Norwich bulletin., 1909-06-19
THE LONG AGO AND THE LATER ON
An Experience of Eighty Years Of Life By George TBdah Bromley

I CO. InlS sickness was caused by the
use of the unhealthy water ON board
| the ship at Yokohama. Quite a num-
er of the passengers suffered from
! tie same cause, and the consequence
vas l acquired a strong dislike to
water in its natural state, and. strange
as it may seem, that same prejudice
has remained with me to this day,
| and it really seems to me that it al
ways will
| The right royal welcome that await
| ell me at my home, of wife and chill
dren and grandchildren, and the
warm, hearty greeting of my old-time
! friends created an epoch in my life's
career that will ever remain with me
as a precious memory
After some three weeks Of delight
( ~ mingling with old friends and as
| s0ciates felt a strong desire to once
| more visit the home of my childhood
after an absence of thirty years, and,
having fully decided 10 do so, / in
| Irrviewed Mr.. John c. Holland, then
| president of the Central and Southern
w acific, and made known to him my
intentions. He congratulated me
heartily and gave me to understand
that if 1 didn't eat nor drink anything
o. the way, my crossing the continent
| wouldn't cost me a cent. After ex-
pressing my gratitude as well as
could, and seeing the precious dOcu
nDent that would give me tone among
railroad officials, made ready for the
Journey. 1 had crossed the Isthmus
Of Panama three times, but this was
my first experience in choosing in a
RI llway train, and l enjoyed every
| moment of it.
Arriving at New York, 1 put up at
the Hoffman house, and there met
many of my old-time California;,
friends, and, as the famous yacht race
Letween the Puritan and the Valkyrie
was to be sailed the next day, 1 re-
Ccived an sinvitation to witness the
race. But when morning came, as
| was about~leaving the hotel, L met
my brother Isaac, who, with his wife,
had come from New Haven to meet
| ME. The surprise and delight of this
| Unexpected meeting changed my plans
| entirely and the yacht race had no
charms for me after such a reunion;
| subsequently 1 didn't witness it.
After spending a few days in New
2crk, viewing with establishment the
wonderful changes thirty years had
wrought, my brother and myself took
Lassage on the steamer Lowell for a
sail through Long Island Sound to
our old home in Norwich, Connecticut.
Captain William Ward was master
Of the steamer and Mr.. Joseph Carter
chief engineer. We had all been boys
together, and after dinner we assem-
bled in the engine room and talked
over old times, of the happenings in
that dear old town sixty or seventy
years before, until the steamer arrived
at New London, where we took the
train for Norwich: but / shall never
forget the delightful interview, the
charming heart heart talk in that
engine room, the renewal of precious
memories, and the living over again
scenes and incidents of childhood and
our matgrer years. 1t was a real treat
and we all enjoyed every moment of
it heartily.
Arriving at Norwich in the early
morning. we started for the Wauregan
hotel, and a short distance from the
depot we came to Franklin square. AS
we passed into the square l said to
my brother, rs this Franklin square?'
He said it was; but it didn't seem to
me to be possible, for. sixty five years
before, when that square was laid out,
] thought it the biggest square on
EARTH But now it seemed to have
shrunk into a small, vacant space
where the farmers fed their teams
when they came to the city to dispose
IF their produce and make their fam
lily purchases. And so il was with
everything L saw in that dear old
town. The buildings that appeared to
me in childhood as stately mansions
ing houses. And yet, found that dur
ing those seventyfl five years there had
been erected in that city some of the
most beautiful residences, the loveliest
homes in all New England. When I
left my home thirty years before. I
knew nearly everybody in the CITY and
nearly everybody knew me- but now
not one of all those / met recognized
me. twas rich experience for me.
my meeting with those of nv init
nate friends in the long ago. l would
have the advantage of them always
as / would call on them at their homes
or places of business, and would know
whom l was to meet, and on meeting
them 1 would hold out my hand. call
them by name, and say:
How do you do?"
They would take my hand and saw:
How do you do, sir?" evidently i'm a
Huandary as to whether I was a life
insurance agent or book agent.
Then / would ask, Are you well?"
Yes" they would say, very we'll"
Have you been well since | saw
you last?" 1 would ask
yes, yes, they would answer rath-
er impatiently. wondering all the time
what this stranger was trying to get
at.
Then would ask. do you know
me?" an invariably they would say.
NO, | never saw you before
Then | would tell them my name
and although my features had been on
t.rely out of their recollection my name