Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1905-10-04
PLYMOUTH ROCKS CRACK.


lis Origin Involves 81 Unfquc aud
ridiculous DIX OF History.
Plymouth has been called The cradle
of New England. II is on the coast
h.rty-eislt miles south OF Boston aud
is thriving ana prosperous New Ers-
land town. with good schools ana
churches ana town han and shops z
all kinds and comfortable homes.
ON Tie aat strip OF land that runs Tor
miles up and down tie shore or tle
bay tie d.minulve white houses of
the ashocmcu are crowded close to-
gether. IL the center OF the same fat
land strip. nankcl Oh both sides by tle
nshcrmen's homes, is large. open
square forty yards from die water
'front.' Here stands plymouth rock. tle
first sight OF which gives one 81 mental
shock, for. no dOu T. fancy has pictured
an immense boulder rising graudly out
of the sea. but instead Die visitor secs
only an oolcnE irrcgulorly shaped gray
sandstone rock twelve feet .u length
and five feet .D width at tle widest
point and two aC the narrowc~t Across
one part runs O. large crack which has
been nNcd with cement and which gives
10 Plymouth rock l.-Lly artificial
appearance. Tie or.-.l az ,l.s crack
is o.t Of unique history and bears
evidence to the early differences thar
at times divided the inhabitants into
two factions.
For long time there w2cel spirited
and bitter wr2nEl-ns between the on-
posing parties, and &c even settled
down upon the much cherished Ply
mouth rock. which one party declared
ought 10 be removed 10 0 more worldly
position in the town square and the
other wrauglors protested &c should not
be moved an inch from It's position.
even though they had 20 guard it With
their pixies and guns.
Finally the stronger faction drew UD
their forces around plymouth rock
and in attempting 10 move 1t UP the
hill split il asunder. which seemed q
bad omen Cor those who had attempted
such thing until an ardent Wig
leader fOUrishCd his sword and by IN
eloquent appeal 90 the other jealous
Whigs convinced them thar they should
not Swervc from their plan OF carry
Ing the rock 10 81 place I'm the town
square.
THE portion har Grst fell 70 tre
ground belongs ID us he cried. "luI
THAT We VIII transport with all caro-
and diligence 10 lis proper home"
Twenty yoke Of oxen drew the Wig
section of Plymouth rock up the h.I
amid the shouts Of the thronS u.,t
pushed forward around the liberty pole
which was n mark the new site. Tie
new position was very Impressive. a.I
the people stood with barred heads and
i'm rcVcrcnt tones chauteI their hi-h
pitched psalms I'm token OF thaukSE.r-
inc.
In the town Square this part Of plyu-
ouh rock remained for moro than
half a century. when committee ~
the council resolved 10 move it back 10
its original position and Join it Is Dc~t
they could q the other half. AccorI-
iugly. in 1854, on the morning OF Tie
Fourth Of July. thc Plymouth rock lsI
been reunited iu al seriousness 20 lis
long oStranEod portion and the union
made complete 10y 81 mixture Of cement
and mCrtsr
Today four granite columns support
"a canopy Of granite that offers Plyw-
outh rock an indifferent pvltccti ,u
against The rain aul Gle sam ANA Scrvcs
10 keep back in some measure the
thousands OF Sight~corS that c1 30
f plymouth With only One object i'm Wow
namely o. press u1 around the from
bars and o. gaze through them at Tire
rcvcrod rocA. ou which they see the