The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1881-08-03
RICHMOND, VA WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 2 1891


for above, and more than any country
ever saw, the lands of New England are
the rockiest. Acres of these lands are so
rocky that even the enterprise and inge-
nuity Of the thrifty Yankee have aban-
doned these rocks, and in despair have
let them severely alone.
But to their credit be it said, wherever
soil can be found the Yankee farmer hss
brought his land to the finest tilth and
highest cultivation. 1t is claimed that
the hay crop of New England is equal in
value to the cotton crop of the South.
But this is long divergence. You
see l am writing with very "currente
calamo, and beg pardon for this digres-
sion
A First Glass Hotel.
After emerging from Hoosac Tunnel,
being behind time" we flew through
the country with speed actually fright
full, accomplishing the remarkable feat of
making seventeen miles in fifteen minutes
(sixty eight miles an hour), or mile and
a quarter to the minute-too fast to be
pleasant or safe-for the engine broke
down, and we lost an hour and all our
connections; so we were compelled to lie
over in the Club" (Boston). This ne
cessity was utilized very proftably and
pleasantly by our seeing what was to be
seen and realizing the exquisite sensation
of being punctured and sucked at every
pore accessible to the inventive ingenuity
OF a swlndling, frst-class hotel. In such a
house we lodged, and fed l'Europeenne,
and in our simplicity were highly amused
by the legion (for their name was many)
modes of extorting for "extras" was
almost afraid to ask for my bill, for fear
the stately, condescending whipper- snap
per of clerk would put that request as
AN "extra" " into the bill. What do you
think Of thirty-fve cents each for eggs,
and one dollar sixty cents for "spring
chicken y about the size of small robin.
We felt We had encountered a foul swim
die, and let fowls severely alone after
wards
But it was really funny to witness and
endure the whole proceeding, if not re-
peated too often; as musicians say, "da
capo." Like the vampire while he suck
ed he soothed by the ineffably amusing
adroitness of the open imposture l am
afraid to give the name of the House, 4"
for fear the proprietor would send me
another bill for "extras."
From Boston to Oak Bluffs Martha's
Vineyard Mass,
/ But we left the Hub with our bottom
dollar barely escaping the rapacious grasp
of our extortioner, and, via the Old Colo
ny road, wended our way towards our
point of destination, Martha's Vineyard,
which point we reached about noon, and
of which more anon, if can get up en-
ergy enough to drawl out another letter
for this, above all places at which l have
ever sojourned, is the LATEST, lounging-
est. sleep-provokingest spot. Everybody
sleeps here all day and all night of the first
week, and it should be yclept "Sleepy
Hollow" par excellence. Rip Van Win
kle might have been here.
En- route from Boston to Woods Hall
the terminus of the Old Colony railroad,
and the landing of the line Of steamers
to the Vineyard, every mile presents
items and points of interest. Quaintest,
queerest old-time buildings and peoples
arrest your eye at every turn This is ye
old New England gone to seed. Houses
weatherboarded with shingles instead of
boards, old dilapidated wind-mills-the
wind played out-tumble down dwell
lngs, barns, and stone fences, all take us
back to past historic periods, even the
red sandstone, and record the verify and
severity of the rasping tempus edax re-
rum" and Ichabod is imprinted deeply
upon all Of mans handiwork. 1t is i'm
possible to conceive that one is yet in ac-
tive, alive, awake Massachusetts. For
very shame, they have poked all this an
tiquity away out into the sea- and round
ed it off like broken horn, in Cape Cod.
But it pays proftably to take this trip,
and, taking all in all, one will ne'er look
on its like again anywhere but in this
Vineyard and Nantucket, of which I will
tell you In my next W. B. F.
The failure Of the Porte to make
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