The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-10-21
DORCHESTER CARES
 FOR OLD BUILDING
Old Blake House Full of Co.,
 l1niaI Treasures
LATCHSTRING ON THE DOOR
Meetings of Historical Society Held by Candle Light Before Great Firepace-House Bears
 Date of 1850.

Boston. Mass, saturday.-The little old Blake house in Dorchester bears on its venerable side the date 1850. It stands within d stone's throw of the birthplace O. Edward Everett, a picturesque relic of the past. Let those who delight to revel in old associations and who find repose in the quaint tranquility and simplicity of early New England life, bend their steps to this ever hospitable home of the Dor chester Historical society.
 Just in from the roadside and shaded by tall elms. runs a little path. rbbinlike, through the green turf to the front door and what a delightful door it Is, with it's heavy timbers, ponderous hinges and massive lion crested knocker, all made fast by a key big enough to guard tho bastile. On either side of the doorway and swinging outward toward the sun shine are 1aticed windows with tiny glis- tening panes of wavy glass purpled with age and protected by heavy white shut ters. Completing the picture of thls dear est of little houses are the weatherbeaten shingles. mellowing the whole into a soft low harmony of color.
 If you knock at the door, lifting the big iron piece just below the lion, you viii be admitted into a small spaceway, bare of everything but a few pegs and little shelf, holding perhaps a candlestick or two. arranged against the old woodwork of the interior
 If it should be an evening when the His torcal society is holding one of it's regular meetings you will be ushered into the quaint room on the left of the entrance by no other than the secretary of this venerable body of old Dorchester citizens. The low lamplight first reveals a small assembage of whte-headed men. listen ing to an address, possibly bearing on the music of the Puritans or some equally re- mote theme. But whatever the topic, the old time atmosphere prevails.
 charnong Fireplace.
 You are seated and the secretary rakes aside the glowing embers in fireplace that immediately claims your entire atten- tion and charms you at once with it's sombre setting of dignity, blackened woodwork, all too enticing leave for the other allurements of the apartment A little discussion follows the close of paper then some very kindly compll- ments from the chair a movement to ad- jorn, cordial all round handshaking, and the meeting is over.
 The hour being still early and with slight encouragement from the secretary, YOU finger while to gaze at the interest ing things about the room, which hither- to have been overlooked. A calash of an- cient date hangs upon the wall and ob- jects of like antiquity meet the eye on every side.
 Passing again into the little passageway you leave the special domain of the so- ciety and enter the dwelling place of the persons who occupy the rest of the house.
 In the living room everything IS still In harmony-a long, low raftered apartment, with it's generous fireplace and brick oven. Indeed. these delightful old dreplaces are perhaps the chief wonder of this relic or the Massachusetts Bay Colony
 At one end Is a door leading to the back yard As 1t is now somewhat late, the latchstrlng, another curiosity, Is pulled inside, and, the shutters being closed, the candles lighted, the room presents as snug and cosey a welcome as heart could wish. Delightful old pieces of furniture pop out O remote corners as your eyes become ac- customed to the dim light
 The old timepiece ticks all too fast for your happiness as the minutes fly by; there Is still the quarters upstairs to see.
 Again you got out into the little entry. take a candle from the shelf and ascend the crooked. narrow stairway. With warn ings from the guide as the candle fliekers, not to miss footing on the somewhat dizzy turning.
 Quaint Bed Rooms.
 Opening directly from the top landing are two bedrooms, more splendid fire places, no end of mysterious cupboards and narrow shelves. Each room contains a high fourposter with tester and cover lids All the furnishings are perfect, even to the corner washstands, with their blue and white china, the baded mats aad the simple, straight white hangings at the It. tie windows.
 The walls of these rooms are sort of stucco in a light-very light-pumpkin yellow. and the wood of the fireplaces and doors is the colop time and weather only can produce.
 Overlapping all is an attic stuffed as II should be- to bursting. with a wealth of treasure-flowered bonnet boxes of pro digious size. cradles, spinning wheels and the like.
 In leaving all these old-time associations and saving goodby to genial friend, 1t is pleasant to think that the residents Of old Dorchester have felt thus kindly to- ward the people and things of bygone days and have preserved and cared for this old landmark, making it such fit +i,a, borna far thefr Historical society.