The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1908-02-21
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his youth with a bundle OF such
pleasant memories that he is tempted
10 set them down as a stimulus 10
the remembrance Of others who look
back upon early days in a small town.
In the first part Of the journey
thither, repeated efforts failed 10
conjure up anything like a full and
definite picture Of the place. But,
suddenly, as 50 often happens, the
mists of memory cleared, and it
seemed as though ! had never been
away. This almost theatrical change
causing me to look about with sur
prise, / became quickly aware that
the train had swung into the be-
ginning Of what we used TO call THE
Happy Valley" With a sigh Of CON
tent, ! sank back into comfort OF old
adjustments, with a sense OF their
completeness that could come only
from "A knowledge Of later malad-
justments to compare them with.
This valley perhaps hundred
miles long and from a dozen TO
score of miles wide, is walled in by
blue mountain ridges Of from twelve
hundred TO two thousand feet in
height, their bases sweeping nearer
or further and their sky lines high
er or lower in a series OF almost SYM
metrical curves. The same restrained
variety Charactcrizes the surface OF
the valley, which billows and rolls
throughout like "A solidified section
% midocean. The mountains, foot
hills and small patches Of the valley
are still covered with oak and chest
nut, pine and cedar timber, which
makes spring time delightful and the
autumn splendid. Elsewhere all Is
fertile farm land, squarely fenced or
marked with low walls Of ever avail
able limestone, which also provides
firm, smooth roads stretching away
in every direction over hill and mead
ow. Many farm houses and barns
are built Of this stone, softened with
the mellowness of years. Later
structures OF local brick with slate
roofs seem scarcely less sturdy.
This same pleasant variety of sur
face and solidity of building char
acterizes the town itself. Cheerful
two-and- nd-one-half-story houses, OF red
brick, with green shutters still pre-
vail. although about the central
square and along the business blocks
the height is usually greater. | well
remember the builder of the first
three-story house in town. The first
four-story structure was reared in
my boyhood. It's completion was
celebrated with fireworks and the
first electric lights seen i'm the town.
Now there are even cut stone bank
Stonts, and they are building an
apartment house and a fve-story de-
partmeNt store. Near the edges OF
the town, where the dwellings stand
back from the streets with lawns and
flowers and trees, the march of inn
provemcnt is particularly noticeable
as indeed 1t we'll might be. for the
place has doubled in size since | left
These dwellings indicated to me
that local prosperity had caused the
tide of physical well-bcing TO rise &c
the second, or shelter, stage. For
merly, ideas of luxury centered chief
ly in food, which was consumed in {
variety and abundance that would
have made n dietian shudder. Tn,
land is still one of plenty OF gooC
cheer, and a progress through th'
town would delight the monarch wht
said, Let me have men about m
who are fat" but other Creatur
comforts have come to be considered
also. The stage OF personal adOrn
ment has yet TO be reached the me-
seldom have their hair trimmed o
their trousers pressed, and the cos
tune OF the women is simple. TIL
local attention TO such matter
seemed interestingly different fror
the metropolitan order OF clothing
shelter, food
The Old Town Hall.
But IL was not progress that | ha
chiefly come 60 see. | found myse
returning repeatedly TO the old tow
hall, which once sheltered the olde
bank and is still surmounted by
tower OF strange local architecture
bearing an equally crratic clock. \
this, like everything else in q
place, seemed by no means So lars
or SO imposing as ! had remember,
it, and the banks disappearance pr
vented the repetition of our one loC
authors jest concerning "thc bar
where the wild thyme grows B
when I once more climbed thn tow
and picked out. one by one, the q
landmarks. I felt all of my car
fondneSs for the place return.
one. | believe. can be without G..
tain proprietary affection for q plg
upon which he has often looked do'
from a tower.
There, above the town. my mono
of many OF its personages beca
vivid. First, always. we admired {
old Governor-we never called h
"ex," although he had been that
many years. A fine, burly hgu
even In old age. he was usually s,
driving to or from his model far
I'm n vehicle which must have M