Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1919-12-31
Miss Florence Minis Writes o.
a Visit to Concord, Mass. s
Dear Advertiser:

e.
Interest are very unevenly distribut-
ed, some little towns being marked
from one edge to the other with bat
tie fields or ancient taverns connect
led with famous generals. One Of the
most prominent of these in the COM
|monwealth of Massachusetts, is Con-
cord, name poorly suited TO its
fighting patriots of seventeen seven
ty-fve.
Battle fields are generally barren
fields, where one has to imagine, with
the help of few historical facts,
that here his ancestors made them
selves famous. never expect to see
anywhere more delightful historic
spot, even in the spring, than the
scene of the Concord battle at the
Old North Bridge over which tradi-
tion says Paul Revere brought the
news of the British approach. A love
lily shaded lane leads to a pleasant
spot surrounded by trees and divided
by stretch of water. On one side of
the bridge the British were posted
and on the other the Americans. A
lonely statue of soldier with one
hand on his gun and the other on his
plow verifes the statement that the
men actually left their plows and
came to fight in the battles of that
memorable time.
In the square was a quaint old
tavern built before seventeen seven
ty-fve where we had lunch. On the
nineteenth of April it was the head
quarters of Maj. Pitcairn and his
British troops. Here he uttered his
famous saying, while stirring his
toddy, that he would thus stir the
American troops.
On the Concord square was a
statue of one of the famous minute
men and a towering flag staff on
which were the words "The birth
place of American liberty"
Concord is not only famous for its
battles but for its authors, who 9alonee
would have made the town promi-
Inent. On one street alone were the
homes of Hawthorne, Louisa Alcott
and Ralph Waldo Emerson. John
Thoreau also an author was native
of Concord. The graves of these four
are placed in a most beautiful ceme-
terry over rolling hills interspersed
with paths and covered with shrub
lbery. was impressed especially with
the simple markers that denoted the
final resting place of these so worthy
of great monument.
The first normal school in America
was founded here on the fourth of
July, eighteen thirty-nine with three
pupils. The country is now so scatter
ed with them that no one thinks of
attributing their beginning to Con-
cord which seems to claim all the hon
ors of many different kinds.
Sight seers are very interesting
Ipeople to me, though I am often
among them and one of them, with
my pencil and hurried notes some,
times written so that they can scarce
ly be read the day after have writ.
ten them. I sometimes wonder, too
if the people who live under the shad-
ow of battle fields or even those who
occupy these historic houses, get the
refreshing, exhilarating inspiration
of those who consider themselves
favored to pend a few hours and
|glean few facts that these residents
have known all their lives nor cared
lperhaps to enjoy.
just as great events sometimes
take on added significance as the
years pass over them, after time has
had the chance to give them their
Irightful place in history, so is famil.
iarity breeder of contempt in the
instance of great places. Perhaps
those who walk the same streets that
Hawthorne trod see less wonder in
his wonder books and less interest in
his "Twice Told Tales" than those
who dream only of these scenes in
the midst of which he wrote.
FLORENCE MINIS.
142 Hemenway Street,
Boston, Mass.
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