Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1897-06-22
CONCORD.
Written for the Oxford Democrat by girl II
vaAra old.

CONCOHO.
| written for the Oxford Democrat by girl II
years DID,
We took the train from Boston st five
minutes past nine, and arrived In Con.
cord ct five minutes past ten, where We
found carriage waiting for US. We
all jumped In, glad to be of at last to see
the dear old town.
"First, | think" said the driver, III
shall take you over the old south bridge
to the. Lee Farm, and"
whats the Lee Farm?" asked my
cousin.
"Lee Farm" continued the driver,
as where Harvard College removed to
when the soldiers took possession oi
the college at Cambridge"
We were there by this time and had
crossed the Old South bridge that the
soldiers had marched over. Ia there a
place In Concord where soldiers have not
marchedg
The old building of the Lee Farm had
been burned down, but he pointed ont
to Us the spot where It once stood, and
we were willing to believe that that
patch Of grass was great sight.
Farther on was the first home OF the
Alcotts, and the Hosmer house, where
an old lady In the time Of the Revolution
Ia said to have hidden cannon balls In
barrels Of feathers. From there we went
over the North bridge and down the
other part OF Main Street on our way to
Sleepy Hollow cemetery.
We passed Jane Austin's home, "Old
Block House." "Old Cemetery" and the
home of the Alcotts, where 'Demte
now lives, and where we were to call In
the afternoon, also the home OF Thoreau
and the library.
We got out of the carriage at Sleepy
Hollow and walked through IL. As we
went up the path Hawthorne lot was on
our left, and Thoreau's, the Alcott's and
Emerson's on our right. No particular
ly noticeable grave-stoncs mark their
graves, but their names are there, more
lasting than any monument that could
possibly be erected.
After leaving Sleepy Hollow we went
up Monument Street past the Old james
house and the Old Manse. think that
OF all the interesting houses In Concord
the Old Manse Is far the most pictur-
esque. Hawthorne lived here of and on,
and In "Mosses from an Old Manse''
gives a perfect description Of 1t. Emer-
son also lived here for time. Pope,
the painter, spent last summer here, bur
never saw the ghost that Hawthorne
speaks OF.
Directly back Of the "Old Manse" IL
the battle ground, and the "Old North
Bridge" On the side Of the bridge where
the British fought Is plain granite
monument, while on the American side
Ia the beautiful bronze Minute Man de-
signed By Mr.. French, young sculptor
Of the town, with this inscription by
Emerson:
"By the rude bridge that arrhcd the Hood.
Their iag IN Aprips breeze unfur'ed,
Here once the embattled farmers stood.
And fred the shot heard round the world
We took one last glimpse Of the Old
Manse on our way back 10 Orchard
House, where We were TO take lunch
con. Orchard House was the home
OF Little Women" There Is no one
living In II now, and the old place is
going to ruin. We peeped In at some OF
the windows that were broken, and tn"
house seemed TO be just as 1t was when
lived In.
We sat down on bench which was
built around tree and opened the
luncheon box. There IL no need OF tell
Ing about the historic way In which we
ate our luncheon. "History always re-
peats itself In that line, and every one
knows how to eat luncheon when out for
a picnic. So you must just imagine ""
are all through and on our way TO the
school OF philosophy. which Is on the
left hand side OF Orchard House.
II ia quite small and plain. The win.
dows are pointed at the top. The wood
was OF natural color, but IL has no,
grown very dark with age. 4 pretty
vine which creeps up its sides take.
away a great deal from its deserted az
pearance. There were lilies OF the val
lev growing around Orchard House, "a
we'll az other flowers. | picked few
yiolets and pressed them In the guide
book, and who knows but what Miss Al
colt planted them herself!
"wayside, the home Of Hawthorne.
Is to the right Of the Alcorts'. Mr.. Al
colt and Mr.. Hawthorne made path
leading from one house to the other, on
one side pines and the other larches.
Under these very trees that shaded us
Hawthorne used to walk when In medits-
tion. The old place now belongs to Miss
Margaret Sidney, but she only occupies
IL during the summer months. lt Is q pc
culiarly shaped house, two stories high,
with a tower right In the middle. Haw-
thorne had this tower built so that when
he was writing he would not be disturb
ed. It was called 10 joke the Flower Of
:" The only way to get TO II
was bv a ladder which he placed from
the hill behind the house to the window,
and when he got in he would pull the
ladder up after him, much Il should
magine) to the distraction Of Mrs. Haw-
thorne.
As we sat on the piazza two pretty
cats came up to us and one jumped into
nv lap. They were very sociable, and
we were told that they belonged to Mi 8
Sidney, though when che was away a
neighbor cared for them.
On the other side Of Wayside Is the
home Of Mr.. Bull, the originator OF the
Concord grape" The vines still grow
in the garden.
From there we walked back to the
square. In the middle of the square Is
erected the soldiers monument put up
in memory Of the soldiers that fought In
the last war.
Just before you come to the square Is
the oldest house In Concord. IL Is over
200 years old, and IL built without any
corner boards, and all the nails are hanc-
made with large heads. On the opposite
side of the street Is the home OF the
Emersons, now occupied by some OF his
relatives.
By this time we were all very tired.
We arrived In the square and went to
wright's Tavern to get some Ice cream,
but they did not have any. We then
went into the room where the British
officer said, as he stirred the wine with
his bloody finger, "Thus will stir the
blood of the rebels"
Here Is the first church built In Con-
cord, a Unitarian church founded 10
| ll7l2, and iu It the first Provincial Con-
gress met in IVA.
The library Is pretty little red brick
building. The interior looks almost
round, and standing out on shelves are
busts OF all the prominent men that have
lived in Concord.
From here we went to call on ''Demie,' y
| otherwise Mr.. Pratt. We found him at