Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1885-07-08
G. A. r. LETTER.
NORTH ATTLEBORO, Mass,
June Goth. 1885

NORTH ATTLEBORO, Mass..)
June 30th, 1855.
Editor Transcript:
In this letter we will speak of relics. New
England abounds in relics from Forefather's
Rock at Plymouth to the attics of the old
farm houses among the Berkshire Hills. Ma
poleon said, ''You have only to scratch Rus
sian to find Cossack." You have only to
scratch the civilization of the Atlantic coast
very slightly to find the seventeeth and eigh-
teenth centuries. As the route from Port
land to Boston lies through the old town of
Andover, Mass, could not resist the temp
tation to visit this ancient seat of learning,
familiar not only as the place where had
spent several years at school, but the ances-
trail home, on my mothers side.
After walking through the streets and look
ing over the institutions of learning, now de-
serted and silent in the barrenness of the
summer vacation, entered the cemetery,
partly to notice the newly made graves, and
partly to lind shorter way over the hills to
the old farm. On every side. as passed along
the nicely kept grounds were the graves of
many of the eminent theologians of the first
half of the present century, as Drs. Edwards,
Stuart and others. At length noticed the
graves of several of my old instructors, no.
tably that of Rev. S. H. Taylor, d d., the
principal of Phillips Academy for 81 years,
and the instructor of several thousands of
young men, hundreds of whom have since
attained positions of eminence in all the pro-
fessions. Joseph Cook, the lecturer. was one
OF DIR. Taylor's pupils. 1t is said he had a
wonderful faculty of impressiug himself upon
the minds OF his scholars. hadn't the least
doubt of that after he let fall a hymn and
tune book on the top Of my head one morning
for nodding in church during sermon time.
He used to sit on the back pew, with about
$50 luckless lads in front, and woe betide the
bow that fell asleep. for soon a lofty form
lowered above him, and down came tho hymn
and tune book on his head with resonant
thump. The victim always felt TO- days after
like case of "arrested development" LIDO not
think his discipline ever shortened anyone's
life, although it might their spine.
Somber as were my feelings as I stood by
the grave of this great man, l could not check
the flow of memory, and things humorous as
we'll as sad came trooping through my mind.
I smiled in spite of myself as I remembered
the evening he bounced on about one hun
dred academy boys, and drove them over a 6
foot fence. When a real substantial Doctor of
Divinity, and L. L. D. into the bargain, weigh
ing 800 pounds, and spry as cat, advises any
number of small boys to "disperse," the best
thing they can do for themselves is to exer-
else due diligence in the matter.
Looking across the old village, and noting
the familiar forms of the western mountains
shading away in misty blue, while the sunset
sky was tinted with all the fairy land splen-
doris of an Andover sunset, my mind was in
ciine6 to indulge in retrospective sadness as
I contemplated the changes Of a nearly TWEEN
ty years absence, but then what was the use,
there was an old veteran from St. LOUIS Col.
Blank, who had been absent sixty years, and
could find only two buildings standing which
he could remember. This discounted all my
sentiment completely, and threw me high and
dry into the sunshine. He was altogether too
ancient for me, besides always had a horror
of ''Colonels." Nimbly springing over the
wall, took my way across the hills and fields
which had witnessed the toll of my ancestors
for 200 years.
At last the old farm house is reached, and a
hearty welcome received. Everything is IA
miliar, yet novelette, immense fire place, the
well-sweep, the old oaken bucket, the eight
day clock, and other things too numerous to
mention. The present house was built in
l734.
Leaving Andover the next morning, we we're
England. While puzzled as to what should
look at first, noticed the iron gate of the old
cemetery on fremont street, standing ajar.
This phenomenon had never witnessed be-
fore, and proceeded to take advantage of it.
hi VT toiv, kho -
famous in the early history of our country,
including the Wet inns of the Boston Massacre,
in ITO. The first find was the grave of the pa
rents of Benjamin Franklin. The inscription
will bear transcription:
years, and without an estate or any gainful
employment, by constant labor and honest
industry, maintained q large family comfort
ably. and brought up ID children and grand
children. From this instance, reader. be en-
couraged to diligence in thy calling, and dis
trust not Providence. He was a pious and
prudent man. She discreet and virtuous
woman"
The next object of interest Was the tomb Of
John Hancock, whose bold signature stands
prominent on the Declaration of Indepen-
dence. 1t consisted only of low but broad
white head-stene standing about foot above
the ground, and badly crumbled. was great
~ suEpElseu, aAu Wouuereu III tnaC was du Cue
memorial We have Of one of the fathers
of the Republic. Other signers of the
Declaration sleep here. Among other famous
graves quickly found that Of Paul Revere,
who, as all the school-boys know, carried the
alarm of the British advance from Boston
through Middlesex county, arousing the colo
nists to arms.
$50 through the night rode Paul Revere,
And 50 through the night went his cry of
To every Middlesex village and farm,
A cry of defiance and not Of fear,
A voice in the darkness, q knock at the door,
And word that shall echo forevermore.