hstanding the storm
there was very large attendance.
Many of the churches are preparing for Easter
and will be profusely decorated with flowers. The
New Trinity is likely to be filled to its utmost on
| that day. During the present-IIoly week-ser
| vices are held in many of the churches.
The ministrations of Messrs. Moody and San.
key, and the Monday lectures of Mr.. Cook have
excited theological discussion, which must be
beneficial, leading people as it does to think more
on these subjects than they have in long time.
M.P.T.