Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1878-09-26
A Pilgrimage to Concord, Massachu-
sets.
REV. JAMES d. EATON.

iOe anu etout stali, Wy WIilcH the pr.
grim's hunger was scantily appeased,
and his toilsome steps supported.
Neither was it undertaken in fulfil
ment of penitential vow and it bore
| no signs of self-inficted pains. 1t was
of short duration, beginning at an
early hour on recent morning and
| closing on the same day at evening.
The so-called pilgrim bought tick
ct, and by rail quickly arrived at his
destination. 1t is admitted that this
is very unromantc way to go upon
pilgrimage but although his sur
roundlngs were so commonplace, IN
the heart of the solitary traveller
were genuine feelings ofromance and
| enthusiasm as he set his face toward
that New England town in the affec
tions of whose people the names of
| noble men are enshrined,. names
which are known wherever the Eng
lish languas5e is spoken.
Once before had this traveller been
to Concord; but that was twenty
years ago, when he felt real boyish
delight in the military display ar.
ranged by Gov. Banks, who had sum
moned the militia of the State to a
three days. muster, and went into &C.
stacies over the bearskin hats, red
trowsers, waving plumes and flashing
sabres, envied the Governor the priv
ilege OF riding the horse, Screen
Mountain Morgan" that was thirty
six years old, and thought it was very
brave in Banks to sleep for two
nights with the soldiers on the tented
field. The only thing which could
| claim attention in that day of excite
ment, was visit to the monument
that marked the scene of the Revolu.
tionary conflict This was in harmo.
ny with the dust and firing of the pa
rade ground, because the youthful
gazer's blood had often been mounted
in patriotic heat as he on behalf OF
the blue coats, fred with toy cannon
upon the red-coats with as dire re-
suits to the latter as were suffered by
| the six hundred in the charge at Ba.
laklava.
But on the clear Summer day of re-
cent date the wayfarer's mind dwelt
upon the peaceful achievements
which had been won near the same
stream, whose crossing by the British
| was so courageously disputed by the
hastily gathered colonists. He reflect,
ed that the town had become doubly
historic, and would soon be, if not
now, counted more fortunate in the
possession of its poets, philosophers,
and story tellers, living and dead,
than in its "reminiscences of fight.
For already the English speaking
people on both sides of the sea have
learned to refresh themselves by the
streams of elevated thought and SEN
timent which flow from the Concord
fountains although one of these ma
tions cannot think with any satisfac-
ton of the Concord fight. And the
line of human progress will come to
be less through physical colnbats and
more by intellectual and moral con-
flicts.
The historic town, with its gener-
Gus door yards, shade trees and often
broad streets, covers n large extent
OF ground and one who attempts
within the compass OF day to Wis il
afoot the leading points of interest,
needs the patient endurance of an old
fashioned pilgrim and whatever help
his stout staff may bring. The wri-
ter's round OF exploration might be
represented by the shape of horse
shoe, the antique Congregational
church and the modern library build
ing the two hind "corks" and the
cemetery hill the front middle one.
The point of departure w as this
old church which had the appearance
of having been fiattened or pushed
in by some means, so that its length
was no greater than its width; and
the first "nail hole" in the rim of the
shoe was the shaded retreat within
which stands the house Of Ralph
Waldo Emerson. The larger part
of the grove of pines which once
Swallowed the spot, has been cut
down in response to tho cntreaties
of the philosophers wife who is an
invalid, and who dreaded the effects
of the gloom and dampress. But
| trees in abundance remain, and to
one glancing through tho open front
windows very comfortable did Mr..
Emerson appear, as he moved about
the cool, darkened room. He would
have been left unmoIested by the
passer by, had not the latter APP
preached the house by the wide car
riage gate to mako an inquiry OF .
lady seated in a phaeton. just then
a gentle voice was heard at near
side door, speaking to little girl
about some peculiarity of her doll !;
| and the writer made bold to ask the
privilege of holding with bis own
that right hand, which has written
so many pages to stimulate the mind
and strengthen the heart aud nerve
the will of many young man aud
woman,-pages that have not always
seemed TO read so much like the BIZ.
BILE as we could wish, but pages gem
orally helpful and always prompted,
none doubt, by most kindly soul.
| Any who might have doubted, could
never doubt again after one look at
the sweet winning face. 1t is now
an old face, and the leanness of ago
serves to bring into greater promin-
ence than ever its pecrlarties of fea-
ture, some Of which seem to set at
defiance the laws of phrenology that
define competent brain. The mar
row forehead ,protruding cheek bones
and prominent, high set ears arc go
startling as almost to make one un-
| mindful of the wonderful eagle nose.
But ct once the attention is fixed by
the tender, benignant eyes and kind.
ly mouth, even before the gentle
voice is heard. The name of friend
who died many years ago, was in.
stantly recognized by Mr.. Emerson
| who said he remembered perfectly
the gentleman referred to and his
manner was 30 artIess and kind as
almost to make The caller feel that
favor had been received instead of
bestowed by the famous dwellcr in