Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1888-10-04
CURIOUS oIO TOWN.
MsssAehu.etts village Wtere Every
Body Talks Fish and Uses fish.

Body Talks Fish and Uses Fisil.
Provincetown. down on Cape Cod. is
a funny-looking little place built on a
reef OF sand stretching out into tho
gray ocean. The low wooden build
ings are grouped around in Wild and
distorted manner. separated by narrow
and crawling laner and alleys. Tho
people wear quaint and primeyil garbs.
and the whole town Is bcgirt by fake
yards which ''swectcu" the air for
leagues around. The mighty power
that gives life to every thing and
pushes the wheels of industry along is
the fish. This great product Of tho
sea enters into every thing. 1t is bar
tered at the grocery stores, shOe-shops
aud bread stores for all tho commOdi-
tics OF life. II il ~ potent n. gold.
Take the fish away from Proviuceiow
and all trade would be paralyzcd aud
poverty would stalk abroad. The main
business street Is paved with rock cod.
The women use the hind fin OF the
great halibut for brooms; they arc
secured TO pole. and sweep ~ clean
As the best corn brooms in the market.
Awnings shading store fronts are mado
from the skin of the spcrtive porpoise
skillfully tackled across light scautlings.
l have spent three days at Province
town. and was awed away by the ever
lasting display Of nsh. Sunday sought
rcspite FROM my torIuents in the little
gray church on the village sand lot
As ] entered the house was struck by
the peculiar appearance II the bell
rope swinging in the entry. | ex-
amined IL II was made Of e,-ls. cum
ningly knotted by some old sailor.
probably. Over the altar was tho
picture Of n whale. under which was
the legend OF Jouab's scu voyage. writ
ten In Indian ink. The preacher dis
coursed long and loud on the loyal and
Christian fishermen of Galilce At tho
close of the session collection was
gathered, and the receptacle PASSED
around was the top shell of turtle
with a whalebone handle. After tho
choir had sung: Pull for the Shore. -
and other se'a glees. the church Grew"
passed down the port aisle into tho
street.
PrJvincetown ladies trim their hats
with the red gllls OF the mackerei and
confine their long trcsses with small
sculpins. Minims are used in the place
OF clothes-pins. These dwarf fishers
are smoked and cured like red herring
and their mouths are snapped around
the clothes-line supporting tho
weeks washing and secured
and held in place by tho
sharp claw Of crab. Flying-fish are
a. plentiful around the village as En-
glish sparrows oi Boston Common.
They roost in the branches Of apple
trees and cav like crows. Dog-tshcs
| often lie around the shore at low tide
and bark and howl ip "A frightful man
ner. When neighbors meet on the
streets they say "Ahoy - Young iseu
wear oiled suits of course. heavy
drilling to church when the weather
l. heavy" One learns a great many
nautical phrases in that paradise Of
| fishermen
Lobsters make intermittent incur
sions through the lanes of the town.
Some OF them ars Intelligent. and
learn to follow children along the
dusty roads to school. asked an old
Settler one day why the streets were
50 narrow. and he told me when the
town was first settled the roads were
laid out narrow for the purpose of sup
porting herring sticks which ran across
the street from the second-story win
dow 10 the window on the opposite
side. And so the custom has been
KEEP, up. and during certain seasons
the place is darkcned by strings of
red herring hanging over the thorough
fares. forming dripping canopy.
which smells badly.-Cor. Chicago
Tribune