Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1885-01-15
TRAVELLING ON FOOT
From Village to Village in the Old
Bay State.
Marblehead's single housekeeping
Along on an Empty RIay-Cart-
Perple xIiies Of a boarding.
House.
Prentice Mulfori's Letter.l

am travelling through small part OF
Massachusetts on foot, taking il easy from
town to town and village, and often starting
/ out at morn with no idea where | NAV III ing
up at night l am learning how little We
may see of the real country while travelling
by rail The people Of the state live on their
country roads. The railroad generally runs
by every body's back door, and often far out
of sight of that
Last week l visited in this manner Salem,
Marblehead, Peabody, North Reading. Read
ing, Woburn, Lexington and Concord.
These places lie from ten to seventeen miles
from Boston
Salem seemed to me as one of those
Finished old towns, very pretty 10 look at
where all the fortunes have long since been
made; where there is just room enough for
50 many people and no more, and from
whence all the SONS of families in Moderate
circumstances move away TO do better, and
where half the daughters never marry, but
die old maids
Marblehea1's single hotel being full from
theatre company's invasion, | found quar-
tiers az boarding house. lost that board
ing house three times in six hours owing to
Martleheads crooked and confusing streets.
1t would disappear suddenly, ard after hunt
ing vainly for ii for an hour / would find il
again turning up atmy elbow Getting into
Peabody l found what in California would
be called considerable Of a place. with
banks, street cars, handsome town halls an
imposing soldiers monument. wide streets,
and rows of residences outwardly indicating
fortunes, leisure and luxury | had never
heard of Peobody before. l presume that
millions of my feilow-citizens have never
heard of Peabody. Let no Peabodian feel
hurt. His ignorance may be as profound re-
gardiny some smart town" not 100 miles
from Peabody. There are a great many
people in this world-cspecially in Massa-
cEusetts
From Peabody | Travelled northward
toward North Reading | think the country
would have satisfied ,ae that | was in
Massachusetts had | been suddenly landed
Oh it from above Roads wide and well
kept, farmhouse and barns large and well
painted, pumpkin pies set ON kitchen window
sills To cool, and great elm trees over
Swallowing roofs.
! found the roads called streets after
leading miles away III the country
Travelled on Lowell street nearly the whole
distance from Peabody 10 North Reading.
Signs boards indicating the neigh5oring
places, their direction and number OF miles
distant, are numerous both in town and
that the foot traveller is never at
q loss fer his bearings.
A young man in an empty hay-cart askei
me TO ride "if | could stand the cart" |
jumped in. We logged on The young man
ectured on that portion OF Massachusetts
Onions and straw berries" he said, were the
produce raised. Onions was a hard
crop to raise They were infested by two
parasites, and very hard TO keep
,ree of weeds One bushel OF onions required
rs much work as seven bushels OF potatoes.
Most of the young men hereabout went to
Boston or TO Lynn and worked at shoe
making. He thought the average shoemaker's
wages amounted to about $40 Ter week He
lad known OF cutter" making 81 per day,
md Easter 81 But these were
,xtra workers. Shoemaking hadn't in it
he money made years ago The lanl we
9ere now driving through was West Pea
BODY, and part of the town of Peabody. |
But West Peabody was not satisfied Ii |
,aid the same rate of taxes as did Peabody, |
md 50 paid for Peabody's gas, water, and |
'ther privileges, which here of in the coun-
ry were not needed. Hence, West Peabody /
wanted separation. We drove up to |
arse, prosperous homestead This was /
fathers place" Father had been away
rom home for three weeks "stumping for |
}utler"
/ inquired Of the Young man how far dis
ant was Lexington. tie didn't know Had 1
lever been there " Bile lived about
ourteen miiei from the latter place Too
ear. of course, 10 have visited il.
/ lpnrnaypI IN |
here is no hotel at North Reading. After
ONE trouble I found e private family to
oard me for the night. ard ,saS ohliss t.
ut my case pretty strongly 10 obtain such
rivilege and pay Tor il At the front door
he good woman of the house surveyed me
ritically through her spectacles. and took
ny full measure before allowing me t.
inter-.
Strangers poking around the country seem
o rank as suspicious characters in North
leading. She did not say whether could
tay all night or not but asked me into the
Once seated. and the dame
monS other questions, inquired from whence
came and on what train ] arrived | felt
he crisis approaching felt that in me
we're vaGuHl suspected the possibilities Of a
hief, burglar. midnight murderer, or n
he atmosphere. Tn, old family clock
licked it The homemade rag Garrett on the
'oor looked il. The neat and prim arrav all
bout seemed severely reproachful "B-
what train had comet" | plunged In
'oldly and said had come on foot that day
rom Marblehead and that ! was 50 travel
ng 10 See the countrvr
| was not turned away. The old lady con
- rrfgt h. ]
roached. The "old man came IN from his
d Uties-jrst such an cd man a.
Npected to see-gray lean, vizsnei hall!
aid, and strongly nasal in his intonaiiDn
'ext the boy of Il or theIeatouts. who was
xcited over the new play iii Of some con-
ng show, and was sent cu; 10 milk Next !
he eldest son, just in from an all-day', work,
'robahly 81 years Of agc-tall. stopping,
angular Lastly, three wood
ea nsiers, guests like myself
] guessed my place at the table while the
ame was arrane ing it. she flung n napkin
1 my plate IL was the only napkin pres
mt She flung 1t there with an air which
ce med to say, City folk! hu,t have one,
spose' | accepted the napkin and her re-
ninder of contempt
Supper was ready We drew Ii was
hardened household No grace prefaced
he meal The table talk WAS entirely local.
Smith wasn't looking now for Jenkins Lost
Is place He drank Good man when
ober, though. Wife sick She WIS n Pc
Frs before she married Consumption.
urss lSilencel After which one re.
aarked, Pretty had thing 20 have Isl
ance.l
Breakfast was called AT in the morning
We ate hot biscuit aud talked over the NJ.
ess Of Mrs. Peters, near neighbor. She
'as Fitch before marriage; her husband
rank; had been discharged from his situa
ion. Was good man Ia work if he'd let
quor slane-
Cautious French Capitalists.
IParis Cor. l.nnion Timas.l