The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-03-08
PIYnOt IN ROCh,


pLYNnr1n ROCK. Mas. Feb. I'll have
spent M" DAY in comrany with Mr. Avery Of
the Yd 'oiuny NYaofiaI in examining the land.
rocs. and water marks of piyp.ou.h Colony.
How large is the town oi rlymouth,' |
asked Mi Avery as We stood iu ihr old Puritan
graveyard overlooking tho town. and looked
over chmnrys aud church spires into great
foaming. lashine sea
It's not a town, sir. lis q city. with 5000
people all lighted with gns.' said the editor.
pointing to n ig gas tank eituatcd under the
hin whore Miles Stand-h used to conceal tho
graves of the dcnd Pilgrims from the eyes Of
the hostile Indians
To learn that the descendants of Miles Stand
ish and Priscilla are lighted with gas some
what astonishcd me, but not enough to prevent
the continuation Of my researches.
The beautiful town Of Plymouth is built
around Plymouth Rock The rock itself is
granite boulder weighing several tons. 1t was
once partly in the water. but now II Is fcw feet
inland. From the rock straight up steep MI.
Is the first street ever laid out in America. IL
was up this street that the Pilgrims used to file.
with their guns on their shoulders. to worship
in their rude church on the hill mounted with
four brass cannons ON the roof to scare of the
Indians.
Yrs. was looking at the very rock on which
littl" Mary Chiffon. the Youngest of the Pill
grims. jumped nlhe morning q the 2lst Of
and fifteen men. every man with his muskct.
sword. ana corsplei Near the rock is the Same
fresh water brook where the Pilgrim narrator
says, We sat US downc and drunkc our first New
England water with as much delight as ever We
drunke INK ~ AL our lives
pagoda OF solid granite. This little ten pile or
nagoqa looks IKE the temple OF Ncsta in Home.
trust To- the memory Of the people not to forget
the birth place Of Christian freedom.
q, "A few years ago large granite slab was
blasted rom the original rock and placed in
front of Memorial Hall. where Il now rests sur
Tonnqen 10y az IRON gnce On whirh are cast IN
came over in the Mayhower.
, The fishermen about Cgpe Cod all agree with
ne ne hpist9rans ha' the rsrims Were driven y,
The coast is still dangerous, for within the last
month II boat loaded with thirteen people
drowned Indeed. it is u very common thing,
after storm. to nnd the dcad bodies Of
wrecked fishermen on the bare reefs. which run
out Tor several miles, forming brcakwatcr in
front OF the town.
The country around Plymouth is dcsola,e in
grim~ starved 70 death. In fact. if the 5000
residents q Plymouth could not depend ON
Boston for food. even now they would starve TO
death in a fcw months. Nothing seems to
grow on the soil except sand hill pine and white
on the Hill above tho town Is the old Pilgrim
graveyard, full Of gunint old Gravestones dating
back 20 1850. Here ] saw the graves Of Cndor-
were Faith Atwater and Hop" Gardiner, and
Abrahgms lsaacs. and Jacobs enough to s,aIt
The tombstone Of old Gov. Bradford reads
thus
rest the ashes u
wv BRADFORD
4lou- Puritan
oo,a ana ,'n %, y, h III, s1,,,x
'' from Gr9.l r i@si To i Ss'IH'
except n'ii declined, siISs,d ""''" ne
In quaint old colonial house ! called on Ruth
! Southland. who is 100 years and : months old.
/ She had Just finished her weekly washing. and
the ' as o 30 Ruth souihar waiRcd to b. Boston
/ and since then she has cooked her own meals,
done her own work and peced "a bed quilts.
Yes, replied the old lady. in firm voice
and pay five shillinss yard for calico. / LOST
my sight about ffty years ago. but when got
the fine print in the Is ston Herah every. morn
ing. Medecinen" she exclaimed. No. sir
never even III in my iie." .,,
day and / '-p'ect to work in die. SIy husband
na5saon and aicr Tie Tie VAR W2p Il ls2 ' w. ali
/ broke up. Then my husband broke his leg
became acrippe all the rest Of his life. But dil
worked and supported him for thirty years
Its see Edward aud lived together seventy
-" Bii' know DAN ! WcIst'erf" repeated the
oi lady; why, was born overtew Marshilcd
huNN lhl W 'n-trf knew tNc BOY ~ well as
/ knew my boy Jacob Dan was REoOd boy. too
but he went oil TO Il -tor, and GOT to drinkin
/ and aaruusin' around. and don't think he ever
amounted to much anyway. he died poor. they
say and jacob, he's got quite handsome prop
| ertN.
e.. Spectacl.s' you say"
Yes don't you never wear them p asked.
La. yes. | USED t. wear EN-. hut | haven
Worn EN- for ility years. ! can thread ncedl
by moonlight now and the old lady stood nj
and ran n thread through tho eye Of 4 Tin
needle us easily as | could string p9rsy.
ELI PERKINS