National Republican., 1883-06-13

The PEOPLE OF PLYMOUTH.
The Descendants Of the Pilgrims Are Very
Particular What People Say Of Them,
But They Catch Lobsters and Kill Them
in a Mercless Manner
The Famous Rock and It's Present Protection
How 10 Visit II.
somo Relics of the Sturdy Old Fellows
Who Landed There.
SiiccinL LeiLcr.

PLYMOUTH Rock HOUSE, PLYMOUTH,
MASS, June 10-Last evening at about z
o'clock heavy sea fog came rolling over
from Buzzard's bay. At the same time
strong wind set in from the south, driving
before it angry looking clouds, and for a
short time we were threatened with what
the people who live here call "stawm"
oh shades of Noah Webster forgive them.
A resident of Cape Cod has as much difficulty
in managing his "Rs" as does a real live
Johnny Bull in managing his "H's." Tho
father Of English pronunciation is called
"Noer Webstaw" with the same glib tongued
fluency that the Englishman speaks of Queen
"Hanne, or, to be more modern, Of Chester
"Hny Harthur."
call attention to this popularity of New
England pronunciation with the strong arm
of the law hold threatening over my head.
suit is now pending in the court of this
county, brought by one Leonard Nightin-
gale vs. A. Williams & Co., publishers, of
Boston. The complaint is that they published
book entitled Cape Cod Folks" by Sally
Pratt Mclean in which said Nightingale is
held up to contempt or ridicule, which,
in the meaning of the statute,
is libelous. A number of persons who felt
themselves aggrieved brought suit, but all
have been settled with the exception of this
and most likely the supreme court of Massa-
chusotts will have to give name to the crime,
IL crime IL is, of holding up the pecularitics
of people to the public attention. In the
first edition of the book referred to- the au-
thor uses the real names of bona fde resi-
dents Of this county. In the later editions
the names are changed, but this only serves
to add force to the question: "what is in u
nameW for the personal characteristics are
so well drawn that there is no making any
mistake as to whose foot the shoe will fit.
In the late edition the plaintiff in the suit
now pending is Benny Cradlebow," and, as
the story in the book has it, is drowned after
having made a proposal of marriage to the
author who is the heroine of this "o'er true
tale" This point in the story must have
taxed the authors imagination, as 1t is
wholly fiction for the man with the "bud-
like name," as she calls him even after she
has changed his name to Cradlebow, is not one
bit drowned, but is very much alive to the
indignities heaped upon his unoffending
head by this romance in real life.
Since coming to this nursery Of American
civilization have learned, by actual obser-
walton, some things which / now conclude
can only be learned in this way. l had
heard before that Holsters were taken alive
and plunged into hot water, and had accepted
this as the approved method of killing them,
and had imagined it to be done expeditiously
and with rs little pain to the victim as any
after coming here that lobster boat goes to
one after another of the lobster pots or traps,
and that the Holsters are emptied into cage
like receptacle until the contents of some forty
traps have been emptied into the boat; that
when at last oil the traps have been hauled
and emptied, then the boat comes ashore and
this clawing, squirming mass is unoaded by
being heaped into baskets, which are lifted
up with block and tackle and poured into
another cage, where they are left for hours
crowded number of feet Deep MANNED and
suffering, awaiting the finishing touches that
are to end their misery. ---As they were being
ruthlessly crammed into the cage in which
they were to be boiled, noticed that they
were counted, 100, by considerable placing and
adjusting being crowded in at one time
Then lot of salt was poured over these
crawling creatures, the lid we'll fastened down
and the steam turned on. The lobster man
turned to me and said, 'What dc ye think OF
thatP" i could only answer his question by
asking one myself, in real Yankee fashion
"Can you," asked, tell me who first had the
temerity to eat Il lobster? Who first found
out that they were fit for food?" 81 dun no
but they are good, can tell you that now
And what's more, if you and l had strength
according to our size that lobster has we
could walk right off with that rock on oul
backs" pointing to the famous boulder upon
which the pilgrims landed. Since | have
seen something of the wealth of these waters
able to sustain life when first making their
homes here on this stern and rock bound
coast" has been in a measure dspelled.
On last Sunday afternoon, while the tide
was out the wanton boys of the town amused
themselves by dragging about, with Their
hands in tho shine and mud, such luckless
seals as had been left "high and dry by the
receding tide. And at night when the tide
was again in we were much disturbed by the
piteous, half human cry of these creatures q;
they were making their way back to the
ocean in, l have no doubt, very manned and
bruised condition. The boat men say there
are very many of these creatures on the beach
and in the harbor.
This, the oldest New England town is ir
regularly built The streets are narrow and
crooked, and especially the older part has the
appearance of having, like its first settlers
been drlfted here against its will. Plymouth
is surely the Americans Mecca. During the
boating season (Which commences on the
twentieth of June) last year there were
$4,000 visitors came here by one boat alone
to say nothing of those who came by other
ways. Plymouth Rock is covered by a rather
picturesque granite canopy, supported by foul
columns and is protected by an iron railing
During the day, Sundays excepted tho iron
gate is swung back and modern pilgrims are
allowed to set foot with unqualified assurance
whore the forefathers dared to risk theiI
lives in face of Indian foe famine, and frost
pOulo IcilCs TcIlEih Ol buo VulnBS Drought
over in the Maytower, and are kept in Pill
grim hall for the interest Of the sightseeing
public. Here is the china teapot, the Bible
and the halbred of John Alden. A rather
unneighborly collection you will think.
This same John Alden, the blue eyed, oi
whom Priscilla Mulleus asked tho very EN-,
barrassing question, "Why don't you speak
for yourself, JohnY" Here is the sword Of
Myles Standish, the military hero of the
Mayfower whose exploits have been immor,
talized by Longfellow's verse, "The Court
ship of Myles Standsh."
Though Capt, Standish failed to make
conquest of the heart of Priscilla Mullens
who chose TO marry John Alden, yet the
families are united, for Alexander, the son Of
Myles, married the daughter of Priscilla, anG
from them are descended some of the first
families in Plymouth county. That monu-
ment you see to your left, as you approach
plymouth by rail, is erected to the memory
of the military hero of the Mayhower, aud
when completed will be surmounted by life
Iized statute Of the doughty pilgrim. II
stands ON Captains hill SO named from being
the home of Myles Standsh.
b. B. CHESHIRE.