The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-09-12

Scenes in Boston'S
Historic Suburbs
Written for The Tribune.
A LrlIOl Gil neither Lexington nor Concord Is
N very large IN population nor possesses any
IA great industries, yet because of the historic
event, which have occurred in cdch Of
them, aud because OF the world famous men
Of letters who have resided in Concord thcrc
are 10 town, nor cities more widely known TO
the American people and people oi other Lands,
To these towns thousand, oi tourists Journey
each year and travel through their streets and
view the many places ot notable interest to he
found within them. Bo>tonan> will tell the
eight,ccr that there are three place, You must
visit before leaving this vicinity. Go to Ply.
mouth where the Pilgrim fathers first landed
upon Nmrrican soil and put your foot upon old
Plymouth Rock, and visit by all m'arls LcSing.
ton and Concord" Il WAS our privilege In visit
only the two last named places But what an
CEiuyahlc trip il was. The town ut LrNingt On
i situated about ten mil,s northwest oi Boston.
Trolley cans runs from Boston to Lexington, then
on to Concord and through to Lowell The ride
i a delightful one, passing q, YOU do through
the city of Cambridge and other places, and
through fertile farms, where appear the typical
Sew England homes with all their beauty and at.
traGiycncSs
The fame Of Lexington and Concord began As
far back as april, E7j 1t was during this
month that kug Georges military commander.
General Gage was ordered TO arrest Samuel Ad'
ans and John Hancock, the two patriot leaders
t,t1 -l,,, ,liy,r Ia ..Ni mt,
Concord. ten miles beyond Lexington. was a
collection Of military stores which Gage deter
mined 10 destroy in connection with his arrest
Of the patriots, Adams and Hancock. To achieve
this object. on the evening OF April Is l7,5.
General Gage sent from Boston $40 OF King
Georges regulars, lie supposed this expedition
would be 4 secret one But the Americans were
not sleeping: they knew of General Cages pur'
pose and were prepared 10 defeat it, Scarcely
had the British soldiers hrgun their march TO-
ward Lexington and Concord than from the tow
or of old Christ church, in Boston, flashed signal
lights from two lanterns hung there by the scN'
ton 10 warn Paul Revere, who stood in rcadi
ness by a swift slddlcd Stccd in tharlcStown to
ride when the signal was given to Lexington and
Concord and wnn the patriots and minute mci
Of the approach of the British soldiers What 4
famous ride that proved to he. II has become
immurtalizcd upon the pages OF American history
and has been the inspiring theme for poctird
writings All along the road leading to LcNinc
ton over which Paul Revere rode that memorable
night. appear tablets designating places Of his
torcal interest. Whcu You arrive at Lexington
and Concord YOU can oraIoc 60 anywhere with
out being confronted by those tablets on pa, e
OF residence and b! the sidc Of streets aud OF
the commons.
Lexington ard Concord arc both bclutm
places, being cNccllcn; representatives. of New
England towns with their stately oyerhanginl
clmS about. the spacious ycrdaut lawns an,
along tho wide and welt cared streets. their 90
lonidl homes and an atmosphere Of culture an,
refinement pCrVdding all. especially Concord, h
Lexington is the first Of these two historic town
We arrive at in our journey from Boston, we vii
begin our description OF the sights and sccuc
Of historic interest there. In our imagiuatio,
We are on the Main street of the village of Ia,
Lexington, travelling over the very road Pau
Revere rapidly went when rn his Cuand o
warning that night Of Npil Is l1Tj. and owe
the course the British soldiers marched on tina
never forgotten mouiug ot April -, 10, wh"l
they entered Lexington and met their first i'm
pudjmprt Let you Imagination ourrJc an,
Your mind revert back to those momrutous day
You can soc Rover" with his folmng Stcct
speeding down this street and You can hear hi
cries of warning as he m-hcs along What
Comwotiou there is in every house. The nrc q
PATRIOTISM u klnuItU NllUlN llr hp~nn tt ever,
American. not to die until American ndcpcnd
cn,c is attained. firearms are gotten ready an,
an assembly OF these brave. sclf-~ucrifcng Ilcr
!, made See now the British soldiers couul
down this street: proudly do they tread, conf
dent OF victory. The first tablet we come TO il
East Lexington !, that which marks the hou,
Of jonathan harrington, who WaN hicr hoy il
Captain Plrkor'S company Of minute men, am
who was also the last survivor OF these nohl
/ .... A., /, ,.tIf n,
toward Lexington We como, to the old Munro
tavern, which was used headquarters by Ear
| Percy on the day the British rctrCatcd from Con
| cord. Here Washington dincd in l7So whic
adds to its interest.
The next point Of special interest is an al
! ti~ticily carved stone cannon marking the spo
| where the British fugitive, were met by Eal
! pcr,yS fresh troops, and where he planted
| field piece to cover their retreat Several othc
/ places are marked out by tablets along the stree
| erected from an appropriation by TIA" town som
| years ago. But the chief attraction 10 a visitu
| in Lexington is the old common. This is in IN
| form of triangle and is a beautiful spot, Thi
| is the Lexington battlefield Here is where ia
! first blood for American independence was she
! on the morning OF April ~, l775. A. the south
/ cru point u the common is monument mark
| iug the location Of the nrSt three meeting house
| in Lexington and having carved on the rcl
| side the names Of the iIst seven ministers vii
| served IN the parish, A short distance at III
! rear Of this monument may he seen the Cl
! tree which General Grant planted on April L
| $50, while attending the centennial annNcl>ar
! OF the battle. Just As You enter the commo
/ from Main street and directly upon the soutrar
angle of the triangle is a vcrv artisti"aly formo
! fountain, made ot stone, aud surmountiug il
! magnificent bronze statue Of Captain parE"l
| the commander # tie company of minute H.