The daily gazette., 1877-08-28
Upon myI arrival, y WEa; invited . accom-.

ed witches, which cast so foul a blot up
on the civil and religious liberty of prim-
tive New England, upon which hill, Just
outside the town, 10 persons were execu-
te as witches, the pastor of the now old
First Church being present to give the
of The church to the proceed
ing, and praising God. For the deliver
ance thus wrought, the records say that
Witch Hill was chosen as the highest
point of land, in order that the executions
should be as nearly as possible in the do
main OF the "Prince of the power OF the
airSl 4 also slw.,where these victims Of
prejudice lie buried; one of them, jacob
Nurse, think, was exhumed only few
years since, for the purpose of identi6ca-
tion, he being lame, and this aiding to
prove the place of his grave. l also visit
ed tho Rebecca Nurse house, where was
born and lived one Of the famous witches'
OF Salem, since proven to be oHe4of the
most estimable of women. A lar ge pic
ture representing her trial and conviction
is exhibited In Essex Institute. The
house is very ancient looking but in good
repair. -----
The most interesting visit L had was
to the birth place of General Israel Put
nam As an instance of New England
courtesy and hospitality our reception at
the "Putnam House" will be long re-
membered. Short visits make calls often
i'll timed; rain made this one parLicu-
larly so. When we arrived the family were
at tea, and this fact made the announce
ment of the call, which felt to the writer,
embarrassing; this was soon dispelled by
the kind reception accorded us by Miss
Susan Putnam, a grand neice of General
Israel Putnam. This lady protested
against excuses, and in gentle, dlgnified
manner led us from one point of interest
to another in the old house, more than
200 years old, showing the rare and in
teresting mementoes of the old hero, and
of by gone times, with a rare grace that
almost convinced us that we were oblig-
ing her by our visit, instead OF being, as
we now feel, under the most lasting Obli-
cations for her kindness.
The Putnam house has been enlarged
and improved, but the room in which the
General was born is preserved in its(near
ly) original condition. 1t is perhaps en-
larged by the removal of partition, but
is otherwise the same. As entered the
house the features of Israel Putnam look
ed out at me from an excellent pencil
portrait. could not but admire his
Strong, fanciful face; L remembered his
history, and when 1 stood within the
walls, and upon the floor that were wit
nesses of the babyhood of the old hero,
confess felt reverence for the old that
| never before experienced. This house
is an epitOme of ancient and modern car
pentry; 1t has the huge rough hewn beams
of the early settlements. A stair case,
quaint in its finish and in the sharp an-
giles by whlck it rises In three stages to
the rooms above. The top and bottom
steps are parallel, but in the ascent the
visitor turns half way round, facing di-
rection opposite to that in which he start
ed.
| This staircase dates from the middle OF
the last century. The front aud lower
stones aSe of more modern build. The garrett
however, Ia the very cream OF old-iashi med
oddity. The rough beams and old carpen-
try here reign supreme. O'd furniture,
too stands against the walls. Indian NOR
tars aud hatchets, ancient looking utensils,
things prizsd by the old that were made
by and played with by their fathers when
they we're young are here, preserving a
strange continuity between old age and
| youth.
Que lady Of the p,etv drew aside cur
tain and stepped ,nto the occupied parts o
this old garrett, and found herself in ihs
presence of two children, but surrounded
| with many reminders OF men and women
| who were a hun ire years dead. Sae stopped
aud began, as in dream TO think Of her owl
youth, ana OF bygones that never can re-
turn.
Who can say that such moments art
not fraught with immense gam. Below
stairs. sat in chair that looked anclen
enough to have come over in the Mag
FZower it had been part of the persona
property of Gen. Putnam. Speaking o.
the Man Flouer, sat in chair i'll the
Kings chapel, Boston. that came to THU
icountry, in that vessel. | have sketcl
of the chair now before me.
we we're shown deed of real estat
written and and signed by Gen Putnan
also button from his military coat. /
plain disk of steel, which had beer
highly polished. 1t is about the siz4 o
an old pehny-and judging of the mum
her of buttons used in those days mus
have been very brilliant. There are yer!
MANY other things connected with thu
Putnam family which were very interest
ing. .,.,,
ties of the city of Salem are splendldly
5 supplemented by the Essex Institute,
scientific institution of no mean preten
, tlons, having All excellent library AM
buildings.
The Marine Musnum. is also place o
real interest, and is filled with things in
teresting and beautiful. A description
them passes my power. The privileges
! this nuseum are free to the public. can
f not refrain from mentioning one curosit
a carving ball cut in two, and carved ol
the inside, representing Heaven, He'll an
: Judgment, aud containing as many as
hundred we'll carved figures. The siz
of the ball is not larger than p inche
l in outside diameter. This is supposed q
: be the work of monk, dating, perhap
Il to the 10th century
of course visited many other thing
1 OF interest, things Of which l WI
:. viii TELL as | think OF them. MY l"
e dnvs in B ,ston were full of things p cas- 10
It TO remember and cannot do otnefwi
|. than extend my heartiest thanks 10 u
Il IN any fclends to whom l am ina' Dtgu
d. | -. ,SI,,rhts nj this visit. M one VlSltlI