Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1890-02-27
SOME BOSTON "REMINISCENCES.

Below is an extract from letter writ
ten by Miss Blanche Smith to friend in
this city. Miss Smith was for three
years teacher in the Wichita schools,
and is now taking a course of elocution
and oratory in Boston, from which she
will graduate in May:
"This proved such lovely day that a
friend and | went to Christ church, or
historically known as the Old North
church. 1t was erected III 1882 and with
one exception is the oldest public build
ing in Boston. The church is seventy
feet long, fifty feet wide and thirty-five
feet high: the tower is twenty-four feet
square, and the spire rises to the height
of 115 feet. \ tablet on the tower bears
the following inscription:
1.-The signal lantern of Paul Revere,
displayed in the steeple of this church,
April Is, 1915 warned the country of the
march of the British troops to LeXing-
ton and Concord
''The bible, prayer books and COM
munion silver were given by George ii,
and are now in use. In front Of the or
gan are four images. These, with the
chandeliers, We're taken from French
vessel by the British and presented to
the church in 1746. In the church is
the first bust that was ever made of
Washington. The windows are remark
able for their small panes of glass; each
window contains eighty-one panes.
This church has the loveliest chime of
bells in the city, and are the oldest in
America. The chime, which consists of
eight bells, were brought from England
in 17s4. The smallest bell weighs go
pounds, and the heaviest 1915 pounds.
Long before we saw the church we
heard the clear and sweet Ginning.
"A short distance from the church is
Cops burying ground. Here Burgoyne
and Clinton watched the battle of Bun
ker Hill and here the British erected
batteries and opened tremendous fire
on the Americans. From this point we
saw the place where Anne Pollard. the
first white woman who landed in Bos-
ton, jumped ashore. She lived to be 105
years Old Cops Hill was the second
place of interment in Boston. 1t con-
tains Sc. 500 square feet, and it is estima-
ted over 10, 600 people have been buried
here. The oldest inscriptions are dated
1861 and 1913. They We're discovered
beneath the surface in 1918. and have
doubtless been concealed by the washing
OF the hill for more than century. The
most noted tomb is that of Cotton
Mather. In another part of the grounds
is buried Edmund Hartt, builder of the
Constitution.
'Some of the epitaphs are exceedingly
amusing and the words are spelt in the
strangest way. | will give you several:
Here lies buried in stone grave, ten
feet deep. Capt. Daniel Malcolm Mercht,
who departed this life Oct %, 1863, aged IA
years.
"A true Son OF Liberty, a Friend to the
Publick, an Enemy TO Oppression, and
one of the foremost in opposing the Rev
epue Acts in America."
This particularly attracted the atten-
ton Of the British soldiery. and the
marks of their bullets are many and
very perceptible.
ION a stone bearing the name OF Mrs.
Annery Hunt is the following stanzas:
a sister of Sarah Lucas lyeth here,
Whom l did love most dear,
Ana now her soul hath took its flight,
And bid her shightful foes good-ni -ht'
'Auother is
Stop here, my friend. and cast an eye,
As You are now, 50 once was /;
As am now SO you must be.
Prepare for death and follow me-
"A young man added to this in chalk:
To follow you I'm not content
Unless know which way you went
This part of the city is now largely
inhabited by Italians. is the poorest and
the most wicked. The buildings are in
dilapidated condition, although some are
the original buildings occupied by the
aristocracy IN oiden times"