The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-07-17
IN YANKEE LAND.
Traits and Types OF Old New England that
May be Observed In New Londop.

|
land Is 80 redolent or SO racy OF all that Is and
makes New England "a the ancient town in
| which tho two great New England colleges
| match their oarsmen. Ono sees here the
| last stand OF the patient and indomitable
fankee-of the Yankee In all his phases. In
| this sequestered haven, through which every
| hour rushes. with roar scarcely noted.
hardly needed. the shuttle that weaves Bostsn
to New York and New York to Boston.
the Yankee mariner. the Yankee banker.
the Yankee lawyer. the Yankee mer-
chant, is dying slowly. serencly sure
~ In this quiet. yet cordial asylum.
the diminishing traits and types OF Old New
England are concentrated. Here. in this
microcosm. you SEQ tho New Engand-the
native Puritan New England-of Holmes and
Hawthorne sedatoly awaiting extinction. or
the old. pure. stole Americanism industrious.
keen witted. orderly. and incorruptible-her
remains the last distinct vestige. Elsewhere
linger its memories-hcre really survives q
handful OF the almost obsolete race.
The wharves arc eloquent OF tho past. The
grass and weeds sprout among their cobble
stones and find good roothold between their
tlmbcrs. Moss and green mould cover the
stout logGerheads. The piles are bearded
with green and glossy nlaments that culver
| mysteriously in the tides. Moored to one Of
them is n striking memento Of the old days.
1t Ia large. square sterned. old-fashioned
schooner. Her bluff bows. her sheathed cut
water indicate her ancient mission. She was
built more than half century ago to chase
tho whale and brcast tho ice packs OF
tho Polar Sea. fluctuations In her planks
Indicate how terrible was tho hug OF the foes.
She Is not absolutely dismantled. Her sturdy
topmasts are only lowereds on the foremost
remains the crows nest: her jibboon is I'M
hauled. Her bowsprit is wreathed with chain
gear. Her shrouds are in their places. But
you can peel them with finger nail. so eaten
by time are they. Her spnrs cumbor her decks
we'll slowed as they were BY the Yankee sea-
men who handled her and made her snug at
the end Of her last VOYAGE Her seams are
asprout with heritage. There Is good browsing
for q goat on her decks. Here and
there are wholesome punches Of timothy and
| oats small wild cherry tree is rooted in her
forecastle. The top of her after cabin Is q bed
Of weeds. The poop. the once-snowy. holy
stoned poop. is carpeted with moss. Just
| abaft her foremost are the two trying kettles
in which they melted blubber. They are
| cracked and rusty
The old whaler Is the monument OF Yam
kees scntimentality-a trait on which he
deserves to be congratulated. She made the
fortune Of his family. Some OF his family
manned her and Differed her. Some of them
went to sea in her and never camo back again.
| Boys made their first voyages in her: old men
| their last. She bore from year to year tho
burden Of households hopes and ambitions
| and sorrows. The old schooner is sacred. Her
hull. her spars. her rotting gear are devoted to
the memories Of the Yankee crews.
That part Of New London which follows the
| shore is populous with men who followed the
sea. They sit in tho shadows OF houses and
A., - 49,.
| Of the river. Most Of them are stout. hale old
| fellows. decently dressed. who wear spectacles
and read the newspapers with keen interest
cernoa with current, life. that they by no
means. intend to browse away tho butt
do elsewhere. They converse with each other
lacouicnlly on many topics, especially politics.
so who Ss nSs d @
Toned or fanced by tho, romancer could sur
pass the personal experiences 81 two or three
draw them out Once in while. one OF them.
will drop. involuntariy and unconsciously.
| to keep Flying him with good cigars while you
listen. But II YOU question him. or, if the
ans w wh M dim DO
| cilessly dam the stream OF his memoirs. You
must not offend his independence by patron
| he is native Amor can.
But the Yankee skippor is not tho only SOW
take care not offend by exacting Difference of
him. Tho New London shopkecper never
grovels. never sues for custom, never beGs for
wares at his prices. he will either discuss the tbs
weather with you courteously. or. lust as cour-
| to accommodate himself to your exactions.
He makes money slowly. and insists on the
EefS ch h: in t Sew onon 81 S
grocery. II you buy Strawberries OF him you
must other return the boxes or pay him for
| them-the tri6ng sum OF two cents. From
| that rule he never permits the slightest devia-
ton. On the other hand il he notices that his
early average ne will caution you expressly
and lower the price. This equitable merchant.
carsge e dvsn by and drswn
goes home for luncheon at midday.
There are othor Yankee tradesmen in New
ing. equally absolute. 4 man OF this class will
serve you with pound OF sugar with his own
llghtiully in the evening ut liz handsome
residence 4 dealer in dry goods. who does
mot dsaap to some Of thS tape he
Tho Americanness Of New London is in no re-
ity OF the physical type That inpresses the Wis
| itor. ne Is predominant everywhere within
eyed e Yanke" @
racial admlxture distinct from the original
ness. tho, breadth, tho soIidity OF tho
high rather than broad. his shoulders
STOPPING rather than square. his checks sharp
rather than round, his walk hurried
and insistant rathor than statoIy.aro all dit-
No Englishman Of old England can keep his
phy,sica traits for more than two sencrationss
| generation Is, In nearly every instance; an an
soute New Englshman physically. But his
| mental traits arc not changed n article-only
sharpened by his residence in New England;
| In fact, there have been three distinct social
and Int ellectual revolutions in old England to
one in New England sinco New England began
| to DO apart from old England.
To-day the transplaut,d old EnGlishman liy-
Ing In New ENGLAND Is . very near tho eondi-
alton from his brother n old ENGLAND. He
has not sloughed it or. The new Englishman
| OF old England has dono so over and over
again within the last one hundred and ilfty
years He barely rcsrm bIes the old English
land. " hereas tho old Eng !shman who was born
and who lives In New England is tho almost
exact fac-simile and reproduction OF that pnr-
emit Of a new and amazing dynasty: You have
| only to come from old London to New London
TO realize this truiatn nj n glance.