The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-08-18
scorreSpondence Of the Richmond Dispstch.I

This little place is delightful change
after that huge dose OF Blue Mass, bos-
tom town. A more beautiful little city
never beheld. II is situated on the west
hank Of the Connecticut river, ninety miles
west northwest from Boston, and was Tor
merly called Green River, but obtained its
present name In 1853, when II was detached
from Deerteld. OF which Il formed part.
Fall river passes the eastern edge oil the
town and empties into the Connecticut.
Green river runs through and joins the
Dcerfeld. These rivers give the town
splendid water-power, which Is utilized In
tho manufacture OF cotton and woollen
Foods. In addition to the many other pro-
ducts turned out from It's mills. The
town has about five thousand inhabitants.
NEArSEss, RURAL BEAUTY, AND SIMPLICITY.
The situation OF Grecnfcld-on an ele-
waited plain, on Green river-is beautiful
in the extreme, and the town Itself is, as
said, the lovelest | ever saw. The neat
ness, rural beauty, and simplicity OF most
of the little towns on the Connecticut is
here best illustrated. Everything Is quiet,
peaceful. and smiling. Like Goldslnith's
village, II Is the ''loveliest Of the plain"
There is positively not dirty or shabby
looking house in the place. On the con-
trary, not one but appears 10 be the abode
OF wealth. comfort, and refinement. The
priyate residences set back from the street.
and are surrounded by beautiful, weil-kept
lawns, and many fine shade-trees. Inc
streets themselves are literally lined with
beautiful trees, and make oil the asphalt
paved walks most delightful promenade.
Many oftbese private grounds have nofences
around them, but lie open and gently slope
down to the street. They are green and fresh
looking beyond anything you can imagine;
not garish, glarIDg green, but soft. sub
dued color, most grateful and pleasing 10
the sight. Most OF the private residences
are built OF wood, and their architecture
and decorations are ornate and tasteful in
the extreme. They remind one Of reduced
copies of those delightful sUmmer-hOuses
strung out along the east bank OF the Hud-
son.
TIE PUBLIC BUILDINGS.
Greenfield being the county-seat OF
Franklin county makes ii place OF con-
siderable Importance. There are several
banks, five hotels, an opera-housc, public
library, large female institute, and va
rious other public institutions. The pub
lie buildings are very fine structures nOta-
bly, the courthouse and free library. The
contrast with orr own towns Of the same
size and relative importance is painful
and humiiating. Manchester, for instance,
would suffer terribly by comparison. The
soil OF Franklin county. broken by slight
hills, is exceedingly fertile. and produces
fine crops OF all sorts OF grain and grasses.
I also observed considerable tobacco, but
The weed does not seem to flourish as with
us. 1t is usually cut and harvested about
this time. The Green Mountain range
runs through the county from north 10
south. and It's gentle slopes afford rich pas
turage for countless flocks and herds.
While farming seems to be favorite pur-
suit at present. it is probable that at no
distant day it will be largely abandoned for
manufactures. The young men are get
ting tired OF the former, and are leaving
their homes for the large manufacturing
cities. The soil OF Massachusetts,, as a
rule, does not seem to be very productive,
Frnklin county being probably about
the best Of it. 1t does not begin to
compare with the soil Of Virginia, which
would be terrestrial paradise to the hard
worked New England farmer.
DO NOT LAUGH WITH HARVEST.
The rocky soil of Massachusetts, does not
by any means "laugh with harvest" when
" tickled with hoe" but has TO be very
scratched to produce even fair
return. The country between Boston and
Greenfield in particular seems to be rocky
and barren-at least so it appears when
viewed from the car-window. Nor Is there
that picturesque scenery had expected to
find until the vicinity OF the Connecticut is
reached. A curious feature, and one indi-
cative Of the soil, is the quality Of line
fence in use-zigzag hessns OF broken! Some
nbo,lt two feet IN height serving instead OF
the materials generally in nse elsewhere.
The ground is Jagged and broken, and
forests Of the hardy evergreens seem to be
the main product, with now and then
field OF stunted corn and q cabbage-covered
slope to vary the prospect.
DEERFIEID.
Four miles south of Greenfield is the VII
lage of Deerfield, my objective point. 1t
the oldest-settled place in the State, and has
many legends and traditions OF the olden
time, when the Indians disputed the march
of the settler at every step. The few peo-
pie | called on seemed to be very kind and
hospitable indeed. New England harsh
ness and parsimony seem to exist only as a
tradition, so far "a my observations eX-
tend. All inquiries were politely and in
telligently answered, and Inequalities in
many instances freely offered. The life
appears strange, however, to one southern
born, and laughable contretempS cannot
always be avoided. There was not near so
much dissimilarity in language, though, as
expected to discover. Once asked for some
nd
Probably, II asked for tomaytoes "dowr
South" should get some potatoes. Theil
pronunciation OF such words as "can't
and "shan't," however, is the same a,
with Virginians OF the cold regime
.'cahn't" and "shahn't."
BAKED BEANS.
There has been much said about tn
Z" baked beans" OF New England, bu
probaly not too much-at least l though
not when | observed bronzed pyrami
OF them on every table. At little farm
house where l took tea there was dis
holding at least half a peck put oil the IA
BILE, and all partooI OF them except myself
! did not care to rival Munchausen in m,
dreams. There was also the inevitable
and illimitable desert OF pie. From my ex
perience of II cannot say that admir-
New England cooking or service. i
fact, got nothing gerry edibl
after leaving New York. The frs
bcefsteak l ate in Boston gave me the DIV.
pepsia for two days afterwards, while
piece OF custard-pie caused me to endur
the pains OF Sancho Panza In the enchante,
castle.
BOSTON RESTAURANT.
Being caught one day far from nv hote
In Boston. ! dropped in at the first "dining
saloon y saw for my dinner. l gave M
order to one OF half dozen chalk-faced
shingle-waisted, fat-stepping girls in al
tendance, and she skurried off like be
headed chicken, bounced back again, sho
The plates down at random, dumped a dis
OF baked beans, which | had moi ordered