Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1894-05-26
TALES OFTEN TRAVELLERS.
A Modern Concord Sage.
BY EDGAR L. wAKKMAy.

Copyright, 1924. Ali rights reserved-l
In the minds of vast multitude of us
who live our obscure lives remote from the
ancient hamlet of Concord, renowned In
the memories of men as the former home
of ssses, the name invariably comes rust
ling into the consciousness with dim, un-
defined yet certain sense of largeness aud
loftiness.
The place possesses neither. 1t is q
quiet town of strsggling homes. set round
the edge of a gentle, pine-crowned ridge,
and its olden bsbitstions here and there
creep out into luxuriant meadows, as IL
tempted country ward by the very sweet
ness of the pleasant ways beyond.
No sound of toll is heard In Concord.
No token of the tremendous activities
which ordinarily crowd from cities into
near villages can be seen. Not even a
rugged bit of scenery can be found within
its placid environments. 1t Is but peace
full hamlet, set behind the city and the sea
in lovely valley Iimmed by tender hills.
1t has gardens lush and beautiful. 1t
blends into close-huddled farm homes Of
marvellous New England thrift and plsnty.
1t has orchards wide aud vineyards rare.
But nobody is ever seen coming TO 1t or
going away. Its thirty or forty hundred
souls putter and pother about its square
old mansions, as ii effort were done and
eternal siests had come.
1t has age. 1t has riches. Is once hsd
intellect. These are enough. 1t rests in
its happy valley like dreaming age asleep
with smile lit face upon the warm bosom
| of ample content.
In it's slumberous silence that which
| stirred the souls CT all Its departed inter
| prsting sages Is here. Here flows the gen.
tie Concord stream on Its onward seswsrd
way. Here stretch the fair meadows.
Here circle the tender bills. Here stand
the pines as In primsvsl days. Here still
] are the low-roofed homes with gables old,
where life was meted ont to homsly sorl.
in three simple parts-the birth, the toll,
the rest.
Ancient burial spots with their brown
and leaning hesdstones, like congregations
of hooded Cspuchins at prayer, huddle
with loving guardianship between rare old
mansions of the living. Out there stretch
es the smooth highway to old Sudbury
town, where 10 still standing Lonefellow's
"Wayside Inn" Yonder winds the win
| some way past Hawthorne's "Oid Aanse,
| as mos+y and sweet as ever today, to thu
sacred battle ground glebs.
The historic Lexington highway trail
past two centuries old inn. From tb,
very spot Pitcairn forgivsbly registered
and boasted. you see, as In q dream, th,
!; wraiths of British soldiery as they cam,
and went, and through the ghostly am
bush smoke of yoemens' rifles which mad
pitilets their retreat, appear the forme
homes of Emerson, Alcott and Hawthorne
the fancy for an instant gliding to Tho
reau's lifeful Walden Pond beyond.
The first one is large and white ant
prim, like later roadside hostel. viii
} bsbbling Mill Brook almost touching Il
I mesdoward, slopiDg grounds; the second
: opposite and beyond, is gabled and gloom
| behind two noble elms, the little "Schoo
: of Philosophy" structure, unpainted an
{ drear as some mountain aide chapel besid
d 1t, and the third is Hawthorne's believe
] | "Wsyside," but q stones throw beyond
broodipg beneath the shadows of the pine
| which sob and sough If planting 70
the lost wizard hand that wrought With
it.
Then, up in the Sleepy Hollow cemeter
= among the pines are found, for the pi
grim's reverentisl contemplation, th
grave of the gentle Thoreau, the tomb G
l. Emerson, unmarked by name, epitsph Q
n sign, save one uncut massive block G
:. granite at its head, and finally the lev,
grave of Hawthorne; apostle of natur,
10 revealer of spiritual calm s-erestor of dealt
II less imsgeries-trinity of mortal immo
h tals-lying in the last sweet peace tegethe
To pilgrim worshipers at ths shrine
these dead yet ever livi trsnscsndenta
B. ists, nothing seems more certain than thI
/ the race of ssges In ancient Concord Ia TO
N ever extinct; just az 1t 10 thought that Il
le Hudson can never know another Irwin
70 New England another LopRfellow, Twee'