Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1878-09-26

hollow which tbs sloplng biiisiues
surround. Taking the left hand path
from the gate the ascent 10 made rap
idly almost to the crest OF u promin-
ent bill; and here within q bare look
ing enclosure of small struggling
evergreens 10 found solitary grave.
It's position is marked by two small
slabs Of marble exactly alike, one at
each end, and both inscribed with
the sole word, ''Hawthorne."
Across the narrow pathway to the
south, and not twenty feet distant
are six other graves clustered togeth-
err whose headstone bear the same
family name, "Thoreau. Here are
father. mother sons and daughters
but one sons grave riyets the atten-
ton where is seen the name, "Henry
D. Thoreau" with 1862 as the year
of his death. This then. is the pc ct
naturalist, who on the shores of
Walden pond, tried once in a rude
hut the hermit's life in order that be
might be rid of the conversational
isms of society, and become as much
as possible like the primitive Adam,
who walked in his garden s.0d lived
in close sympathy with The fresh ma
ture life about him. This man loved
the woods. fields, rocks, brooks, fiow-
ers and fountains with an almost
passionate ardor and when there
was recalled to mind his denuncia-
ton of the work of Maine lumbermen
In telling the noble forest treee, as
murder" it seemed fitting that here
his grave should be over Swallowed
by tall pines of Natures wild plant
ing. They looked like sentinel dogs
guarding with fidelity their masters
resting place.
The first chapter of "Mosees from
an old Manse" containss charming
description of the next house visited
on this pilgrimage. To this antique
dwelling Hawthorne brought his
young bride, and here he spent the
first two years of his married life. On
one of the small panes of glass in the
dining room, be wrote with dia-
mond that, son this window stood"
his daughter Una one wintry morn
ing looked out upon "the glass chan
deliers" Gee clad treees) seeming to
"enjoy the sights though she was
but ten months old"
The writer will not violate the
privacy of the house to which be was
introduced by friend, and where
he received the kindest treatment.
1t is sufficient to say that this is an
ancestral mansion of the Emersons
and the Ripleys,and that the present
lady occupants value the house much
more on account of family and revo-
lutionary associations than because
of Hawthorne's residence. 1t was
hore that the Rev. William Emerson
lived whose famous "diary" of the
events of that April day, 1775,is per-
haps the best authority we have up
on the facts of the Concord fight,
which took place not many rods dis
liant from tho parsons study win
dow. A fac simaile OF this diary is
bound up with the"Concord Centen-
Aidl tORuulG.
Just beyond the stone wall which
bounds the garden of the old msnse
is q narrow road or lane leading
down to the river. Ia the middle Of
this lane, on the bank of the stream
stands granite shaft which com.
memorates the first forcible resis-
tance made against British agrees
sion." By the garden wall is strip
OF ground, perhaps three feet wide
and six or eight feet long, enclosed
on the other three sides by an iron
chain, Into stone of the wall are
cut deeply the words, "Grave of
British soldiers" Over the stream
has lately been built rustic bridge
large enough TO admit the passage
of carriages; and on the further bank
has been erected in honor of the GEN.
tennial OF the battle, granite pedes-
tai holding finely executed bronze
statue of q "Minute man." 1t per-
sonates a vigorous young farmer
standing by his plow. upon which
his coat has been thrown, with
rolling shirt collar displaying a
strong neck, while the whole figure
is inclined forward in eager listening
and the right hand firmly grasps
musket.
Upon the side of the pedestal fac
ing the river and the monument are
chiselled these lines taken from the
Centennial poem:
by the rude bridge that arched the food,
Their flag to April's breeze unfurled,
Here once the embattled farmer stood
And fred the shot heard round the world"
The next call was by invitation at
the Thoreau house, now occupied by
the Alcott family. The oldest daugh-
ter, Louisa NJ, is everywhere known
by her "Little Women" and later
writings. The father, A. Bronson
Alcott has been brought into fresh
notice by report of one of the "con-
versations' held in the parlors of the
lev. Joseph Cook of Boston. His
many years of residence in Concord
have made him very familiar with its
history and its present attractions, and
he is exceedingly kind in his efforts
to aequaint strangers with the locali-
ty. On this day he was very ready
to converse on questions of theology
and philosophy, with pencil and pa.
per constructing diagrams to illus
trate his meaning and Hospitality in
sisting that the writer should keep his
seat while the latter repeatedly rose
to take his leave.
The full day was rounded out most
richly by a visit TO the free public IL |
brary of Concord which was estab-
lished few years ago by the munifi-
cence of late citizen OF that town
The library already contains thirteen |
thousand volumes, many of the most |
interesting of which are found in the |
aConcord alcove' which is devoted |
exclusively to the works of such as
have lived in that place. A well |
stocked reading room in connection |
with this is open to all, from to IL |
A. NJ, and from to 2. NJ, daily.
Among the treasures of the library |
ORC half a dnvan bnupd f,,apucariptc /