Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-10-27
Seen in the Houses Built a Hundred
Years Ago.
so DEFIES TEE RAVAGES OF time
A Memory Recalled Of Paul Re-
vere's Daring Ride.
HOUSE PARTY OF LONG AGO
Written for The Evening Star.

Written for The Evening Star
The remark of Matthew Arnold that
everything in America was made to last for
one generation only, as no one cared be-
yond that is beed by the substantial work
Of the early artisans. whose thorough hon
est endeavors were embodied in the houses
and furniture they made for the colonists
before the revolution, and in the early days
of the republic.
The manner of construction and the con-
sCientious carrying out of the idea by the
mind which originated it caused early de-
cay to be impossible while the difficulties
of travel made change of scene, with It's
consequent craving for novelty, infrequent.
In the modern life of many people home is
the occasional halting place. travel and
change the normal condition. In old times
the family lived in the one house: there
was no summer cottage by the sea- or coun-
try place awaiting city jewellers. but one
home only. and If the children were numer-
Gus. very compact family life must have
been led, judging from the size of some Of
the historical houses to be seen in various
parts of our land. For instance the house
still standing where John Hancock and
Samuel Adams were sleeping in Lexington
the night that they were reused by Paul
Revere when he rode to alarm the country
side in order to meet the British soldiers.
AS it first built there We're only two
TOOTiS DeiOW stairs ana TWO ABOVE. Here
father. mother and five children lived and
moved and had their being. In the smaller
room below stairs Parson Hancock wrote
his sermons. while next door the mother
to!led and the children led that quiet. re-
pressed existence which We read Of, and
which is so difficult to picture with
experience of modern children and their
supremacy in the household.
When Prosperity Came.
When Thomas Hancock grew up and be-
came a rich merchant in Boston he en-
larged this house for the comfort of his
parents, and the addition is both larger and
higher than the original building. 1t stood
then just across the street from its present
station but the lady who owned the ground
and lived in her large modern house on the
other end of the lot annoyed by the
old brown house SO near and so shabby,
and determined to tear it down. without
one thrill of pride in it or its connection
with our beginning a nation. Other and
more patriotic women, though. in LeXing-
ton banded together and bought the house
and had it moved across the street. They
keep it in repair, have a pleasant young
lady to meet visitors and answer questions
and thus keep its early memories green by
their and interest. The furnishings
scant. but a few of the old-time articles
still to be seen.
The Ancient Four-Poster.
The four-posted bed Is there in which
Were sleeping Hancock and Adams when
the gathering or Paul revere s horse was
heard coming up the country road, but the
hangipgs are SO frail from age that print
ed request is made that no one shall touch
the dingy, fragile muslin, lest 1t fall apart.
There what would call a house
party assembled there that night. and Dor
othy Q. was one of the guests. and later,
when she married John Hancock, she wore
a beautiful Powered brocade gown, a piece
of which may be seen today in the Old
South Church collection, and her little high
heeled slippers are there, too high that
the sensible girl of today wonders why she
is not more commended for the good sense
than she is, when she avoids these pretty
follies.
The house was full and the people tired
that night, and when the galloping horse
stopped at the gate a protest against the
disturbance came from an upper window.
Noise repeated Paul Revere; you will
have such noise by tomorrow that all the
country will be disturbed by it." On the
morrow however, Paul Revere was not in
the midst for as he FASTENED on he was
almost Immediately captured by the Brit
ish, as well as Dawes, who had Joined him
at Lexington. and only Prescott, the third
of the party, succeeded in escaping by
jumping his horse over stone wall and so
carrying the great tidings to Concord. A
portrait of Dorothy g." when she was
Mrs. Hancock hangs in the parlor, with
one of her husband also. and the poem by
which Oliver Wendell Holmes added in
terest to her story hangs framed in one Of
the upstairs rooms.