The Kemper herald. (Scooba, Miss.) 1875-1908, 1906-12-06
PLYMOUTH ROCKS CRACK.
Its Origin Involves a Unique and
Ridiculous Bit of History.

Ridiculous Bit of History.
die of New England. 1t is on the
coast, t~hirty-eight miles south of Bos-
ton, and is a thriving and prosperous
New England town, with good schools
and churches, and town hall, and shops
of all kinds, and comfortable homes.
On the fiat strip of land that runs
for miles up and down the shore OF
the bay, the diminutive white houses
of the fishermen are crowded close
together. In the centre of the same
fiat land-strip, flanked on both sides
by the ishermen's homes, is a large.
open square forty yards from the
waterfront. Here stands Plymouth
Rock, the first sight of which gives
one a mental shock, for; no doubt,
fancy has pictured an immense boul-
der rising grandly out of the sea; but,
instead, the visitor sees only an OBJ
long, irregularly-shaped, gray sand
stone rock twelve feet in length and
five feet in width at the widest point,
and two at the narrowest. Across
one part runs a large crack which
gives to Plymouth Rock a highly arti-
fetal appearance. The origin of this
crack is a bit of unique history, and
bears evidence to the early difference
es that at times divided the inhabt
tants into two factions.
For a long time there waged spirit
ed and bitter wrangling between the
opposing parties, and it eve settled
down upon the much-cherished Ply
mouth Rock, which one party de-
clared ought to be removed to a more
worthy position in the town square.
and the other wranglers protested it
should not be moved an inch from it's
position, even though they had >td
guard it with their pixies and guns.
Finally, the stronger faction drew
up their forces around Plymouth
Rock, and in attempting to move it up
the hill split it asunder, which seemed
a bad omen for those who had at
tempted such a thing, until an ardent
Wing leader f1ourished his sword, and
by an eloquent appeal to the other
jealous Wings convinced them that
they should not swerve from their
plan of carrying the rock to a place
in the town square.
THE portion that first fell to the
ground belongs to us" he cried; "and
that we will transport with all care
and diligence to it's proper home"
Twenty yoke of oxen drew the Wing
section of Plymouth Rock up the hill,
amid the shouts of the throng that
pushed forward around the liberty
pole which was to mark the new site.
in it's new position was very impress
i've, and the people stood with barred
heads, and in reverent tones chanted
their high-pitched psalms in token Of
thanksgiving.
In the town square this part OF
Plymouth Rock remained for more
than half a century, when a committee
of the council resolved to nov it
back to it's original position, and join
it, as best they could. to the other
half. Accordingly, in 1884, on the
morning of the Fourth of July, the
Plymouth Rock had been reunited in
all seriousness to it's long-estranged
portion, and the union made COM
plete by a mixture Of cement and NOR
tar.
Today four granite columns support
a canopy of granite that offers Ply
mouth Rock an Indifferent protection
against the rain and the sun, and
serves to keep back, in some measure,
the thousands of s~ight-seers that come
to Plymouth with only one object in
view, namely, to press up around the
iron bars, and to gaze through them
at the revered rock, on which they
see the single inscription, cut in the
middle of it's face in long, plain fig
ures, 1920"
The rock is surrounded by a high
iron railing composed of alternate
boat hooks and harpoons, and inscribed
with the illustrious names of the
forty men who drew up the Pilgrims
compact on board the Mayiower that
udy dS Jney SlSuI0u IH0
coast that henceforth was to be their
home.-From Cornelia Hickman's "a
Visit to Plymouth Rock" in st. Nicho.
las.
The worst part Of any trouble is
waiting for it.
The radius Of a mans life will de-
pend on its centre.
No man ever broke his own back
with his brothers. burden.
One never knows a man any better
by tearing hi INTO pieces.
The honors you confer o nthe un-
worthy only sink them in deeper dis
grace.
NEW YEARS CALLS
W. ~ hN NJ